Growth In the Knowledge of Jesus.

     I was once asked by an individual what I thought about divorce and remarriage. He was confused because the bible said one thing, and the early church fathers were split on their take of the issue. 
     The role of women in ministry can also become a thorny issue to deal with. Was it a cultural issue for a specific time, or is it a command for today as well? There are about as many answers to this as there are commentaries dealing with Paul's instructions concerning women.
     My point is not to argue these issues out in this post. I prefer to let the bible speak clearly, after all it is God's book, inspired by Him, for our benefit. We would do well to clear our minds of all preconceived ideas, and come to the word of God with an open heart and mind. After all it is the will 
of God that we are seeking, right?
     As the early Anabaptist leader Conrad Grebel said "I believe the word of God without a complicated interpretation". The bible can be hard to understand in many instances, but yet God desires us to dig in and seek out the truth. He is not going to hide truth from an individual who desires to apply it to his or her life. We get into trouble when we want to know what the bible says about something, but we are unwilling to put it into practice in our lives. We cloud things up when we depend more on human tradition, and interpretation, then upon the illumination of the Holy Spirit.
     We are to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:17-18). We need to watch ourselves so that we are not led astray by the errors of unprincipled men.
     Is it ok to use commentaries? Yes, but use discernment! They are written by fallible men, often with a denominational slant. We need to train ourselves to come to the Word with an open mind and heart, realizing that this is the last word on what is true in the eyes of God!