Relationship in the Word

"You search the scriptures for you believe that they give you eternal life.  And the scriptures point to me.  Yet you won't come to me so I can give you this life eternal." Jn 5 39-40

I have always wondered how it is possible that so many different religions have the bible but believe vastly different doctrines, even erring to the cultish.  It has been said that the bible is open to personal interpretation and this is true until.....!

I looked at the apostle Paul who ended up writing most of the epistles, yet he was the great persecutor of the church.  He was a Pharisee with a huge jealous zeal for God.  How could he have such a zeal for the Living God that was so misplaced that he got it so wrong.  He studied the scriptures and most likely could quote verbatim the Torah, yet he like many others "missed the day of visitation" not recognising Jesus the Messiah.  With a presupposition of what Messiah would do when He came, Paul missed that Christ ushered in a kingdom of salvation in men's hearts.

Throughout Jewish history, the pendulum swung from the worship of God to the worship of idols and going astray doing their own thing. A heart change was needed as foretold by the prophet Ezekiel (36:26):-

"And I will give you a new heart - I will give you new and right desires and put a new spirit within you.  I will take out your stony hearts of sin and give you new hearts of love.  And I will put my spirit within you so that you will obey my laws and do whatever I command."

So what changed Paul from persecutor of the church to persecuted for the church?  Purely relationship.  He finally met the Author of the Book, Jesus Christ, on his way to Damascus.  Jesus was no longer words on a page, but the word became flesh to Paul as the eyes of his heart were enlightened by the presence of the One he persecuted.

When we really know someone, we are able to discern the spirit behind their words.  If someone reported to you that your wife/husband said a certain thing, you would know in your heart if they would say something like what been reported, or you would know if it had been interpreted wrongly.  It is the same with Jesus.  The closer our relationship becomes, the more we know His heart the easier we find the interpretation of the spirit of the message in the word.

Studying the word without the relationship only leads to "puffed up knowledge" and can give misplaced zeal and wrong interpretation of the message.  The life in the Word is found in relationship with Him and leads us to desire more truth and an even closer more intimate walk.  This us why He beckons us to come to Him and learn of Him.

Come today.  Call on His name and ask Him to teach you His word in the book.