I know it's not really the title of a Christian dieting book, but it should be.
For example there's Gwen Shamblin and her Weigh Down Diet that sold more than a million copies, making her the bestselling Christian weight loss author of all time. Her second book, Rise Above, recycles the same thinness is equal to godliness theme and emphasizes submission to a scary extreme.
On Sunday morning we were thinking about feeding on God's Word and Greg asked a good question - shouldn't we distance ourselves from all these books on the market which view the bible as ... a diet manual ... a parenting manual ... a Scientific textbook etc.?
As usual, my response is 'yes, and no.'
There are two equal and opposite dangers to avoid here. Both dangers are extremely prevelant in modern Christianity.
1. The Manual approach - typified by the dieting book above. The bible is seen as some kind of textbook on every possible practical subject under the sun. Supposedly we can deduce good diet tips from the OT food laws and learn about controlled crying because 'no crying he made' ... er, that's from a carol anyway ... oh, well, never mind. However, the diet for nomads in the middle east is not going to be the same for us living where we do. Likewise, the bible doesn't actually tell us anything about different birthing methods.
2. The religious approach - is just as common. Here the bible is only seen as relevant to our religious life. God's word teaches us all we need to know about how to behave in church, how to pray, and how to evangelise. But wait a minute. Didn't Paul have a lot to say about greed? (Their gods are their stomachs!) Isn't the bible full of principles concerning parenting? (What about all those proverbs?)
Seems to me that we need to reject both approaches. The bible applies to all of life and we should be encouraging one another to apply it. But that doesn't mean that it is meant to be used as a 'one size fits all' instruction manual for these kinds of areas.
Which is a shame really. I was hoping I could make millions with my 'Drink more beer diet.' (But just remember that you heard it from me first.)
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2 comments:
I suppose we need to start with what the Bible is saying and then apply it, not the other way round. Lots of those 'manuals' are using the Bible to support their particular ideas, parenting, dieting, women's make up - you name it!
One classic example of this (in support of controlled crying) is 'Imagine if God had responded to Jesus' cries on the cross - where we would be then'. Hard to take seriously, I know, but the Christian publishing world is full of such ridiculous logic.
I can't really see how 'religious' life can be separated from 'real' life so don't really see how you can read the Bible in such a way as it not to impact daily decisions, attitudes and actions. The Bible is full of God, us, each other, the world, how we live and relate - all we need to know for living and where we are headed.
Can I ask another sermon related question? I was wondering about how many of us wax and wane with Bible reading (listening!) and whether that has anything to do with our expectations and also the method God is using in speaking to us. Are we saying that this is the only way God speaks to us?
I think it can be hard to relate to someone who not only speaks through intermediaries, 'wrote' the words thousands of years ago and uses the exact same words to speak to everyone on the planet from go to woah. It doesn't seem very personal to me. I don't want to justify laziness and lack of discipline but I know that if there was a new letter from God to me in the mailbox every day, I'd be running out to see if the postie had arrived every 5 minutes!
I'd love for someone to explore that...
Cathy
Good question Cathy. I too really struggle with what it means to have a personal relationship with God.
However, there is a danger in the heart that yearns for the 'new' word. Most advertising is based on this principle. When the latest product is brought out as 'new and improved' I immediately think, "So we've been buying old and outdated from you all this time!"
The NT says that God has spoken definitively in Jesus. (e.g. Hebrews 1.) Therefore I appreciate your desire for a personal communication from Jesus, but want to distinguish that from a new one.
Just think what it would be like if you really received a new letter every day - could that new revelation contradict what has come before? If not, in what way would it be 'new'?
Although this is not developed fully the Bible does frequently use childhood as an analogy of faith. The baby needs constant reassurance but grows up into maturity where the parent doesn't have to send regular 'letters'. (e.g. Psalm 131.)
I think there are times when God does seem to speak to us in a 'now' word, but only on route to our maturity. His goal is that we will trust in him and what he has already done / already said.
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