discerning and "hog wash"

I have been trying to figure out how to blog tactfully about a recent church experience I had. To say that I was blown away by the things I heard would be an understatement. The title of this blog accurately describes what I heard preached that day...HOG WASH. I could go into great detail about the many things that rubbed me the wrong way that people were just eagerly digesting but I will leave it with this one.

Throughout the sermon the preacher used various translations of the Bible ranging from the Message to the King James to the New Living...whatever wording fit his point best. At one point he read from Revelation chapter 1..

"The one who reads this is blessed, and those who hear words of prophecy and keep what is written in it are blessed, because the time it near." v. 3

Oddly enough he camped on the first phrase "the one who reads this is blessed" and continually emphasized that the Bible says "those who read God's word are blessed....you don't have to understand it....you just have to read it." Say what?
I've lost a lot of recall from my seminary days but I am pretty sure that God intends for us to study His word for understanding. In fact, isn't that one of the roles of the Holy Spirit...to help the believer in discerning and understanding scripture? To drive his point home he added this littler zinger, "you don't have to know who the whore of Babylon is...you already know enough whores." While it is true that knowing who the whore of Babylon is doesn't determine my love of the Lord and understanding of His word...that illustration falls way short of teaching us that we don't have to understand God's word.

This morning as I was working to memorize my verses from Philippians for this week I camped out on this particular verse...

"And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment," Phil 1:9

It seems that Paul was praying for and encouraging believers that they were to grow in the knowledge of the Lord. Biblical love is not empty sentimentalism but is anchored in TRUTH...which hinges on the reality that we must first understand that truth. Paul prayers that they were have discernment, meaning that they would have insight and moral perception and the ability to apply that knowledge practically.
Not only does Paul write this to the people in Philippi but in almost every one of his letters he admonishes believers to grow in knowledge and discernment. It seems as though Paul felt is was very important for us to understand truth. In fact I think Paul would say that to read and not understand and apply would be HOG WASH...liking looking at your reflection in a mirror and do nothing to change your appearance.

Sorry for my rant but I just needed to finish processing that experience and be done with the craziness. If you stuck through this blog entry to the end...I pray that today you grow in knowledge and discernment of our Father's Word!