Location
ENS 245
Document Type
Paper
Start Date
29-6-2017 6:50 PM
End Date
29-6-2017 7:30 PM
Abstract
As a new engineering professor at a Christian university that allows an extra five minutes in each class for spiritual and devotional instruction, I thought it would be interesting in the Engineering Technology Measurements Laboratory classroom sessions to focus our devotions on the topic of Measurements in the Bible. This included terms of measurement, things that are or can be measured, and insights into measureable subjects. In general, observations were made systematically based on daily Bible reading, starting with the first words “In the beginning…” and continuing through the Pentateuch during the semester. However, general observations from New Testament and other Old Testament readings were also made. As such, measurement topics can be broken into two main categories: physical substances and metaphysical topics. Physical substances include the obvious metrics concerning weight, size (length), time, and value (worth), as well as the general numbering (counting) of physical objects. Insights can be gathered based on the emphasis that God seems to place on certain lengths of time or timing of events, numbers or amounts of things, and the value of certain items. But even more interesting are the intangible matters related to Christian living that seem to imply measurement. Jesus speaks often of faith as something that can be measured – He cites people as having little (e.g., Mt 6:30, 8:26, 16:8) or much (e.g., Mt 8:10, 15:28) faith. Paul talks about faith growing (e.g., 2Cor 10:15, 1Thes 1:3), as if one should be able to measure it – perhaps relative to our trials requiring a certain amount of faith (should we consider how to measure in “faith units”?). Peter offers his readers grace in abundance (1Pet 1:2, 2Pet 1:2) and expects them to “grow in the grace…of Jesus” (2Pet 3:18), as if grace is something that can be measured. Similarly, hope, joy, love, and knowledge are all referred to as something measureable in the life of the believer. This paper presents some of these observations, of both tangible and intangible objects of measurements in the Bible, including some associated implications for the believer.
Observations on Things Measured in the Bible
ENS 245
As a new engineering professor at a Christian university that allows an extra five minutes in each class for spiritual and devotional instruction, I thought it would be interesting in the Engineering Technology Measurements Laboratory classroom sessions to focus our devotions on the topic of Measurements in the Bible. This included terms of measurement, things that are or can be measured, and insights into measureable subjects. In general, observations were made systematically based on daily Bible reading, starting with the first words “In the beginning…” and continuing through the Pentateuch during the semester. However, general observations from New Testament and other Old Testament readings were also made. As such, measurement topics can be broken into two main categories: physical substances and metaphysical topics. Physical substances include the obvious metrics concerning weight, size (length), time, and value (worth), as well as the general numbering (counting) of physical objects. Insights can be gathered based on the emphasis that God seems to place on certain lengths of time or timing of events, numbers or amounts of things, and the value of certain items. But even more interesting are the intangible matters related to Christian living that seem to imply measurement. Jesus speaks often of faith as something that can be measured – He cites people as having little (e.g., Mt 6:30, 8:26, 16:8) or much (e.g., Mt 8:10, 15:28) faith. Paul talks about faith growing (e.g., 2Cor 10:15, 1Thes 1:3), as if one should be able to measure it – perhaps relative to our trials requiring a certain amount of faith (should we consider how to measure in “faith units”?). Peter offers his readers grace in abundance (1Pet 1:2, 2Pet 1:2) and expects them to “grow in the grace…of Jesus” (2Pet 3:18), as if grace is something that can be measured. Similarly, hope, joy, love, and knowledge are all referred to as something measureable in the life of the believer. This paper presents some of these observations, of both tangible and intangible objects of measurements in the Bible, including some associated implications for the believer.