Like most people, I am an average typist. I use a mixture of the one-finger prodding technique in conjunction with the more formaly recognised touch-typing technique. This means that I have a relatively fast type speed but this is accompanied by a mistake or two along the way. Recently, I was tapping and clattering my way around the keyboard typing up my notes for a talk on Psalm 19. As usual, I reached the end of the sentance and looked up, in order to check through the text and find the mistake I felt myself making as I typed. This is what I discovered on the screen (in case it isn't obvious, I've underlined the mistake I made)... There are two mistakes we make with God and his word...
- focus on the relationship and ignore the revelation
- focus on the revelation and ignore the relationship If we focus on the relationship and ignore the revelation,
then we live as God’s people by purpose, but not practice
- this happens when the Bible is not taken seriously
- we focus on loving and worshipping God, without ever knowing what loving God actually involves. If we focus on the revelation and ignore the relationship,
then we live as God’s people by practice, but not by purpose
- this happens when God's word does not permeate to our hearts.
- we know everything there is to know about being a Christian, without ever loving him & worshipping him You see, we are to keep the two in tension:
- we have a revelationship with God.
Revelationship? That isn't a word! And yet, if you look at Psalm 19, that is exactly what we have with God: a relationship with him built upon his revelation through his word - first in the law and prophets (Old Testament) but ultimately in his Son, Jesus Christ (New Testament). A revelationship. God's general revelation of himself in creation (Psalm 19:1-6) is sufficent for us to know and worship God's eternal power and divine nature, yet it is insufficent for a relationship. It is only when the Psalmist switches to God's special revelation of himself in his word (Psalm 19:7-11) that 'God' becomes 'LORD', the living God who makes himself known to his people and establishes a covenant relationship with them (Exodus 3:13-15). The testimony of Jesus contained in the Bible really does revive the soul, make wise the simple, rejoice the heart, open our eyes, endure forever and is righteous altogether - because it is the revelation of Jesus in which we enjoy relationship with Jesus. And so it is for this reason that we love Scripture: because we love Jesus. Every time we listen to his word, we listen to him and we can't help but love him even more.
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