What I did goes by several names, the least pretentious being “Calibrator” though I also always liked “Metrologist” – metrology being the the science of measurement. Most people do not think, for example, when they are using a ruler or any other device that measures something – how do I know that this measurement is ACCURATE? How do I know that the “inch” my ruler reads is, in fact, an inch? That’s where a calibrator comes in. We test the accuracy of the device against known standards (and from time to time test the standards against yet higher standards, in an unbroken chain back to the “gold” standards of the National Institute of Standards and Technology) to verify measurements are within an established tolerance for accuracy.

I find the concept useful to spiritual disciplines as well. In particular I’ve found it interesting that Western denominations get in a hissy fit over doctrinal disputes borne out of differences of opinion regarding interpretation of English words – either from the same translation or one of the thousands of English translations available. (This is, of course, assuming you are one of the approximately 5% of self-identifying “Christians” who actually even bother to read their Bibles.) What is disconcerting for me – from the context of accuracy – is that no one seems to be asking the obvious question when it comes to interpretation. What did the original language (Greek for NT, Hebrew for OT) say, and what did the words in that language mean contemporary to the time the text was written?

One of my pet peeves, for example, is many people will read right over all of the scriptures that emphasize the power and importance of the name of our living creator (or his son), and then go on mindlessly repeating the English titles for Him we were given rather than wondering “what is His name?” (At least His son got a name we can use, even if it has no bearing on the name He used when He walked the earth.)

Under the new covenant, we are of course blessed to have the assistance of the Ruach Qodesh, who was the one who inspired the prophets of old to write the scriptures in the first place. Though I find many claiming to have a relationship with the Ruach Qodesh doing or saying or teaching things that do not seem accurate; I am not eager to claim to speak for our creator if I’m not walking in the same power as the early disciples, so I rarely do. I will, however, repeat the Words which have already been written which I know are true.

Either way, thanks for the post.