Seeing spots

A man who wears glasses with spots on the lenses will see spots everywhere he looks.

Probably all of us approach the Bible "seeing spots". When we read the Bible we see what we already believe. Several years ago, I discussed infant baptism with an individual who clearly had deep respect for the Bible. Yet he was like the man who had spots on his lenses. Everywhere he looked he saw infant baptism!

May God clean our lenses and help us see through the spots. We cannot approach the Bible with a truly open mind. We all come to it with presuppositions based on what we've been taught. But may it please the gracious Lord to reveal Himself to us through His word, and may we come to understand this -- even the things most contradictory to either our religious predilections or human nature are true...if that's what God says.

That reminds me of a story I heard concerning the famous "Scopes Monkey trial" (whether true or not I cannot tell). The lawyer Darrow had a man on the stand, peppering him with questions on the Bible to the point of confusion. When Darrow thought the time was right, he blurted out, "Is it true that Jonah swallowed the whale." The confused man answered, "If that's what God said."

Think about it. Yes, that is right, "IF THAT'S WHAT GOD SAID."

Let God be true, but every man a liar.

"Precious Bible! what a treasure
Does the word of God afford!
All I want for life or pleasure,
Food and medicine, shield and sword,
Is revealed
In Jehovah's sacred word." - John Newton