Proverbs 9:10
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom"
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom"
The fear of God is necessary to maximize cooperation over defection. It is not cost free so individuals who fear God must form a community of like minded individuals to maximize the benefits of cooperation. Ultimately there is no current or future functional mechanism more optimized for maximizing cooperation then a universal and genuine the fear of the LORD. This is why religion will grow and ultimately out compete lesser more inefficient strategies. For a deeper analysis we must enter the realm of religious texts.
Since you have taken this position, consider this.
The Bible is filled with many words. It is filled with many concepts. Each of these concepts is often difficult to consider in the light of all the rest of the concepts. So...
Get yourself a set of Bible CDs in a language that is common to you, and in a version that is as accurate as you can find with regard to the Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic it was translated from. Every day listen to a half hour to an hour of Bible. Start at the beginning and go to the end. Listen to the New Testament 3 or 4 times for each Old Testament hearing. Never stop.
Why do this? Because hearing penetrates in ways that reading does not. Sure, reading brings more of a focus. You can often remember the seeing of the written Word easier than you can remember the hearing of the same spoken Word. But hearing has its own subtle advantages that are not available through reading. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't read at the same time you are listening, or read without listening at times.
Romans 10:17:
King James Version:
Quote
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
New International Version:Quote
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.
English Standard Version:Quote
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
The point? It isn't our understanding of how to juggle the Bible that gives us strength. Rather, it is the Spirit of God working through His words in us. But He can't do it if we don't have His words in us.
