Are You A Seeker of Truth?

I am a "truth seeker".
If that sounds like I have NOT found the truth but I'm trying to find it, then, that is not entirely true.

I'm actually coming from the foundational belief and understanding that the Christian Bible is, in fact, the Word of God - God's message to mankind. Jesus said, "Thy Word (speaking of the Scriptures) is TRUTH!" (John 17:17). Further, Jesus said of Himself "I am the way, the TRUTH, and the life..." (John 14:6) And again, Jesus said, "You shall know the truth, and the truth will make you free." (John 8:32) So then, the Bible is God's Message, and Jesus - the Son of God - who also spoke God's words, is indeed the living Message of God to the world. And they (Jesus and the written word) are equally TRUTH; truth we can know... and truth that, when we embrace it, is able to make us free!

So you may wonder, if I'm already set on what truth is, and where to find it, why do I call myself a truth-seeker?

Good question.The foundation one stands on is important! If that foundation is weak or shaky, you run the risk of falling and getting hurt. If your spiritual, theological, and philosophical foundation is shaky and unstable, it can lead you to wrong conclusions about truth; and in the end, that can hurt. I have found the Bible, and faith in Jesus, to be a trustworthy foundation on which to build my life! However, I have come to realize lately that many of the teachings of "orthodox" Christianity, the traditional Christian beliefs I have embraced and taken for granted as truth, are actually based on very shaky ground! In fact, they seem to be grounded more in tradition than in the Bible itself. Yet, many of these traditional Christian teachings are not questioned by the masses; we simply accept them, assuming them to be true and accurate.

I have considered myself to be a Bible-believing Christian for well over 30 years. Coming to the realization that what I had staunchly believed and taught for most of my life was not only inaccurate and unbiblical, but based on pagan thought, was not easy to accept! It was extremely difficult for me to believe that I could have been so blinded to what the Bible actually said about certain things. I was just accepting information "about" the Bible as though it were true, without actually discovering it for myself.

Now, here's the rub. It's not as though I rarely picked up the Bible to read it. And it's not that I didn't have a personal, saving relationship with Jesus Christ. The fact is, I was converted in February of 1973! My life was totally changed! I went to Bible college and graduated with a degree in Bible and Pastoral Studies, and although I'm not currently a professional minister, I have continued to study Scripture faithfully on my own since that time. Over the years, I have acquired quite a large library of Christian and Bible related materials, both print and digital, and with all the resources that are available on the internet I have certainly lacked nothing in my quest for Bible information and understanding. Yet, I have now discovered that what I thought was Bible study was merely a reading of the Bible through "traditional orthodox lenses". I had simply been seeing what I was taught to see.

So this is the truth I seek:I seek to discover REAL Scriptural truth - to separate fact from fiction. I must say here that I do not have an "axe to grind", nor do I presume to have all the answers. I do not claim to have a perfect understanding of all the relevant teachings of Scripture, nor am I "down" on tradition, as such. Actually, the Bible speaks of tradition in a positive light and admonishes us to KEEP the traditions that have been handed down to us (1 Cor 11:2; 2 Thess 2:15).

So then, the question for me is... "What has been handed down to me... true traditions, or something else?"

Or to put it another way... "Does the current orthodox ecclesiastical system accurately (or even closely) reflect the teachings of Jesus and the traditions that Paul handed down to his converts?"

Since I have willingly removed my traditional glasses and began to read Scripture with (as it were) "new eyes", I believe I have a much clearer, less muddled, understanding of the Christian faith. This new paradigm leaves me with fewer "apparent" Biblical contradictions and has also renewed my excitement for Bible study and even deepened my relationship to God and to my Lord Jesus Christ! I share my discoveries and my passion here, joining the many faithful brothers and sisters who have preceded me in "new eyes of faith", in the hope that it will spur others to "rethink" their traditional positions and join us in this noble quest - to "know the truth" and be truly free! (John 8:32)

It is my intention to use this medium to expose doctrines which, in my opinion, are based on unsound hermeneutics (Bible interpretation principles). You are welcome to post your comments (pro or con) about the views expressed here. If you disagree, that's OK, but please, be respectful and courteous. I look forward to hearing from you.