Contextualization

It seems that believers love to read their bibles and that's a good thing.  However, there has been the issue of how to contextualize the gospel, meaning that how should we read the bible or apply it in our daily lives.  Some people tend to think that the way to do that is to go back to what those words really mean in the Greek and Hebrew.  Others believe that you should view in the way it was applied to that culture at the time that book of the Bible was written.  Yet others believe you should just read the words that are on the bible in front of you and apply it that way as well.

While I can't say how I necessarily feel about contextualizing scripture and how to read it, I do not necessarily think that there is only one correct way to read the scriptures.  Please don't think I'm trying to say that every person can necessarily make up their own interpretation of scripture.  I believe that we are fallible human beings and are capable of some grave misconceptions as to what God's word is "really saying."  I also believe that we should all read the scriptures and study it from different angles and with prayer, meditation, meeting in community with other believers, practicing what we learn and walking in the Spirit, God will reveal the true answers in time.  I believe that to say that there's only one way of looking at scripture is putting God in a box and limiting the capability He has of transforming lives through scripture in different ways.

  What do you think of contextualizing scripture?  What do you believe about this topic?