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GLEANINGS FROM THE WORD
Encountering an extraordinary God in ordinary life
Issue # 276
Myths
At some point in time or another, we’ve all heard tall tales and myths. Stories where the storyteller knows someone, who knows someone, whose first cousin’s aunt-in-law’s best friend’s daughter knew somebody who &ldots;
There are always lots of them floating about the internet. They are quite often in the form of chain letters telling us about some evil corporation or child whose dying wish is to receive a million emails.
Some are obvious, others seem real enough, but they always bear checking out before forwarding.
Myths abound, even in the church. Sometimes they result from a misunderstanding of Scripture, or a misquote. Other times, they come because assumptions or half truths are presented as fact instead of speculation.
They’re perpetuated because most Christians have never read their Bible and simply accept the word of others about what the Bible says.
Some simple, relatively harmless examples include:
The animals in the ark did not travel two by two (unless they were unclean, clean animals came in sevens).
There were not three wise-men at the manger. The magi came later, perhaps two years or more, and Scripture doesn’t say how many there were.
Jesus may or may not have been a carpenter. It’s a presumption based on his fathers occupation.
Often more serious error has been introduced into the church, with solid Scriptural "proof". A bunch of verses are quoted, so we assume the position must be right. Have we checked to see if the verses are used in context and how they fit into the rest of Scripture?
In the Book of Acts, we read of a group who carefully examined Scripture to see if Paul spoke the truth.
As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men. Acts 17:10-12 NIV
They set an example that Christians of today need to follow.
Many profess a faith today and try and live it, without ever having looked at the operators manual. They carry on with myths, half truths and bad interpretations.
Next time an issue comes up, check the Word itself to see what it says. It’s great to have books, devotional columns and Bible teachers, but the Word is where the truth lies.
If you read Gleanings instead of your Bible, please stop. We are only here to offer our thoughts and insight. If you can only read one thing, make it the Word.
Did you just assume what I told you about Jesus, wise-men and animals is true, or did you check?
Until next time, may you follow the example of the church in Berea and search the Word for the truth.
God bless.
Kevin
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