My Heart Behind "Answers in Scripture"

Before I start making posts about different Biblical issues, I wanted to first share with you the heart behind this blog. I grew up thinking differently than I do now, but I guess many of us do. I grew up thinking that the way to earn God’s favor was through doing enough of the right things. I’m not referring to salvation – I believe the atoning work of Christ in our lives is by faith alone. What I am referring to is doing enough “righteous” things each day to earn favor in the sight of God. It wasn’t ever necessarily taught in those specific words, but the underlying thought was: doing enough good = earning God’s favor.

This thought would come in many different forms. You had to dress the right way, listen to the right music, say the right things, think the right thoughts, read the right books, listen to the right preachers, etc. I do have to add a disclaimer here and say that doing those things were not wrong in and of themselves. I don’t have any problems with striving to live a life that glorifies God, that’s what we’re called to do. What I did end up having a problem with is being “action focused” and not “God focused,” which is ultimately what happens.

That mindset had me so focused on living the right kind of religious life, and not the right kind of Christian life, that I lost focus of what was the most important thing – Christ. I became exhausted with the politics of church, exhausted with whether or not the tie I was wearing was conservative enough, and exhausted with just doing church, and if I’m being honest with you, it didn’t take long. I gave my life to God at 14, was called to preach at 16, and by the time I went to seminary at 18, I was already tired of living that kind of Christianity.

That led me to start asking a very simple question every time something was taught, and it was this: “what does the Bible say about that?” For years I was unknowingly asking, “what does the church say about that?” or “what does my Pastor say about that?” Both are good questions, but both are not the right questions, especially as a starting point. We always have to start where God starts – His Word. I always had this thought: If I’m going to give my life in service to God, then I want to know exactly what God wants from me, and everything else comes second.

That is the focus of this blog. To look at very pointed and important topics, ask the question, “what does the Bible say about that,” and get Bible answers. I want to take off the glasses of tradition and preference as we look at topics together to get a truly Biblical perspective. As you read this blog you will be challenged, encouraged, and maybe even shown that you were wrong about something. That’s okay, because the sooner we get truly Biblical answers, the sooner we get a clearer picture of who God is.

This is Answers in Scripture.

- Scott Mason