Danny, great point. I have found myself being that type of Christian before. (Lord forgive me). Christians have to be right, its as if they (and I would say I fall into this they...unless I catch myself) are actually justified before God by being right, rather than Jesus. They (me included) make their righteousness everything but Jesus (ie...being right, having good doctrine, not drinking, going to church three times a week, reading their Bible every morning, etc...). As for the statement, I would stick my flag on the Big God side; soverign God side. But, I believe that I am inherantly sinful and so its hard to trust me and what I think is right.

jessica - that is a poignant statement... and one i would agree with, not to be

"fixated on the written word, that I don't see the living word directly in front of me."

Miss Lane - i'm not ready to plant my flag on one side or the other, but i am definitely standing on one side. Karl Barth said something like this,

"The message of the gospel is inerrant, found inherently in the Bible."

I like this statement, and use it quite a bit.

danny - yep, it's like a person who begins an argument and then when they realize they are wrong, are so obstinate that they continue it without much regard to logic... often just escalating in volume and conviction, hoping to grind the other to submission with force rather than reason.

The Pharisies kept their eyes focused on the "inspired", "inerrant" Word of God, but many still missed God Himself who stood right in front of them. God help me to never be so fixated on the written word, that I don't see the living word directly in front of me.

Yikes. This is the question that plagues me most (if a question about God can plague you). Let me know when you figure it out!

This is a very good question! Do you know the main problem with Christians? They think they already understand Jesus, they have one model for how to share him, they have one model for doing church, and it often feels like they say the same thing over and over again. I have found Christians much harder to talk to sometimes about spiritual things than people who just want to talk. It always appears that Christians want to be right. This bothers me a lot.