Viewing the Bible Through Our Wounds is Dangerous

There are many people today who want to interpret the Bible from their own lenses. Pick a label, any label, whether political, ethnic, sexual orientation, or anything else, and there are people who will justify just about anything to support the label they choose to wear. All of these propositions are dangerous: we need to hear the Word of God from HIS angle, and not ours, and yet there is one lens of viewing Scripture that is the most dangerous, and that is from our wounds.

I have seen it my entire life, and, admittedly, I have done so. We approach God and the Scriptures through our own flawed, wounded perspective, and so we pull from it what we want to hear. We allow the enemy to use our experiences to twist the Scriptures so that we become divisive, reclusive, and blame other Bible believing Christians for our wounds, and not ever have to deal with them ourselves. Like a wounded dog we bite, or like a wounded rabbit we flee (or sometimes we do both), and, because of our pain, we never really find unity with Christ or His Church, but continue justifying our perspectives instead of seeking to be justified by a Holy and risen Christ.I feel it necessary to address some of these wounds, as I’ve seen them rise again and again in people and hurt whole congregations, but I am sure there are more we could discuss, if there was time. For example, church hurt: we have been manipulated and controlled by those who were supposed to be shepherds, or by fellow sheep, so we lash out at those in leadership as a way of defending ourselves from letting it happen again. Another wound that I’ve observed is the consequences of our own choices. Such people (And I was one for a while) never stay in a congregation long, and when people get too close, no matter what God is doing there, they find something wrong with it, and, thus, an excuse to flee. And still others desire control because they have come from a place of chaos that has hindered their walk with Christ, and they desire to get by on works, and look down on those who do not do the things they do as inferior.

The only wounds we should view Scripture through are the hands, feet and side of Christ, from which His blood spilled that we may be reconciled to a Holy God. Those wounds were given because I sinned (and because you sinned!).  My approach to Christ and the Scriptures comes from a place of deep regret and remorse: my sins crucified the perfect man, who was also God, because I cannot save myself. And so His stripes paid my ransom, His wounds healed me. And because I, who was His enemy, have been thus redeemed, I need to look on with love at those He has sent me to, submitting to my elders (if they are in line with Scripture), and, indeed the Church in spite of its flaws because He is perfect and is perfecting me by His wounds. I need to be healed by His wounds, and submit to Him that I may, by His sacrifice, be healed.

1 Peter 2

So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture:

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,a cornerstone chosen and precious,and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,

“The stone that the builders rejectedhas become the cornerstone,” 

And

“A stone of stumbling,and a rock of offense.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.