Which Part of Life is More Important

There is a tendency among us to view life as a series of compartments in which we play and sometimes conflicting roles. At home we are one kind of person, at work another, at church another, at play still another. We have learned to act one way in one situation, and another way in another situation in order to be successful or cope with the circumstances.

The way we live our life-roles is often inconsistent with what we profess on a Sunday morning. We break speed laws. We lose our temper with the wife and kids. We don’t always watch our language. These things are all part of our growing in faith in Jesus. The stronger our faith, the less the inconsistencies.

But these inconsistencies/compartmentalization result from other contributing factors. Compartmentalization can result from (l) having found Christianity a nice but impractical way of life; viewing Christianity as excellent insurance for eternity, but unemployable in most situations here. (2) not having discovered how the Word of God applies to one’s life, not knowing what our gracious God expects.

Compartmentalization of one’s faith has only one cure: Bible study.

D. Bible Study is Above and Beyond the Normal

There is also a feeling in our Christian family that only "super Christians" do Bible study. Whether it is private study, family devotions, or group study, it is felt, only really good Christians will be so committed to the Word. Bible study has come to be viewed as an act of "super-arrogation". It is supposed to be done only by truly saintly people. Did you ever hear a member excuse himself from Bible study with, "I admire these people in the congregation who attend Bible study, but a common Christian like me could never be like them. Bible study? No. You certainly can’t expect me, an ordinary believer to be that good of a Christian."

Bible study tends not to viewed as a natural outgrowth of our faith in Jesus. Rather it is thought of as a fine but abnormal act. Instead of seeing contact with with the Scriptures as an avenue of expressing our appreciation for God’s grace,  study is considered burdensome. Instead of believing the the normal desire of a child of God will be to learn more about his heavenly Father, the average member seems to believe he knows enough and needs no more.

If the level of contact with the Lord through his Word is to increase in our Synod, this and the other attitudes I have mentioned need to be corrected.

It is my opinion that the Lutheran Church is not doing the Bible study (in public and private) that our Lord would expect from us. Nor are we promoting or encouraging the level of Bible study that would be God pleasing.

I fear that unless we realize this weakness and actively take steps to remedy the situation, we stand to lose the truth and purity of the Word we now enjoy.