But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 2 Corinthians 3:15-16 NKJV
This morning we consider Question 157 of the Larger Catechism, which asks, “How is the word of God to be read?” It gives the answer, “The holy scriptures are to be read with an high and reverent esteem of them; with a firm persuasion that they are the very word of God, and that he only can enable us to understand them; with desire to know, believe, and obey the will of God revealed in them; with diligence, and attention to the matter and scope of them; with meditation, application, self-denial, and prayer.” Last week we looked at the duty and privilege of all private persons to read God’s Word for themselves. Today we consider our need of God’s grace to truly benefit from it.
Once I heard someone say that the Bible is too complicated to understand. In fact she went on to imply that this is the reason why there are so many different interpretations and therefore denominations, because Scripture is too difficult to grasp its actual meaning. Now this person already had a Ph.D. when she made this claim! Yet many people, without a Ph.D., would readily affirm both her assertion and conclusion: that the Bible is too difficult to understand and that is why so many churches interpret it differently and so many Christians disagree with one another on all sorts of Biblical doctrines. If this reasoning is not true how do we account for all the disagreement?
Today’s Catechism Question gives us the answer. Because of its author and importance, we can and should come to the Bible with a certain frame of mind. The Bible is not an encyclopedia. It is not an instruction manual for living. It is not a love letter from a fiancé. It is not the funny pages. It is the Word of God. It certainly contains a wealth of factual information, has much wisdom to guide our lives, expresses God’s love for us, and at times is even humorous, but it is more than any one of these genres or even all of them put together. If proclamations of kings and presidential addresses are received with a kind of reverent attention, how much more should we revere a word from Almighty God? The Lord declares that He will look upon the one “who is humble and contrite in spirit and who trembles at My Word” (Isa. 66:2).
So if a person outwardly recognizes God as the author of Scripture, and for that reason with great concentration comports himself to read it with a focused mind and a respectful demeanor, will that guarantee an accurate understanding? Is it merely a wrong disposition and state of mind that causes confusion? No it is not that. Nor is it that the Bible is too difficult to understand. As the verses at the head of this article shows, it is not a lack of intellect or attitude that accounts for Scripture’s incomprehensibility, but an unbelieving heart. The veil does not lie on the mind, but on the heart. In other words, it is not that Scripture is too hard to understand; it is that we in our fallen condition are too hard to understand it. Jesus said as much to the Jews who, in spite of having seen His many miracles refused to allow the necessary conclusion—that He was the messiah: “The works that I do in My Father's name, they bear witness of Me. But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep,” (Joh. 10:25-26). Though He knew they did hear His audible speech, Jesus said of them “You are not able to listen to My Word,” (Joh. 8:43).
As Christians therefore, being aware of our fallen condition, we need to come to God’s Word:
1. reverently: believing that it really is from Him and is true;
2. humbly: affirming that apart from His grace our sinful natures will not allow us to receive or benefit from what we are reading (or hearing);
3. prayerfully: calling upon God to give us the right understanding to believe it and do it;
4. sincerely: desiring to glorify and serve Him first and foremost, and not ourselves.
Now if all Christians would do this, would we never again disagree about what the Bible says? No, I’m afraid we would not. We are still sinners and illumination is still a gift by the grace of God. We do not earn that gift by our always still somewhat sinful asking (even as believers). Every instance of illumination is of grace, it is not deserved (by our works), it is gratuitous. Therefore, read your Bible, humbly ask God to give you wisdom and understanding, and when He does, give Him all the glory and thanks for His completely gracious gift!
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