Every single time I try to point out that the Bible never points us to the Bible, but always points us to Christ, and that we can know Christ without the Bible, someone always says this:
“But, Keith, you wouldn’t know anything about Christ without the Bible.”
And that’s the problem, I think.
See, people who have made the menu the meal, or confused the map with the treasure, cannot understand that there’s someone beyond the written words ABOUT Jesus and the realization that those written words are telling you to have an experience WITH Jesus.
So, my usual response to this statement that “We can’t know anything about Jesus without the Bible” is this:
If I came to your house and took every Bible away from you, would you have no connection to Christ?
Sadly, for many Christians, the answer would be “Yes,” but I suspect for many of them the answer is actually “No.”
See, we read about Jesus and learn information about Jesus from the Bible, certainly. But, once we actually encounter Christ and become filled with the Holy Spirit, then [according to the Bible, and to actual experience] we begin to KNOW Christ and the Father in a more real, intimate way.
Does that mean we don’t need the Bible? Does that mean we toss it out? Or stop reading it?
Never.
But, what it does mean is this: We stop trying to make the menu the meal and we start feasting on the Bread of Life and the Living Water that we receive daily through our vital connection with Christ.
If this is hard for you to grasp, there’s a very good chance you have not truly understood those words that you’ve read in that Book.
This is why I keep trying to explain this to my brothers and sisters in Christ. I’m not trying to diminish the Bible. Far from it. I’m trying to do what the Bible does: Elevate Christ!
Jesus is the Word of God. Jesus became flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus abides in us as we abide in Christ.
We are called to know Christ in an intimate way that goes way beyond mere information and that truly inspires transformation from within.
No book can do that for you. It may tell you that it’s possible, but you have to move beyond the idea and step into the reality.
Try it.
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Keith Giles was formerly a licensed and ordained minister who walked away from organized church 11 years ago, to start a home fellowship that gave away 100% of the offering to the poor in the community. Today, He and his wife live in Meridian, Idaho, awaiting their next adventure.
His new book “Jesus Unbound: Liberating the Word of God from the Bible”, is available now on Amazon and features a Foreword by author Brian Zahnd.
He is also the author of the Amazon best-seller, “Jesus Untangled: Crucifying Our Politics To Pledge Allegiance To The Lamb” with a Foreword by Greg Boyd.
Keith also co-hosts the Heretic Happy Hour Podcast on iTunes and Podbean.
BONUS: Want to unlock exclusive content including blog articles, short stories, music, podcasts, videos and more? Visit my Patreon page.
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