The Washing of Water with the Word

I have always encouraged Christians (because, let's face it, it wouldn't be remotely reasonable to expect if of unbelievers) to allow the truth of God's Word to shape their understanding of reality rather than the reverse--allowing their sense of what's real to shape biblical truth. Now, sure, the left-leaning types (Eccl 10:2) will complain "That stuff is just your opinion!", but I'm not talking to them. I'm talking to you Bible-believing Christians. Even you--we--tend to apply our experience and (misguided) thinking onto Scripture rather than vice versa. Brothers, these things ought not be.

Let's look at some examples. In John 6 Jesus said things that actually caused some of His followers to leave. He recognized it. "Some of you don't believe," He said. And then He explained why people don't believe. "For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father." (John 6:65) So, Bible-believing Christian, what do you do with that? Do you explain that everyone is granted from the Father ... which nullifies what Jesus was saying but agrees with the general view that anyone can believe? Or do you question that general view because Jesus said this?

Here's a tough one. "The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes." (Prov 21:1) Many Christians are dedicated to Man's Free Will. (Don't misunderstand. We all agree that Man makes uncoerced choices. The question is about just how free that will is.) So this text cannot mean ... what it says. But factor in other texts. "The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps." (Prov 16:9) Well, now, that looks like a problem for the Free Will (capitalized version) folks, doesn't it? Or will a prior adherence to a non-biblical definition of "Free Will" decide how you will interpret Scripture?

There are lots of these. If you are affirming that love is a good thing even when expressed as a sexual relationship between two people of the same gender and every Scripture on that subject disagrees with you, will you question your affirmation or will you re-imagine Scripture? When Paul says, "But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet" (1 Tim 2:12), will you interpret it based on Paul's call to the order of creation (1 Tim 2:13-14) or will you interpret it in line with modern perceptions shaped by feminism? When the Word says, "There is none who does good; no, not one" (Rom 3:12), will you understand it light of your experience or will you take it as it is written? When John writes, "Love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God" (1 John 4:7), will you conclude, "Everyone loves, so everyone must be born of God" or will it make you question your understanding of "love"? There are lots of these.

It stands to reason. The world is naturally opposed to God (Rom 8:6-8). Therefore, it must be that the Scriptures will say things we don't think of as true because we, suffering from deceitful hearts (Jer 17:9), have been blinded (2 Cor 4:4) and are desperately in need of a renewed mind (Rom 12:2). I'd be skeptical of the person who didn't find his or her views challenged in the pages of Scripture. It isn't a surprise that Scripture will certainly contradict at times what we think we know. My question, though, is this. Will you allow God's Word to reshape your mind, or will you dedicate yourself to your preconceptions and reshape God's Word?