Descriptive or Prescriptive?

 August 29, 202

Do I see the Bible in the light of the world, or do I see the world in the light of the Bible? It makes a huge difference. Seeing the Bible in the light of the world means I look at all that’s happening before reading the Bible. Doing so, the world is winning, evil is ahead, hope is in vain. There may be comforting words here and there, but overall, it’s a picture of despair, violence, anger, and injustice. The Bible becomes secondary, it’s perspective merely descriptive instead of prescriptive.

Reading the world in light of the Bible changes everything. The Bible then is no longer a mere collection of ancient stories and irrelevant dictums. Reading the world in light of the Bible, it all begins to make sense, and evil loses. Where we finish depends on where we start. The daily news is a bad place to begin. The Word of God is the best place to begin.

This morning began with baptisms in our creek. It’s become somewhat of a habit; I’ve lost count of how many have made their profession of faith and begun their life in Christ in our creek. Baptisms were followed by worship in the village commons, further cementing Christ’s centrality in our lives. Building one’s life upon the Word of God helps me see the problems of this world in light of the Gospel, the Good News that Christ died to save this sinful, broken world, and that death was not in vain. It looked for awhile like the powers of darkness had won, but three days later, the tables were turned. When it looks like Death is winning, I only need see it in light of the Bible. There is always a resurrection, and someday this Savior sacrificed for our sake on a cruel cross will come again, this time not in weakness and humility, but in power and great glory. This hope is what sustains me, and what makes me give thanks tonight.