So I’m reading this book and ran across that word. You know…that word above that is difficult to pronounce quickly. I had a bigger problem. I had no clue what it meant.
Then I found out and well…everything was crystal clear. Okay…not so.
The clarity of Scripture is sometimes known by the older word “perspicuity” (which is sort of hilarious given the fact the word makes everything about as clear as mud). I know what you may be thinking…sort of like me. Clear? Everything is clear? Given the fact we have trouble agreeing on some very simple & basic teachings, I have to wonder about how clear it is.
Don’t brand me a heretic! I believe strongly in the inerrancy of Scripture. I believe in the infallibility of Scripture as “breathed into” and then written down by the original authors. I don’t deny some scribe mistakes have been made along the way. But nothing which affects the truth of the Scripture or what we must believe. Check out here to see where I stand.
But what I have come to learn and understand as I have traveled through this adventure called “The Christian Life” is God didn’t make learning about Him hard or difficult. Not always easy to see or grasp, but certainly not hidden. Paul wrote “the foolishness of God is wiser than men…God chose what is foolish in the world to to shame the wise…” Find that here.
“The perspicuity of Scripture upholds the notion that ordinary people using ordinary means can accurately understand enough of what must be known, believed and observed for them to be faithful Christians.” (p.59)
I don’t claim or even pretend to know all there is to know; nor understand all there is to understand. But each day I try to find myself in the Bible…lately using this. Not everything is crystal clear, but there are some things which are…and I will cling to that. I clearly need help when reading, but each day can bring something new.
How about you?
I like that idea that even if we don’t understand everything, that we can understand enough. I also seem to constantly run across analysis of scripture that I have read time and time again only to glean a new truth and a new perspective. There is plenty there to mine, even in the familiar.
I think that is one of the cool things about reading Scripture Daniel. Reading something again and gleaning something new, even after multiple times. And I certainly agree on plenty to mine.
Knowing all there is to know or understanding all there is to understand? I didn’t have you down for that.
Perspicuity is actually a word I like to throw in now and then. It messes with the “C” students, intriques the “B” students and is no problem for the “A” students.
Understanding “GOD” is very difficult.
The authority that OK’D cutting babies out of wombs, killing all men and boys and women that were non-virgins and taking what was left (the virgins) to do with what you (the men) will do.
Sounds like the old testament God is alive and well in the Islamic States idea of a caliphate state.
I wonder where they got those ideas?
And the old testament God had many more of those kind of ideas. And somehow his Son (meek and mild Jesus) changed all of that? Explain
I think you misread the post Jeff. I said “I never claimed to…” unless I am misunderstanding your opening line. I don’t understand God completely but I’m not tracking on the killing babies virgins, etc. The Islamic Allah is not the God I believe in. As for the (meek and mild) Jesus, it says He came to give life not take it. I also don’t see the same Jesus who turned over the money changer’s tables and stood against the religious establishment as a weak-kneed panty-waist either.
I think I read it right. I never thought you claimed to have all of the answers. The God I was referring to was the Biblical God, and the killing of babies and non virgins and capturing and raping the virgins was his idea. The Islamic God seems to operate on a similar basis. The fact that a lot of the Bible was plagiarized in creating the Quran may have something to do with that assuming there are two different but curiously very similar Gods in both religions.
I don’t doubt Jesus was anti establishment and against the Romans and the Jewish authorities that were doing the Romans bidding in terms of crowd control.
The tactics of the Biblical God seem quite clear and very anti female, barbaric, and quite lacking in any civilized morality. I don’t think Jesus offers any explanation or justification for his fathers operating standards.
Where the gospel (the forgiveness of sins for the ungodly in Jesus’ name) is present…faith can be born…from above.
No matter what other laws or goofy things come out of the preacher’s mouth.
The finite contains the infinite. Just as was true of our Lord Jesus.
No argument here.
You said that God didn’t make learning about him easy. I wonder if that’s because He wants us to simply know Him rather than know about Him.
I would say that is definitely part of it.
Some of the details of scripture are difficult, but the basics of God’s creation and the sacrifice of His perfect Son for last needed sacrifice to atone for sin, is the “mysteries of the universe”. That’s the one thing that is perspicuity.
You learn something new everyday.
My point exactly Floyd. Agreeing on the basics is essential. Glad you learned something new. 🙂
The basics of the gospel are clear, and that gives great comfort to me. Beyond the basics is our walk after salvation, a walk unique to every person. And God illuminates that walk through His Holy Spirit uniquely to every person. He meets us where we are. Love that!
It is so important to realize that truth Kari. God is not a cookie-cutter God and therefore does not expect His children to be the same or see things the same. HE works uniquely within all of us.
Without the Holy Spirit we could not understand nothing of the Word. Without Him it is like a history book which is how I read it before I got saved. But reading it like a history book showed me who God is, the perfect creator of all. Who man was, separated from God because of his sin. How God chose to bridge that separation through His perfect son Jesus coming to earth to die for man sin. Anything else I know is based on that belief.
The wisdom a Christian has comes from above , only this wisdom can give insight into God and His Word. I know little but what I know came straight from Him. Those that say my belief are my crutch, praise God, He is my crutch, a crutch strong enough to take me to heaven when I die and give me Godly wisdom for living in this sinful world. Good post Bill. It has stirred up which is exactly what Jesus did, He stirred hearts, those who receive Him were changed, those who did not receive Him were left exactly in their lost state, blind to the things of God, prideful in their human knowledge, without hope.
i totally agree Betty about not understanding the Bible without the Holy Spirit’s guidance. I’m glad it stirred hearts. If I write and no hearts are stirred am I not wasting my time (and yours)? Thanks.
Hi Bill! I have always read that the soul of good writing is using words that everyone understands. I had to look perspicuity up!
But it’s a good point to remember that the bible is full of easy words to read (except the names of people, which is really hard to pronounce sometimes!), but the concepts take deeper thought. Just when I think I understand a passage, I get to another place in my spiritual life, and have to start all over. It’s a moveable feast, that’s for sure.
Some day it will all be clear when we get to heaven. Until then, the concepts might be a little murky, but hopefully I have the gist right!
Blessings,
Ceil
I know what you mean about not knowing what words mean. I was that way with this word. 🙂 I’m not into $100 words. (I did give the definition in the post). But I agree with you also about the Bible being filled with words easy to understand. “We see through a glass darkly but then…” Yeah, can’t wait for that time.
I’m always amazed how I can read a verse or chapter again, one that I’ve read multiple into hundreds of times–and God will illuminate something different to me! Sometimes it’s a new way of thinking about it. Sometimes it’s something I need for that moment. No matter what though, I so appreciate how He speaks to us through His word! Thanks Bill.
That never ceases to amaze me also Jason. The Bible is a never-ending well. Thanks for the comment. Good to hear from you.
I agree, Bill and Floyd. God wants us to understand his loving plan of salvation so that any and all can be saved simply by placing their faith in the finished work of Jesus on the cross. As we grow in our relationship with Him, the teachings set forth in the Bible become even clearer and affect us even more deeply.
Well said Pam. Because I believe that I will continue spreading that word.
I always thought Perspicuity had to do withe the ability to use periscopes…thanks for clearing that up for me! 😉
Can you hear the groan from here?