Studying and Learning

The race is on it seems, as I read the texts of required reading in my class. Hermeneutics online in 8 weeks seems to be as I thought... like drinking water from a fire hydrant. For some reason I'm finding the habit in action that I ran into when I studied for exams. It will take me hours to get through an amount of material that some might say should not take quite as long. I find that my mind wanders some, causing me to re-read a sentence a few times. For the most part, my material is simply a lot of reading and the font is only a medium size. Either way... I've been spending a lot of time studying and certain things stand out to me at different times while other things are unconsciously put in the mental filing cabinet for later use. Something that greatly excites me about this studying is that I actually feel like I'm getting somewhere. None of the topics I study from now until the end of my degree will not be of interest to me because it's all centered around God's Word. What a blessing it is to have homework that you actually look forward to doing! It may be difficult at times, but I praise God for the path on which He has placed me.

I've learned about what is called "The Hermeneutical Spiral" where we all begin to look at a Bible text with some kind, level, or degree of pre-suppositions. Our goal should not be to somehow pretend we are more spiritual than our pre-understandings/suppositions and claim we can come to a text TOTALLY unbiased, but to come being "presuppositionally self-critical." We should recognize that our teaching, life experiences, relationships, and even our flesh will somewhat color and influence our entry to interpretation. The spiral comes into effect when we study the Bible. The Holy Spirit will work with God's Word to mold our pre-suppositions to the Bible rather than them molding the Bible. It is a supernatural work... if we remain humble in our efforts. This is really good stuff.

I'm writing now to alleviate this onslaught of knowledge I'm taking in. A few times already people have asked me advice on something and because I'm so study-focused, I can only give them a "not all there" answer. So I plan to take a break from studying until Saturday. I have about 200 pages and 2 papers to read in the next 2 weeks. Fun stuff!

I'm still going through Romans studying expositionally in my quiet time. I just finished chapter 8 and started on the BIG 9 this morning. It's the 9 that talks about Jacob, Esau, and... election. I'm sure it will be interesting. As I have been studying Romans, I have seen the idea of "adoption" arise. I was encouraged and challenged by this idea. Romans 8:15 says, "For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, 'Abba! Father!'" (NASB) John MacArthur in his commentary gives a very awesome discussion of this term and it's connotations. As I thought about it, I came up with a few things myself... think about this idea that the Bible likens our salvation to adoption. What does adoption carry with it?

1. There is a deep sense of love and compassion involved by the parent(s) . In our case, only one Parent is involved.
2. It places the child in a position of unmerited favor that they were originally not placed in. It removes them from their understood circumstances into (presumably) better circumstances.
3. The family heritage of the child is now meshed with the family of the parents. We are "grafted in" as Gentiles to God's family and chosen people, the Israelites. Romans says this was so His chosen people would become jealous and turn back to Him.
4. Here's the kicker that still has me scratching my head... what else is a key ingredient to the idea of adoption? ...The parent(s) "choose" the child. So, election?

Prayer Request: I'm witnessing to the new Asst. Mgr. at work. He has a Jewish background and has been burned in the past by Christians trying to witness to him. He said Baptist Seminary students have been a bit too forceful with him in the past. God opened the door for me to give him the law in testimonial form, but he wouldn't keep a tract. He asked me a moral question before leaving work that day already. Please pray that God opens the right opportunities and allows me to be sensitive enough to reach this man.