Translations

If you live here in Knoxville or care to read papers across TN (and possibly other states) you'll read today about the new version of the NIV Bible translation that's just hit the shelves. Apparently the NIV was updated in 2002 to be more gender-inclusive, i.e. use words like "humankind" instead of "mankind," etc. Apparently too, this version was wildly unpopular and so just last month they've tried to join the two versions to find some common ground. They've leaned more towards the old version, however, because it is so popular.

One of the apparent Bible Scholars (I say that without meaning sarcasm but to emphasize I do doubt slightly this man's vision) stated that when they were translating they tried to create an accurate English Bible without ticking off readers. When I read that, well, it kinda ticked me off.

I don't know about you, but the Bible ticks me off sometimes. Come on now, do you really want to be kind all the time? Do you really want to hold your tongue when someone slanders you, judges you without cause or cuts you down? When turning our lives around and becoming a Believer the whole idea, and the only way it will work, is a total transformation and almost total suppression of all our humanity. It's almost completely against any instinct, any emotion, any cultural norm or practice. It's not like anything we've been taught governing moralism or behavior. Think I'm exaggerating? Our society is based on immediate reward. I do something good, I get acknowledged. I do something unethical, as long as I don't get caught I get the reward I sought and I still keep my character in tact (bc no one knows). We're taught to be kind and friendly because we're southern (well those of us that are blessed, anyway) and not because it's what Jesus would do. Sure, we may say it's because of Jesus, and sometimes it is, but generally it's human-decency governing us. Those that win the crowd rise to the top in our world.

The Bible teaches us to suppress the need for immediate reward which is entirely what our world is built on. The Bible teaches us to put others first and pay no regard to ourselves and in reality I put others first mainly when I can see the reward for myself.

The Bible ticks me off that Abraham could pretend Sarai was his sister and when the Egyptians found out he was lavished with gifts, not punished by God. Again, contradictory to human traditions. We live and die on earth by what is fair. But God doesn't. Grace isn't fair, not by a long shot.

But as a whole it irritates me that our religion has turned into something that as we translate the word of God, our closest physical connection to our Lord, that even a consideration is popular opinion. Are you kidding me? Humans are going to hate it, it's in our DNA, because it restricts commonality and popular livelihood.

If the original translates the word as brothers, translate the word as brothers. If it translates brothers and sisters, translate it brothers and sisters. If it translates brothers but the word used meant all humans then translate it as everyone. Put notes at the bottom so we can understand the culture and know how to define the correct translations. Stop trying to dumb down our religion because we've given up on people actually studying and try failingly to at least translate the Bible in such a common way that if someone happens to pick it up they might be able to understand. Have we forgotten that the word of God is foreign to those that don't believe? They're not meant to understand, that comes with the Spirit teaching us, not us watering it down so much that it becomes less than divinely-inspired.

We often aim in our modern churches not to create Saints but to create converts. We aim to save people and then teach them to come each week, sit in a chair for an hour and hear a word spoken by a person on Sunday mornings. We aim to make Christianity so easy that anyone can do it and should do it, because it's convenient and popular. Don't we realize that we're selling ourselves short by expecting less than who God is capable of making us? That we're selling ourselves short by allowing modernism and survival to be put above how the Word of God tells us to live? We don't tithe, we only pray when we need something, we definitely don't fast, we check Jesus at the door like some old coat when we walk into most social gatherings. I say we here, both because I'm human and because I've fallen prey particularly recently to many of these modern-day Christianisms. We live by the bare minimum commitment to Christ even though it's completely contradictory to Jesus' words about lukewarmity. And we think we're fine...and safe.

But now I realize I'm overly stating the problem but have yet to produce a solution. And I think the solution is very complex and difficult and I definitely don't have the answers. I do know that being a Christ-follower is a continuous turning, a continuous coming back to His riven side and asking Him to fill us, to complete us, to pardon our sins and make us feel whole. I think if I could hear Christ audibly speaking He'd be constantly whispering in the ear, "You're enough, Katie, you're enough." And not because I am enough but because He's made me enough. And that's enough to make me cling tightly, even in my wandering, and it's surely enough for me to realize that this appeasement that plagues Christianity  to try to win over society is a losing battle and will result in would-be Saints never feeling like they're enough because that god isn't whispering the same thing in their ear and they spend their days only half filled. And that's not enough for me and it shouldn't be for you either.

Deleted from the Book

“But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written”  Exodus 32:32.

I’m about to finish a commentary on Revelation, I know I’ve been reading it for ages, sue me. I’m in Chapter 20 where it talks about judgment on the people based on what the books say. For simplicity’s sake, we’ll just talk about the Book of Life, which is what Moses talks about in the passage above. It struck me as I consider the significance of his statement. I try to love people, be kind to them, do little things like pick up someone’s copies from the printer, call a random friend and genuinely ask how they’re doing, send a short note or email of encouragement occasionally. I speak to people on the streets and smile as often as I catch someone’s eye. But being willing to go to HELL because I love someone so much I would trade places if the Lord required it? AHHHH. That’s, well, an eternal life choice. That’s a big deal.

I have a hard enough time not being right for a split second (my mother is nodding right now). As I consider the magnitude of Moses’ commitment to his people, it’s no wonder God saw an amazing leader in the person He’d created and picked Moses as the man for the job despite all his less than stellar prior life choices. But I wonder at this amazing, God-given graciousness to trade your place with someone less deserving. Ok, at that statement bells went off in my head as I considered Christ’s great sacrifice. He came to a very, very imperfect world, gave up His perfect world and entered in as fully human that He might conquer death. What He did was also impossible to me. What Jesus did by setting this fantastic example for us was life-altering and saving. It was amazing.

And my emphasis on Moses in no way translates that I think Moses’ act here as greater than Jesus’. But, I do believe that in our human context, when translated to be proportionate and erased of names and historical relevance, one tells the story of a single statement that if God had chosen to grant would have meant eternal consequences; the other, longer term statement, 30+ years of living it actually, and God did choose to grant the request so that we might live. Both are acts of sacrifice that God triumphantly handled according to His purpose and will.

But my thought still anchors with Moses. A single-mindedness so strong, so absolutely loving towards his fellow man that despite their extreme wondering and at the time his extreme obedience, he still chose for God to sacrifice him, for eternal damnation, if it meant the rest of his people might live. That’s amazing, consider that kind of love before you start puffing up your head about just how good you are. That’s a God-enabled love that’s grounded in stuff, far, far outside my nature, but I’ll pray you’re more like Moses than me ;)