We’ve been studying fear, worry and anxiety in our ladies’ Bible study. God’s Word has so much to say and so much for us to learn about this topic. However, what struck me this week as I was studying is what can throw us off the track and in some Christian circles has rendered the Bible useless in regard to its foundational purpose: to teach us about the life, death and resurrection of Christ and how we can grow in Christlikeness.
The Scriptures teach us how to handle life’s problems. It is important, it is wise, that we look to them then when we encounter problems. However, it is crucial that we do not lose our focus while doing so. The Holy Scriptures are first about Christ and his rescue of humanity.
The Holy Scriptures are not about our rescue done by Christ. Gloriously, thankfully, joyfully its not about me or you or your anxiety-ridden neighbor. The Holy Scriptures are about Christ the Rescuer – not about man the rescuee. One of the issues I have with certain study Bibles is due to this very thing. Let’s take for instance a prophecy Bible. When our biblical study is fueled by watching the skies for fulfilled prophecy our focus is taken off Jesus as Messiah and our need for him and is placed on a search that the Scriptures tell us is without need (He’ll come like a thief in the night 1 Thess 5.2; 2 Pet 3.1; Rev 16.15). We stop living for the day at hand (Matt 6.34) and become concerned (some folks even obsessed) with something we have no business being concerned about (although a knowledge of prophecy correctly applied can be helpful in apologetics). In this case probably the book of Revelation or Daniel. What is the book of Revelation about? It is about the reign of the God-Man Jesus. Many behave as if it is about world powers. They are falling into the same trap that the people in Israel fell into during Jesus earthly ministry. What were the people calling for on Palm Sunday? A king. Jesus was a King to be sure, but he was not of this worldly kingdom (see Jesus before Pilate: John 18.33-38).
The Bible is the greatest story ever told. To call the Bible a story doesn’t change its truth, its reliability, its inerrancy or its authority. To call the Bible a story reveals its amazing transcendence. It is a masterpiece of themes and acts and pericopi all pointing to the grand denouement: Jesus the Christ and his grand rescue of mankind.
Fear, worry and anxiety in our culture (even our Christian culture) many times is dealt with by taking a pill, falling into the cycle of therapy – and sadly – searching the words – man’s words – of our Life Application Study Bible.
When we search the Scriptures as one whole story we come across a God who has dealt with the anxiety of his people for millennia (Nehemiah 9). When we see the themes of rescue and discipline for change we meet a God-Man who condescended to earth to train his people to look to his Kingdom practices (Matt 5.2-11). When we give our lives over to him trusting his kingship that turned the world upside down (Acts 17.6-7), we are given a Spirit that dwells within us richly that we might live and breath following his apostles’ teaching.
Put the Prophecy Bible, the Recovery Bible and the Life Application Bible down and read the very words of God that are useful for teaching, reproving correction and training in righeousness that the man (and woman) of God might be competent, equipped for every good work (2 Tim 3.16-17)…in the grand story of Jesus the Messiah.