Christ and the Bible

*this is a recent babble of mine from a facebook note*

I'm not usually one for expressing my views such as this in a note and this isn't targeted at anyone individually. I guess this really is two different issues in a way related. One I had been thinking about the past few days and the other I have thought about before but not recently. Then tonight I was asked a question that got me thinking about it again. This concludes my not so eloquent, rambling introduction. No guarantee that the rest won't be less than eloquent rambling.

Tonight I was asked if I was reformed (as in theology). My response was: No, I'm not reformed but I'm not the other one either, what is it? I'm somewhere in between. I was filled in that "the other one" is Arminianism. And was corrected when I asked if reformed and Calvinist are the same thing. They're not the same is what I'm told. I backed up my answer some more by saying I haven't really looked in to any for myself. My knowledge of what each believes comes from someone who if I'm not mistaken is also somewhere in between but leans more towards Arminianism. Therefore their view is probably a bit biased to begin with making my knowledge of it all a bit flawed. Now that I got through all that what I'm getting at is why does it matter? I've thought to myself before I really should search these views. Learn what they are and decide on my own not based off what friends tell me. I've just not taken the time to try and figure it all out. That's why tonight I realized I don't think I want to try and figure it out. I don't want to look any of them up. I don't want to read about them. "The B-I-B-L-E yes that's the book for me. I stand alone on the Word of God." I know the Bible tells me: Christ died for my sins (Romans 5:8). If I believe Christ is Lord, who died and rose, I am saved (Romans 10:9). This is all offered to me freely as a gift (Romans 6:23). I am to share the news of Christ (Matthew 28:19-20, Matthew 9:37). Anybody actually taking the time to read this I'm sure is familiar with these verses. I'm afraid there are too many people who are taking the focus off of Christ and off of the Scriptures. These theologies are becoming the focus. I'm guessing which ever theology you subscribe to to an extent influences what you do believe some Scripture means. I don't know. In the end what I'm saying is keep the focus on Christ and the Bible.

The other issue. Many people, myself included, are giving to much credit to others' words and not the Bible. We are almost at a state of worshiping other people and not Christ. By these other people I mean all those "big names" in Christianity that we know and love. Lewis, Piper, Driscoll, Chandler, Platt, Chan, and still others. We love quoting them, knowing what they say about certain things, but do we know the actual Scripture. Don't get me wrong these men have great things to say. They are pastors, theologians. They know what they're talking about. They say/write what they do so God will be glorified and so that we Christians may learn more about Him and grow in Him and the lost may find Him and know Him. The problem is they and their words are often becoming the focus and not God's words. Go back to Christ and the Bible.

This is probably all poorly expressed and I feel like this potentially may have some contradictions in it. I'm not trying to start any arguments or debates. I'm just saying stick to Christ and the Bible.