What is the clincher?

The Clincher is a song by one of my favorite bands, Chevelle. The meaning behind the song has drawn various circles of debate from fans and critics. Some suggest that the song is about claustrophobia, while others suggest that the song is about the crucifixion of Jesus. This was the first song on their 2004 album entitled, This Type of Thinking (Could Do Us In). When I first heard the song I thought it was one of the most explosive ways for a band to start out an album. Heavy guitar rifts along with a little screaming helped kick start their second major label album release and drew my attention to the rest of the album. Regardless of the differences in opinion of what the meaning behind the song is, fans and critics alike agree that the song is one of the band's best.

I've had the opportunity to experience various discussions on scripture and theology in college classrooms, church small groups, personal conversations with friends and co-workers, and with students in my youth ministry. I've experienced some incredible discussions that I value what I have learned. Some of my beliefs have been formed through discussion formats in which I adopted an opinion that was shared, along with the validation of scripture in my study time. I've also listened to some bad discussions that made me frustrated and exhausted. I cannot count the times when I have sat in a Sunday school class or church small group and have had the teacher read a proverb or portion of scripture and then hear the teacher ask the same old tired question after the conclusion of the passage, "What does that mean to you?" I always thought that the teacher just didn't prepare well enough for the class and then they open up for any random or off the wall answer from the entire classroom. Of course there is a time for analyzing the meaning of the passage, but honestly can we really do justice to the hermeneutics of the passage within 35 minutes as we are eating our glazed donut?

Everyone has their own opinion on the meaning and context of scripture formed by their upbringing, education, value system, part of the world they live in, and denomination or fellowship that they are a part of. One of the unique things about scripture and theology to me is that someone that is a student of formal education can never uncover all of the deeper truths in a lifetime and the simplicity of scripture can penetrate the heart and mind of a common villager in a remote area of the planet. The fact that scripture is still relevant and applicable to mankind in the 21st Century as it was when it was written shows the common thread that connects us is our relationship with our creator. With nearly 38,000 Christian denominations today and the greyness scale between many of their doctrinal beliefs, it is important for us all to agree that The Clincher of scripture is the redeeming work of Jesus Christ for mankind.