Exploratory Theology!

[SavedByGrace3]

Exploratory Theology is a term I made up years ago to descibe a method of study that says "throw out everything you ever thought you knew about God and the Bible" and just explore possiblities.
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 begain 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.

 

[The Midge]

This sounds exciting.
In a course we were discussing the interpretive community in regards to reading the Bible. It is partially affected by being read and discussed within a group of believers.

Would you recommend being part of a group if you use this method? Is there a possibility that by cutting your self off from all your cultural reference points (assuming that can be done) that you could suffer the equivalent of sensory deprivation and start hallucinating? Or would such a support group contaminate the technique?

 

[SavedByGrace3]

This sounds exciting.

In a course we were discussing the interpretive community in regards to reading the Bible. It is partially affected by being read and discussed within a group of believers.

Actually no. 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 commitee, nor do we have faith by commitee. 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 responsiblity 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.

Would you recommend being part of a group if you use this method? Is there a possibility that by cutting your self off from all your cultural reference points (assuming that can be done) that you could suffer the equivalent of sensory deprivation and start hallucinating? Or would such a support group contaminate the technique?

Hallucinating.... interesting.
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 tendancy 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 dedicatedmyself 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 surpised if many people refuse to see things your way, and this for various reasons.

Thanks

Dids

 

[filosofer]

Another way to put it is to say that contemporary "man" (in generic sense) is see this as the height of arrogant - to think we can cross 20 centuries and be accurate in our interpretation and translation.

How did you "translate" without using resources from others in past generations?

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 surpised if many people refuse to see things your way, and this for various reasons.

Except the NT does not present faith in such individualistic terms. Yes, we are saved "alone" (faith created in the person's heart) but we are never saved "alone" (apart from other Christians). We are part of the community of believers in Jesus Christ, throughout time.

How sad to miss how God has worked through Christians to help us in our walk of faith. Notice, this has nothing to do with building our faith on tradition. But to ignore what has gone before is not wise, nor spiritually healthy.

From one who has been around the block more than 50 years.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

From one who has been around the block more than 50 years.

Thanks for the input!