The bible is just a book, it’s not God! It’s not even the Word of God! Through the bible, I’m introduced to the Word of God.. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God and the Word became flesh and walked among us." God is the author of grace, not the bible. The bible reveals that grace, but can never give it. My faith is in the One whom the bible reveals, not the bible.
I think many folks are confused about what to do with the bible. For instance, there are many who insist on taking the bible literally in every aspect. They refer to it as the “literal word of God.” They then suggest if you or I do not believe it, accept it literally, then somehow we are wrong and headed for hell. You know..."God said it so I believe it and that settles it”. And I have to admit in my younger days as a babe in Christ, I’ve said the same thing, over and over. As a child I spoke as a child but when I became a woman I put the ways of childhood behind me.And then there are some people who believe (and will have a conniption fit if they discover you using any other) that is there no other bible than the King James Version. I’ve heard it called “the perfect word of God.” What? Isn’t that the description reserved for Jesus as The Word made flesh? (John 1 for reference.) I have always struggled with that kind of reasoning as I have many versions of the bible. Is my faith to be in the bible? Or is my faith to be in the One the bible reveals? I choose the latter, regardless of the translation. Of course, there are folks who think the bible has to be taken literally and are threatened when someone who does not believe like they do but are still confident of their calling and going to Heaven as well as serving God. Gives ‘em the willies and throws them to their knees praying for your salvation! *smile*
Take the bible literally and by literally I mean exactly what it says, here is what that would look like. We would stone homosexuals to death ... along with adulterers and misbehaving children. Sorry, but we would never, under any circumstance, allow women to preach the word of God. Oh me! And don’t forget, you must tithe 10 percent of your income. Before taxes! Oh my! Then there is that whole business about handling snakes, scorpions and drinking poison. Really? You can pick up all the snakes and drink all the poison you want, but please excuse me if I pass. And no, that don’t have anything to do with my faith, just using the good sense the Lord gave me.
Literal? Nope, not for me. Authoritative? You betcha’! Important to my life and faith? Absolutely, I would be lost without it.
The bible is not meant to be worshiped but it is to be treasured as a great treasure because it holds the words inspired by God. It’s a holy book and has God’s stamp of approval on it but it’s still just a book. I’ve know people if something happened to their bible...oh lawd you’d think someone had taken Jesus away from them. Again it’s just a book, you can go into any book store and buy one, any color, any size, and in any language.
It was, I believe, Robert Schuler who warned Christians to beware of “bibliolatry”. That is, worshiping the bible to the same degree that we worship the God the bible reveals. To be consistent, that means remembering the Trinity only has three sides, not four.
The bible is my guide, the source, and the inspiration for my life. In other words, through the writings in the bible I find the directions for how I am to live. Jesus came not just to save us from death but to show us how we are to live.
In His Love,
Elizabeth
I think many folks are confused about what to do with the bible. For instance, there are many who insist on taking the bible literally in every aspect. They refer to it as the “literal word of God.” They then suggest if you or I do not believe it, accept it literally, then somehow we are wrong and headed for hell. You know..."God said it so I believe it and that settles it”. And I have to admit in my younger days as a babe in Christ, I’ve said the same thing, over and over. As a child I spoke as a child but when I became a woman I put the ways of childhood behind me.And then there are some people who believe (and will have a conniption fit if they discover you using any other) that is there no other bible than the King James Version. I’ve heard it called “the perfect word of God.” What? Isn’t that the description reserved for Jesus as The Word made flesh? (John 1 for reference.) I have always struggled with that kind of reasoning as I have many versions of the bible. Is my faith to be in the bible? Or is my faith to be in the One the bible reveals? I choose the latter, regardless of the translation. Of course, there are folks who think the bible has to be taken literally and are threatened when someone who does not believe like they do but are still confident of their calling and going to Heaven as well as serving God. Gives ‘em the willies and throws them to their knees praying for your salvation! *smile*
Take the bible literally and by literally I mean exactly what it says, here is what that would look like. We would stone homosexuals to death ... along with adulterers and misbehaving children. Sorry, but we would never, under any circumstance, allow women to preach the word of God. Oh me! And don’t forget, you must tithe 10 percent of your income. Before taxes! Oh my! Then there is that whole business about handling snakes, scorpions and drinking poison. Really? You can pick up all the snakes and drink all the poison you want, but please excuse me if I pass. And no, that don’t have anything to do with my faith, just using the good sense the Lord gave me.
Literal? Nope, not for me. Authoritative? You betcha’! Important to my life and faith? Absolutely, I would be lost without it.
The bible is not meant to be worshiped but it is to be treasured as a great treasure because it holds the words inspired by God. It’s a holy book and has God’s stamp of approval on it but it’s still just a book. I’ve know people if something happened to their bible...oh lawd you’d think someone had taken Jesus away from them. Again it’s just a book, you can go into any book store and buy one, any color, any size, and in any language.
It was, I believe, Robert Schuler who warned Christians to beware of “bibliolatry”. That is, worshiping the bible to the same degree that we worship the God the bible reveals. To be consistent, that means remembering the Trinity only has three sides, not four.
The bible is my guide, the source, and the inspiration for my life. In other words, through the writings in the bible I find the directions for how I am to live. Jesus came not just to save us from death but to show us how we are to live.
In His Love,
Elizabeth
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