Window and mirror

6/6/2025

‘The primary purpose of reading the Bible is not to know the Bible but to know God.’ (James Merritt)

I receive interesting messages from time-to-time from people who’ve read blogs or articles I’ve written or attended training I’ve delivered. They are often curious about my Christian faith and how this informs or influences my thinking and practice. Some ask, more specifically, what I believe about the Bible, especially if they come from a secular background where faith and spirituality are viewed with some degree of scepticism. Perhaps a subtext is a question of whether I might be tempted to preach at them or attempt to convert them. That’s a fair question.

I did in fact study the Bible – well, not only the Bible – for 3 years for a degree in theology. That was some time ago now. I found the course frustrating because it approached the Bible through a cold academic lens whereas it is, for me, a window through which I’m able to glimpse and experience something amazing of God; and a mirror in which I’m able to glimpse something more clearly of myself, others and the world. Instead of fixating purely on the print on the page, it’s as if the Bible acts as a doorway – a bit like the wardrobe in C.S. Lewis’ Narnia stories.

Now if that all sounds a bit magical and mythical, it may be something do to with my Myers Briggs intuitive preference. I see patterns where others around me seem to see pieces. It’s not something I can make happen and I struggle for language to describe it. It’s a discernment that feels like a realisation. A Spanish nun friend explained, ‘The only way to study the Bible on your knees.’ I’ve found that to be true too. The Bible isn’t a moral textbook akin to a car repair manual. It’s something far more precious and more powerful. I pray and God’s Spirit brings it alive.

5 Comments

Darren Page

8/6/2025 01:26:18 pm

Hi Nick. I used to think like this until the magic faded and all I saw were men with agendas and ancient superstitions. But I respect your sincerity. If the Bible gives you hope and meaning, fair play. Just be careful not to confuse what you feel with what is. I learned that the hard way.

Talia Friedman

8/6/2025 01:29:20 pm

Nick, I really appreciate your vulnerability here. While I don’t share your faith (I was raised in a culturally Jewish but non-religious household) I find it compelling when people speak about sacred texts in ways that are more experiential than doctrinal. Your metaphor of the Bible as a mirror, or a doorway, is meaningful for me. In social work, we talk about “seeing the person in context”, not just the data but the deeper story beneath. That seems analogous to how you’re engaging with scripture.

I admit, I have an allergic reaction to the idea of needing “God” to experience truth or meaning. But I think what you're describing isn't about needing a deity in the abstract. It's about encountering something real, maybe transcendent, in a way that words fail to fully explain. I get that. When I sit with a client in their grief or hope or rage, sometimes there's a kind of clarity that’s beyond logic too.

Your blog doesn’t read like proselytizing, which I appreciate. It reads more like testimony: “This is my experience. Take what you will.” That kind of posture invites dialogue rather than defensiveness.

So while I don't believe the Bible is divinely inspired, I respect your desire to approach it not as a system to be mastered but as a path to be walked. That feels more honest. More human.

Jamal A

8/6/2025 01:31:23 pm

Hi Nick. Thanks for this thoughtful reflection. As someone who didn’t grow up with religion and tends to lean into logic and empirical evidence, I often find myself cautious around expressions of spirituality. But the metaphor of the Bible as a wardrobe into something deeper (not as a manual) intrigues me. It reminds me of how I engage with philosophy or poetry: not for rigid instruction, but for deeper insight into existence into what it means to be human. The phrase "the only way to study the Bible is on your knees" made me pause. It’s foreign to me, but I think I get it. A posture of humility rather than domination. Your distinction between reading to “know the Bible” and reading to “know God” feels like a meaningful reframing. If I ever open a Bible, maybe I’ll do it not to find answers but to listen, to wonder.

Sr Maria Teresa

8/6/2025 01:32:31 pm

Hello Nick. Yes, the Bible is a living Word, not bound by academia or dead letters. I, too, have known the Spirit’s whisper as I read in silence, in prayer. 'On your knees,' your friend said and truly, the Word speaks clearest when the heart is bowed. Let us not merely dissect it, but receive it. Thank you for reminding others to seek not only knowledge but God Himself.

Ayomide

8/6/2025 01:35:43 pm

In our youth group, I often say, The Bible is not a fence to trap you. It’s a lamp to guide you. And the Spirit does indeed bring it alive when we seek God with open hearts. I’ve had young people tell me they couldn’t understand it until they prayed. Suddenly, the same words took on new meaning. That’s the Spirit at work! And yes, academic study can be useful, but without the Spirit, it becomes like chewing dry bones. Your blog reminds me why we need to encourage believers to encounter God, not just study Him. That’s the kind of testimony we need more of. Humble, deep and full of light. Keep speaking truth.

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