Knowing the Rules of the Game

We only live a few blocks from the recreation complex in Worthing. It has a picnic shelter, playground equipment, volleyball net, and softball field. The boys love to go there to play. The other day as I was driving home, I noticed a lot of cars there and realized that there was a little league softball game going on.
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I told our three oldest boys about it when I got home, and they were excited to go and watch. They call any shirt that has numbers on it a “ballgame shirt” and any pants with stripes running up the side of the leg “ballgame pants.”
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The oldest is five, so their knowledge of ballgames is quite limited. They saw the catcher and they were wondering why she was wearing all that stuff. I then began to try to explain the most basic rules of the game, understanding that they did not even know what I was talking about when I said “safe” or “out.”
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Most of us take the basics of playing softball for granted, but for my little boys, this is all new to them. It may be easy to take the basics of the Bible for granted as well. We should not be surprised that if someone has not been taught anything about the Bible, that they will not understand it.
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Further, some have been taught the wrong things, so they have come to the wrong conclusions. Imagine if our boys had watched 9 base kickball, and thought that there could be multiple runners on each base and then tried to play softball. Imagine if they tried to use a bat when playing kickball.
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Often people have the same frustration with the things of God. They know about as much about God as my boys knew about softball, but how many adults would have the courage to go to a softball game and ask why sometimes the batter is out after not hitting the ball and sometimes they get to walk to first base. Further, how many people would have the courage to ask why some people get to live with God after they die and others don’t.
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John 3:36 gives the most basic answer, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” That verse taken along with John 3:16 shows us that belief- putting our full confidence in- Jesus Christ is what makes the difference. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life“ (John 3:16).
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Knowing enough truth to get to heaven is one thing, but we should want to learn more. As we walk the Christian walk, we will strike out from time to time, but our walk will be much more effective if we know the rules of the game. That is why we should study the Bible- God’s rule book. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
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God’s rules do not have to be a mystery to us. My desire is to teach people God’s word without assuming that they already understand it. I do not care if they know who Moses is as long as they want to learn. Before they know it, they will be running around the bases of Bible history and Bible application.