![\"\"](\"http:\/\/bouldermapgallery.com\/catalog\/images\/fishing.jpg\" "\\"Fishing")
The way we often use our Bibles makes no sense. We often hear it argued in Christian\u00a0circles and churches that to be truly Biblical, we have do things as Jesus did them, or as the early church did them. This is especially true, we are told, when we read about Jesus giving instructions to His disciples. \u201cWe\u2019re are His disciples, too,\u201d the argument goes. \u201cSo we need to follow the same instructions that Jesus gave His disciples.\u201d<\/p>\n
This is all fine in theory.<\/p>\n
The problem is when you try to consistently apply it.\u00a0\u00a0Take Luke 5:1-11 as an example. In this text, we see Jesus preaching from a boat after instructing His disciples to launch out a bit from shore. Maybe to follow the instructions of Jesus today, we should start having \u201cboat churches.\u201d (Actually, I hear that certain cruise lines have on-board chaplains. That\u2019s a job I want! After all, I would be following the instructions of Jesus!)<\/p>\n
But Jesus goes on.\u00a0After He finished\u00a0teaching,\u00a0He told them to go fishing.\u00a0If we want to obey Jesus, I suppose we should do the same. (To be honest, this is not a bad idea. Most churches are struggling to attract men. More might show up if we went fishing.) But of course, we would not be able to use rods and reels, since the disciples used a net. And of course, they were fishing in the middle of the day, which is a really bad time to fish, but…it’s what Jesus told His disciples to do.<\/p>\n
I know, I know. I can hear it now.\u00a0Howls of \u201cYou don\u2019t understand! You can\u2019t read the Bible that way!\u201d Some reader somewhere is\u00a0muttering about how I need instruction on\u00a0the difference between “prescriptive” passages and “descriptive.”<\/p>\n
So explain foot washing ceremonies to me. And why do so many churches feel we must wave Palm branches on Palm Sunday? And what\u2019s up with the anointing with oil for healing? And why do we dunk new converts under water?\u00a0 And why do we have gleaming white buildings with giant steeples, multi-colored stained glass, and cushioned pews? Oh, wait. Scratch that last one. That\u2019s not in the Bible (Though I once had someone argue with me that it was\u2026).<\/p>\n
But if you are in a church that does these sorts of things, and you try to get rid of them, you will get branded as a heretic for trying to disobey the instructions of Jesus. Well, if that’s the case, you better break out the fishing nets too.<\/p>\n
Here is the issue: Why do we copy some of the actions of the disciples, but not others? Why do we follow some of the instructions of Jesus to His disciples, but not others?<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll tell you why. There are three reasons:\u00a0tradition, politics, and money.<\/p>\n