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Let's take a word association test. What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you see the word "Bible"? Was it a picture of a big leather-bound book with gold-dipped page ends? Was it more of an emotional response, like a feeling deep in your gut that recoiled at the thought of endless pages telling you how you should live your life? Did you think of it as God's revelation of himself to the world, or maybe as just another book in a series of religious texts written throughout human history? Definitions Carry Luggage Words in general are funny things; they carry with them luggage that may not have always been associated with their original meaning. In particular, a religious term like "Bible" has become loaded with meanings too numerous to itemize, infiltrating our American culture across all media platforms carrying both positive and negative connotations. One area that more clearly reveals the popular definition of "Bible" in our cultur...

The Apostle John "The Bible is not written to you; it is written for you."                                                                     -CL Mitchell What I have often noticed about memorable quotes is how simple they seem at first, yet how profound they become as they settle into my mind a bit. This essential principle concerning biblical interpretation, uttered by one of my favorite teachers during my undergrad years, has helped solidify in my mind the appropriate way to view the Scriptures. Granted, there was much more strenuous classroom learning that contributed to my growth in understanding the Bible (doubly strenuous considering I failed my first attempt at Mitchell's class, humbling me enough to become more seriously engaged to do well the second time), but the Spirit has used this quote often i...