We need to "candle our eggs!"

My mother-in-law grew up on a chicken farm. I've heard her tell stories from her childhood about getting her hands pecked by angry hens when she would reach in to grab the eggs that were laid. I have also heard stories about how they would have to check each egg to make sure it was fit to be sold. They did this through a process called "candling." Basically, candling is done by holding the egg up to a bright light (a candle) in a dark room until the egg becomes illuminated and the trained eye can see if the egg had been fertilized. For the G-rated crowd, this basically means they were checking to make sure there were no baby chicks inside the eggs. From what I've been able to learn about this process, it requires a trained eye that really only comes through experience. The fertilized eggs were discarded because they were not suitable for sale. Only the eggs that passed the candle test were kept.

I wonder what we would find if we took this principle and applied it to our faith... those religious traditions we hold so dear... those beliefs we always just assumed to be true...the "faith of our fathers"... the "old paths"... those holy eggs that we were never allowed to question. What would we learn about ourselves, about our brothers and sisters, about GOD Himself? And, probably more importantly, what would we do with what we learned?

In some of our circles, we hail Martin Luther as a hero of faith for the stand he took against tradition and extra-biblical teachings when he nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenburg. My only question, then, is how far in our reformation have we come? Have all the extra-biblical/unbiblical teachings been purged from our faith? Have we arrived at 100% pure truth? Do we have the determination and conviction to do the hard task of examining our own selves and what we hold dear? And if we find something that doesn't pass the candle test, what do we do with it? Do we continue on with the status quo, or do we replace it with something that is more solid?

Paul told Timothy, "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth." He told the church in Thessolonica, "But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good." The KJV says "Prove all things." Some are vehemently opposed to taking a close examination of our core doctrines (and dogmas). Their position is based on the notion that, left to their own devices, people are so weak that they will be led astray by false doctrine. And I would agree to an extent when a Bible student is using any man-made curriculum or published Bible study tool. There is certainly danger of any time only one view is presented that is based on someone's interpretation. But if the student is filled with the Holy Spirit, and dedicates himself to study of only scripture (aided only by concordance and lexicon), God is able to lead them and open the scriptures to them (Luke 24.45).

I will continue to beat the drum... QUESTION EVERYTHING... QUESTION EVERYTHING... QUESTION EVERYTHING!

If we are ever to find ourselves walking in truth, we can no longer sit passively and just absorb what is being taught. We are created by God with intelligence and reasoning ability - a trait that separates us from the rest of all living creation. And I am certain that it offends our creator when we park our brains with our cars and just allow ourselves to absorb all the teaching around us. It's time to start holding our faith up to the Light of God's Word. Can we see through? Are we transparent? Is it good, or should it be discarded? Is it something upon which we can build? Or is the foundation shaky? Unless it can be firmly founded in scripture, we simply cannot keep it as sacred.

"But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions."
(1 Timothy 1.5-7)