Practical Postmodernists | Virgil Hurley

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Many Christians today consciously or subconsciously let their personal experience determine their interpretation of the Bible.

It’s easy to make that mistake. Any Bible study group accidentally encourages it when they proceed on the basis of, “What does this verse or text mean to you?” A Bible passage’s significance or application might vary from person to person—but the passage means what it means.

It honestly shouldn’t matter what a Bible passage “means” to us until we determine what God meant by it in the original context. And only when we are syncing our understanding with what God meant in the original context should we apply it to ourselves. By skipping that crucial step—sincerely seeking what God meant to communicate—we too easily let our feelings and experience determine our interpretation.

Perhaps I’m calling out something that isn’t a problem in many of our churches today—but I fear it is a very real problem. Do any of these sound familiar?

• I need to be baptized for the forgiveness of my sins? But I already feel saved without it.
• Sex only in marriage? But we’re in a committed relationship. In fact, we’re engaged.
• Evangelize? But this person already seems like they’re saved, even if they don’t technically believe in Jesus.
• Tithing? But I feel good giving $10 from each paycheck.
• Regular church attendance? But I feel I can’t say no to these other weekend obligations.

We’ve heard that Christians can sometimes be “practical atheists,” but I’m seeing more and more “practical postmodernists” among us. “Postmodernism” is a philosophy that views truth claims suspiciously, favoring a personal or tribal experiential view of “truth.” We can see its influence wherever truth becomes whatever resonates with how people feel—validated or invalidated based on their personal experience.

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