The Whole word and nothing but the Word

The Whole Word and nothing but the Word.

In order to understand things we break them down into smaller bits and then categorize these bits in a way that helps us to learn them. In chemistry we break the science down into organic and inorganic, and many subdivisions of these. The elements are broken down into categories of metals, non-metals, and gases. Once we establish the category we set out to learn one category at a time. Generally we find that we like one category more than the others and we then learn much more about that category. We may dislike a category and we find that we know the least about that one. However, our making of categories in chemistry doesn't stop the inorganic compounds from interacting with the organic ones. It doesn't stop non-metals from making chemical bonds with metals. If we are to be experts at chemistry, after we learn the categories or the bits that we have broken the science into, we must put the bits back together and learn how they interact with one another. Then and only then will we know the whole picture.

The breaking down and analyzing of a discipline can be called contemplation. When we contemplate we use a critical method. We don't mean critical in a negative sense but in the way of critiquing things. When the Lord gave the parable of the sower the disciples didn't understand it and so they asked Christ to explain it or critique it. The seed, the road, the rocky soil, the thorns, and the good soil were all defined by Him. Yet they could not keep the bits of the story separate. They had to put all of those parts back together, while maintaining the same imagery, in order to understand it. What they did was to ask Christ to stand above the parable, take out His microscope, and explain the individual bits. So they stepped out from the parable to contemplate it, but they must not remain there. They must step back into the parable and immerse themselves in it. They must put all the bits back together and situate themselves under it, not above it, so as to let the whole parable wash over their souls and to have its living effect upon them. It's a broad picture of the devil, the gospel, mankind in different situations, and a landscape of a road and various types of soil. It is alive, breathing, moving, dynamic, and adventurous. Remaining outside of the parable, or above it, as an analyst, is to miss the most important part of it - the whole imaginative vision.

This in no way depreciates the function of the analytical, critical method to studying doctrines. It is necessary, just as it was necessary for the disciples to hear the contemplative explanation of the story. But it is a warning to not remain the analytical critic. The critic is always above the doctrine looking upon it with his microscope. The word of God must not remain on the lab-bench for too long. I have seen this in people. Too long a critic and failing to put themselves beneath the word like a humble child leads them to arrogance and they become constant debaters and arguers. 1TI 6:3-6 If anyone advocates a different doctrine, and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness [well devoted to the spiritual life], he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. But godliness actually is a means of great gain, when accompanied by contentment.

2TI 2:14 Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless, and leads to the ruin of the hearers.

Their critical method alone becomes everything and when another Christian uses a different vocabulary or different explanation for a truth they attack it as if it is an affront to their entire faith. These type never debate in a gentle manner. They are defending what they have come to believe is the total embodiment of faith - their own critical method and they believe this because they have failed to set aside the critical method upon comprehension and to put themselves under the whole of what they see and perceive it from below and from within. 1CO 13:2 And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

I liken it to experiencing a planetarium. I used to run a planetarium when I was in college back in Providence, RI. When the people walked in, all the lights are on and it just looks like a big domed, white ceiling. The mechanism in the middle of the room that projects the points of light to the ceiling is on, but not noticeable. When everyone is seated and things get quiet, the doors are closed and then I very slowly dim the lights and at first the brightest stars can be seen, just like at dusk on a crisp, clear night. And then slowly it becomes darker and then almost at dark I crank it to pitch black for the effect. Every time there are gasps. The little kids are the best - gasps and loud "whoas." But then we get to the business of pointing out constellations, planets, stars and their names. It gets technical, comprehensive, and contemplative, and that doesn't get one "whoa." This goes on for about ten minutes or so, but then at the end of the presentation I would always set the stars to what they would be that very night in our sky in northeast America. "If you go out tonight and look, then this is what you'll see." You can feel the awe come back into the room. Now, not only can they enjoy the night sky, they can identify a planet, a constellation, find the north star, etc. But what good is that if all you have is names. It's enjoyable when you can find the planet and wonder what it is like on the surface of it or wonder how far away it is and then think about traveling such a distance in the cold darkness of space. During the presentation, we started under the stars, enjoying the spectacle of it, then we stepped outside of that for some contemplation on the science of it and some of the facts of it, and then we went right back under it and found we could enjoy the spectacle even more because we understood more about it. Like children, we immersed ourselves under the whole of it, lived it, wondered, and adventured. There is a good term for this - enjoyment.

In living within the whole of the truth we leave contemplation and enter the realm of enjoyment. By enjoyed we don't only mean that the thing is appreciated or welcomed but also that we enter an atmosphere that comprises our whole imaginative vision. If we only contemplate the truth in a critical manner then we find it will go dead in our analytical hands because we stop living within it and under it. If we are to properly enjoy it we must not stand above it with our microscope trying to conquer it, but we must stand under it with a child-like attention and fascination. The whole work of the scripture has a living effect on our hearts. HEB 4:12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. It is ok and necessary to break it into bits that we call doctrines and to break those down to even smaller bits so that we can learn of it and understand it, but to fail to put all the bits back together into the whole and then allow, in humility, to let that whole picture of the works and purposes of God wash over us as something that is alive, is to fail to allow it to have the proper effect on our hearts; the full effect. If you're going to be a great doctor you cannot only know about the workings of the heart, but of the whole human body. Yet you study the heart alone for a time until you know it and then you do the same with the lungs and liver, but you are always putting them all together to see the working of the whole human anatomy and physiology.

This means that there is something to be seen from the scripture which will not be seen from the individual doctrines, but which cannot be seen without studying the individual doctrines. That vision which the scripture, alive and powerful, will work on the imagination of the soul is the whole of it. All of the individual doctrines, like strands of a tapestry woven together, embarks upon the soul as a living, breathing story, but a story of a reality, in which God, Satan, man, angel, history, dispensations, Israel, the church, salvation, and Jesus Christ as God in the flesh transforms a heart to great enjoyment. We study Christ as Prophet, Priest, and King. We study Him as Husband, Brother, Lord, Friend, but to only see these aspects of Him alone without seeing them all together in Him is not to truly know Him. Like a best friend or spouse, we have a relationship with the whole person and not just with their individual talents. If your relationship with a person were only based on their individual talents then you are probably using such a person for something selfish and you are not in a real relationship, fellowship, or communion with them.

It is a lifelong journey; Old Testament, New Testament, Israel, the church, prophecy, gospel history, past, present, and future unto eternity - all of it God has entrusted us to learn, contemplate, and understand and with that to put ourselves in the midst of it, in the proper time with the proper perspective of past, present, and future, and to enter into the enjoyment of it. Make no mistake, all of it would be incomplete without you. The part will only fully understand his function unto the whole when he understands the working of the whole. You are a part of it, and if you are a member of the body of Christ, then you are a very important part of it. 1CO 12:12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.

EPH 1:22-23 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all.

EPH 2:19-22 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together is growing into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.

If there was a part of the scripture that wasn't necessary in order for us to be effected by the whole of it then the Bible would be shorter. You will like some categories more than others, that's natural, but don't neglect the other categories. Always contemplate the doctrines but never forget to immerse yourself in their truths and enter into the atmosphere of enjoyment. Be under it and not above it and let it comprise your whole imaginative vision.

Pastor Joe Sugrue

Grace and Truth Ministries.