Exploratory Theology!
Exploratory Theology is a term I
made up years ago to describe a method of study that says "throw out
everything you ever thought you knew about God and the Bible" and just
explore possibilities.
This effectually renders tradition and orthodoxy mute in your study resources.
It is risky and might be considered dangerous to some.
It is not for the meek and certainly not for the babes.
It is heavy in relying on the Holy Spirit to reveal the meanings and truth of
the Word.
This concept revolutionized my study habits and really put me more in touch
with the Spirit of Truth. I have come to love the Bible more than ever, and
each time I open it is like an adventure. I am an explorer in uncharted
waters!
I even began my own NT translation called the "Prophetic School New
Testament" (the "Prophetic School" is what we called the
BereanOnline Bible School back in the mid 90s).
1 John 2:27 MSG
27 But they're no match for what is embedded deeply within you--Christ's
anointing, no less! You don't need any of their so-called teaching. Christ's
anointing teaches you the truth on everything you need to know about yourself
and him, uncontaminated by a single lie. Live deeply in what you were taught.
John 8:32 MSG
32 Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free
you.
1 Corinthians 2:7-16 KJV
7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which
God ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they
would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered
into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love
him.
10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth
all things, yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is
in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is
of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth,
but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they
are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are
spiritually discerned.
15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no
man.
16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we
have the mind of Christ.
It is just you and the Holy Spirit. That is
what it always is anyway.... regardless of what we might think. Belief is the
result of an interaction between the Spirit of God and our spirit.
Romans 10:17(PSNT)
so then the belief comes by a revelation into the spirit, and
revelation into the spirit comes through a word directly spoken by Christ,
In the end, we do not believe by committee, nor do we have faith by committee.
We are by ourselves with God. We cannot say "but that is what Calvin
said", or "that is what Luther said". Nor can we say "but
that is what my pastor said". It is just you and God. It is my individual responsibility
to seek the truth, find the truth, believe the truth, and act on the truth.
Nobody can do this for me. I and only I have the authority to do this. Only I
can do it, and in the end, only I will be held responsible. I will answer.
In my own experience this is what happened.
I was very unhappy with my spiritual life, my theology, and the hoops I had to
jump through to make it even sound reasonable. So at some point I began to pray
along those lines. This was late 70 early 80s.
My particular gifting is the Word of Wisdom... which has nothing to do with
being wise. It has to do with God showing you things that could not be known by
natural means such as the mind of God, the future, etc...
Anyways, as with all the gifts of the Spirit they have a tendency to "rub
off" into your "regular" or "normal" spiritual life
such as prayer and intuition. So one night I have a dream. I can always tell
when a dream is of God because of the spirit that is behind it... Jesus is
there!
In this dream I find myself in a cave out in the desert. I am looking out of the
mouth of this cave and there is a beautiful blue sky. Across the sky, written
with clouds, is the word "REVELATION". I woke up.
The dream was telling me that if I separated and dedicated myself to the study
of His word, He would reveal to me things in His word. Not hidden things that do
not belong to us (Deut 29:29) or extra-scriptural things that cause error... but
spiritual laws, and word priorities, and secondary conclusions that come when
spiritual things are compared to spiritual things.
Anyways, as I said above... all faith is on an individual basis. So I would say
that you could share with others if you want... but do not be surprised if many
people refuse to see things your way, and this for various reasons.
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