Strong as an lion...

When I ask Christians how strong they are in their faith, most of them say that they still need to grow, or that they still have a lot to learn. Even people who have been in the church for years somehow feel woefully inadequate when it comes to really understanding and knowing what they believe.

A lot of times, when asked to explain why they believe something, they either quote what they read in a book or what their Pastor said. It's rare to find someone that can explain what they mean and back it up with a Biblical reference.

I'm not trying to put the blame on the Pastor. Most Pastors I know lament over the fact that they have to keep their sermons short and at a surface level so their congregation can get something that will hopefully stick and pique their interest to want to know more.

I think it's more tradition. Our tradition has taught us that we as lay people (a lay person is someone that has not been called into the clergy) cannot possibly understand what the Bible says and that we can't truly understand it because we haven't gone to seminary or Bible school. Our tradition has taught us to depend on others to teach us what the Bible says because we can't possible read it for ourselves.

This... has changed the way that we see ourselves - and for most, has us living a mediocre Christian life.

Maybe, it's time to break the tradition and really study the Bible for what it says ourselves. Maybe it's time for us to read it, meditate on it, and ask questions until we are sure that we understand it for ourselves... I know that's not the ways it's been done in the past... that's not "our tradition."

Colossians 2:6-12
New International Version (NIV)
 6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.
 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
 9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10 and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. 11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, 12 having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.