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For those who read through (or tried to) the discussion below in #s 286 and following, whether you understood or cared about the comments, a major difficulty Christians confront today both in evangelism and in church Bible studies is dealing with the meaning of words. Many have embraced a sort of mystical disconnect when it comes to the semantics of discussing anything spiritual or metaphysical. The Bible (and hence the Christian faith) is not this way, and should not be twisted this way. Many believers and churches are troubled by a "new" approach to the interpretation of scripture, a kind of cherry-picking approach, through which it becomes difficult (nearly impossible) to know or prove much about the church, its organization, the requirements of God and other matters of basic importance. Special meanings and special circumstances are assigned to the direct statements of Scripture, making them difficult to apprehend and very subjective in application. However, the same people who discount the clarity and connectivity of instruction, example and background in the Bible are generally able to function quite normally in everyday life. Give them directions to a restaurant, and they can find it. It is only when it comes to religion (mysticism, spirituality, metaphysics) that this semantic disconnect, the unwillingness to take things as stated and described, is engaged. Things that relate to God (or gods) are relegated to a compartment where words no longer have ordinary meanings. However, the Bible purports to be God's revelation of himself to mankind, particularly through the person of Jesus Christ, in very ordinary terms. The Bible often uses the concept of a road or path to describe access to God. That is, the Bible presents its information as though telling us how to get somewhere (as in "directions to find a restaurant"). The premise is that reasonable people can follow directions and arrive at the destination (John 16:1 "These things I have spoken to you so that you may be kept from stumbling." NASU). This is not mysterious, it does not involve nonstandard meanings of ordinary words, it does not require ecstatic existential experiences or altered states of consciousness. What God has said is learnable and knowable in a straightforward way. Read His book, as though you were reading a book. God isn't playing word games with us or dazzling us with capricious mysticism. He means what He says. Ps 107:6-7
6Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.
7He led them by a straight way
to a city where they could settle. Ps 119:9
How can a young man keep his way pure?
By living according to your word. Psalms 119:30
30 I have chosen the way of truth;
I have set my heart on your laws. Matt 7:13-14
13"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. John 14:3-6
3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4You know the way to the place where I am going."
5Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. Acts 2:28
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.' Isaiah 40:3
3 A voice of one calling:
"In the desert prepare
the way for the LORD;
make straight in the wilderness
a highway for our God. Isa 2:3
3Many peoples will come and say,
"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths."
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. Jeremiah 6:16
16 This is what the LORD says:
"Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the an
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