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I thought of an analogy (or perhaps it was planted in my mind by another source of inspiration) and I wanted to share it with y'all. Feel free to comment, agree, disagree, tweak it, add to it, etc. as you see fit.
Scripture is a sailboat that carries us to God. The water is Jesus Christ. There are many waterways, rivers, oceans, etc., but only one that will lead to God. The Holy Spirit is the wind that fills the sails and makes it go. Tradition and doctrine are the rutter that steers the boat.
It is possible to get to God without a sail boat. One could swim, or use another sort of vessel, but on this particular waterway, the sailboat is the most advantageous.
We have no control over the wind, but it is always there, whether a gale or a gentle breeze. If we are good sailors, we will set our sails accordingly, turning them to take the wind in the right conditions, or tying them to the masts in a storm.
We do control the rutter. We decide when to turn left and when to turn right, which direction to take. We are somewhat limited by the water, wind, and other factors, but there is freedom within those limits. And some choices which would cause our boat to wreck on rocky shores, while other choices will keep the sailing smooth. And some choices do not make a big difference to the ultimate outcome.
I've not done much sailing, so I may be missing some key elements here. Like I said, feel free to offer your own ideas, comments, or corrections.
Scripture is a sailboat that carries us to God. The water is Jesus Christ. There are many waterways, rivers, oceans, etc., but only one that will lead to God. The Holy Spirit is the wind that fills the sails and makes it go. Tradition and doctrine are the rutter that steers the boat.
It is possible to get to God without a sail boat. One could swim, or use another sort of vessel, but on this particular waterway, the sailboat is the most advantageous.
We have no control over the wind, but it is always there, whether a gale or a gentle breeze. If we are good sailors, we will set our sails accordingly, turning them to take the wind in the right conditions, or tying them to the masts in a storm.
We do control the rutter. We decide when to turn left and when to turn right, which direction to take. We are somewhat limited by the water, wind, and other factors, but there is freedom within those limits. And some choices which would cause our boat to wreck on rocky shores, while other choices will keep the sailing smooth. And some choices do not make a big difference to the ultimate outcome.
I've not done much sailing, so I may be missing some key elements here. Like I said, feel free to offer your own ideas, comments, or corrections.