What will the New Year hold for you? What are your New Year resolutions? Are they the same as last year?  At the close of every year, we contemplate these questions. As Christians, God grants us the opportunity to merge our understanding scripture with our resolutions.  Someone once said to me that theology is like a window; as one reads God’s word, one become aware of a new reality, a reality accessed through the divine revelation of the consummate word of God. 

We are reminded in the book of I Thessalonians 2: 13 that it is incumbent upon us to receive scripture properly, “And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the words of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.” This text reveals that the scriptures can be accepted in a way that rejects the veracity of God. 

Phillip Brooks follows this premise, “The Bible is like a  telescope.  If a man looks through his telescope, then he sees worlds beyond; but if he looks at his telescope, then he does not see anything but that.  The Bible is a thing to be looked through, to see that which is beyond; but most people only look at it…”  Brooks is suggesting that we must embrace scripture as a living reality, capable of transforming the hearts and souls of humanity for furthering God’s love.  For Christians New Year resolutions are provoked from insights gleaned from the word of God. God is at work in our lives and Christ has the best intentions. 

Happy New Year,

Pastor Scott