It could very well be that the greatest danger we face in the Christian life is to live day by day one step removed from acting on the immediacy of Jesus’ counsel and guidance. That is to say, we live off of inferences we make from the scriptures as to what to think and do instead of the direct counsel of the Holy Spirit.
An inference is “a conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning.” The more we study our bibles the greater the danger of using them to reason our way through life — living according to our growing knowledge of the Bible and yet missing the whole point of the Bible.
The Pharisees of Jesus day fell into that trap. Many of them had the whole Old Testament memorized — let that sink in! But, they failed to grasp it’s central message. And Jesus confronted them on it:
“You study the scriptures thoroughly because you think in them you possess eternal life, and it is these same scriptures that testify about me, but you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life.” John 5:39-40 (NET)
How can we avoid such an indictment ourselves? Here are some ideas:
First, by reading our bibles and thinking through what we read while practicing remaining attentive to the immediate presence of Jesus. He is our teacher.
Second, by reading not to draw our conclusions but to absorb his. We can ask things like, “what to you think of what I’m reading here, Lord?” “Lord, explain this to me. Give me understanding.” “Lord, how does this apply to my present circumstances?”
Third, in John 6:63 Jesus says this: “The Spirit is the one who gives life; human nature is of no help! The words that I have spoken to you are spirit-giving and life-producing.” So take note of the thoughts that come to you that enliven your heart and fire up your sense of purpose. That’s a strong indication that you’re not just arriving at conclusions served up by your own human-nature, but that Jesus himself is teaching you something.
