Take the Christ the Truth patented quiz:
What is your response to the following Scriptures?
Scripture 1: Josh 10:12-15 - the sun stays up for a whole extra day
A) What a rich and enigmatic text! The main thing we glean is that the LORD can be trusted in difficult circumstances.
B) [Muffled] I suppose something quite strange happened here. Perhaps it was to do with perceptions (after all we'd have to completely rewrite the astronomy books on this one), but even if something miraculous happened here, the main thing we glean is that the LORD can be trusted in difficult circumstances.
C) Wahey - the sun stopped in the middle of the sky!
Scripture 2: 2 Kings 6:17 - Elisha prays that his servant might see the angels all around
A) What a rich and enigmatic text! The main thing we glean is that the LORD can be trusted in difficult circumstances.
B) [Muffled] I suppose there were angels in that place at that extraordinary time.
C) Wahey - angels are everywhere!
Scripture 3: Mark 15:33 - Darkness on Good Friday
A) What a rich and enigmatic text! The main thing we glean is that something rich and enigmatic was taking place.
B) [Muffled] I suppose something was obstructing the sun and causing a localised darkness.
Scripture 4: Romans 8:19-22 - The creation waits and is groaning
A) What a rich and enigmatic text! The main thing we learn is how the LORD can be trusted in difficult circumstances.
B) Creation is not how it was supposed to be.
C) Creation waits and is groaning.
Scripture 5: 1 Cor 11:3-16 - Head coverings etc
A) What a rich and enigmatic text! The main thing we learn is how we should skip this chapter and head straight for 1 Cor 13.
B) [Muffled] Gender differences should be expressed in culturally appropriate ways.
C) Men, uncover those heads. Women, cover them up. (With hair I reckon - though some will think I should lose points for that!)
Scripture 6: 2 Cor 13:12 - Greet one another with a holy kiss.
A) What a fascinating window onto 1st century church practice!
B) Greet one another in an affectionate, culturally appropriate way.
C) Get kissing!
A = 1 point
B = 2 points
C = 3 points
Add up your score.
6-10 - bit woolly for these parts.
11-15 - could be nuttier
16-18 - you are a bible nut. Welcome to Christ the Truth.
What did you score?
.
Scored 14.
Although I was swinging on scripture 6 between B and C. I decided to go with B on the account of Swine Fle and it being flu season over here.
Perfect score. I'm a nut!
Gav,
Alright I'll give you a conditional pass during flu season. But come summer I want snogs all round.
Missy,
Not surprised a bit.
Glen, I've never felt more welcome at your blog than I do right now. Sometimes I feel like a nut, sometimes I still feel like a nut. Only instead of wahey, it's usually wahoo! Wait, it's WAHOO!!!
Have fun and stay busy - Luke 19:13
-The Orange Mailman
Nut
Dan goes beyond what is written. tut tut.
From Scripture 1 (and Psalm 19) I wonder why anyone would ever imagine that the earth revolves around the sun?!
Can I add another.?
Scripture 7. Judges 5:20 "From the heavens the stars fought"
A. What a rich and enigmatic text! The main thing we should glean is that God is King and we should submit to him.
B. This is symbolic language to say the battle was fierce. (No idea why these words of symbols, though).
C. Let's re-think what stars are. Perhaps C.S. Lewis' Voyage of the Dawn Treader description of meeting a star has something going for it!
That should read, "(No idea why these words or symbols, though)"
I have to agree with Gav - its C all the way until number 6 if you're Northern Irish!!!
Tim VB - good one. Perhaps we should come up with a 20 question quiz.
Tim Cairns - get ready, northern Irish or not, you're getting one biblical greeting at Heathrow!
Hey Glen thanks for the clip. Didn't quite understand it but nice to know there are some other nuts out there!
Anyway here are suggestions for the 20-question questionnaire:
"For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them..." (Exodus 20:12 - it would be red-lettered in my version!)
"... and the forest devoured more people that day than the sword." (2 Samuel 18:8)
"Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy before the LORD" (1 Chronicles 16:33)
Tim VB - that is so funny - you should push to get that published by Matthias ;-)
Glen
Heres a bold question for me....
I would like to ask why I was, obviously, the only one who picked B in scripture 5.
As you know, just recently, I got down and dirty with 1 Tim 8-15 and started to learn about cultural transposition - the principle, the underlying message.
I understood that scripture, which IS our authority, is culturally conditioned. God spoke at the level of the humans He was speaking to.
So whats "decent" or a "disgrace" will change with culture. Surely this was about worship, respect and authority and not hair?
Please be gentle.
Hi Gav,
I'm sure many others picked B who haven't commented here. Most people on 1 Corinthians 11 don't go as far as me on hair length. I'll post up my sermon on this soon. But understand that this is coming from the same person who reckons even verses on 'holy kisses' should challenge our cultural practice. I'm not giving a majority view - I'm giving a 'bible nut' view.
In defence of my position I'd say that in verses 8 and following, Paul goes back to creation to make his point (not to contemporary culture). Verse 14 Paul appeals to 'the nature of things' (again not cultural preferences). And in v16 Paul says:
"If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God."
As for why I think the covering is hair not hats (I go into this in my sermon),
a) men who prayed in OT worship wore stonking great hats called turbans - if hats were the covering then this would be a massive reversal.
b) the greek for covering just means thing hanging down
c) v15 says hair is given for a covering.
Therefore I think the NIV footnote for verses 4-7 is pretty good.
Now the way I applied this when I preached was to give four levels of application. If you agreed to one level I'd challenge you to proceed to the next level.
Level 1: (For non-Christians or people unsure) Will you consider that Christ might actually be able to help us get equality for the different sexes? (I asked them to consider that the trinity holds the key to thinking through unity and diversity).
Level 2: Will you agree that men and women are different and can take on different roles without that threatening their equality? Will you agree that in the limited arenas of marriage and certain church structures that gender roles come into play?
Level 3: Will you agree that gender differences ought to be expressed physically (as well as other ways)? Therefore will you express your gender in a culturally appropriate way?
Level 4: Is the bible allowed to tell you your hair length? Will you allow the bible to challenge what you and your culture thinks of as masculine and feminine?
I made it very clear that many, many people do not join me in going to level 4. But I put it out there as an application that I thought was valid and warranted.
Whaddaya reckon?
Hey Glen
Thanks for being gentle. I do agree that the covering was talking about hair (although I now wish I read a commentary or two before shooting off!)
Level 1: Yes - Its universal
Level 2: Yes - Its universal
Level 3: Yes - Although I think what is right and proper will change from culture to culture (whats in the heart is important)
Level 4: I think Paul is talking to the Corinthians in their culture. I reckon this is culturally bound.
Its like in 1 Tim. Must we always hold up our hands to pray? Whats in our heart must always charactorize payer, not the posture...FYI I pray sometimes when....speaking of culturally proper: I better keep that one to myself.
From all of God's character I can grasp, and by the way I'm a real novice, I dont think He looks at those kind of things.
Thanks Glen
So when are you starting this kissing business, Glen?
Where will the kisses be placed? How many? 3 or 1?
When the church is ready (could be some time!)
Just one. In church I think.
;-)
I'm a low-scoring Bible Nut with 16 :)
Jon, 16 makes you a fringe nut. Still pretty nutty though.