Growing up in conservative churches, the first words that come to mind when I hear "The Bible" is "Word of God." The question is, what does that even mean and how does that affect how we approach this text? I think that a popular belief these days is to accept the Bible as infallible, 100% accurate, to be taken completely literally, and to be the ultimate authority to help make decisions and form beliefs. I think that this belief is encouraged with good intentions; I think a huge reason that this has become popular is to perhaps to prevent people from making up convenient ideas to live by instead of pressing on to live a fulfilling life of sacrifice and love.
That being said, I would like to argue against much of this popular belief. But don't despair! I too believe that there is something perfect, infallible, and very capable of helping people be the best people they can be. Stay tuned in.
Part of the understanding of the Bible that I think many people ignore is the style, purpose, and author's intention within each individual book. I am no expert in this area either, but I will try to explain what I mean to the best of my understanding. For example, Psalms is a book of poetry or songs, and many of the psalms express intense emotion. In particular, King David writes songs in prayer to God about his enemies. He spews anger and hatred at them and wishes for their destruction. Since these passages show up, does this mean that this is an appropriate response to any enemies we may have? I don't think so. However, I think that from these passages we can learn that God listens to us even when our humanity drowns out the big picture. We know God loved David; He'll love us too.
Next up, the little contradictions and errors found in the Bible. There are some. How exactly did Saul die? If the Bible is 100% accurate, why do Matthew, Mark, Luke and John contain differences in the story of Jesus' death and resurrection? My answer: I don't think that the Bible is 100% accurate. I think that the people writing it explain things that happened based on what they knew and heard, especially the books devoted especially to recording history. I think that it is futile to try to argue that there is nothing inaccurate or false in the Bible; it will be more productive and truthful to accept the book for what it is and go from there. After all, aren't we seeking the truth?
My next topic is the common belief that there is only one correct way to interpret the Bible, and the fact that many people get upset if you disagree with their interpretation. All I have to say about this is that how we read and perceive any text depends on our culture, upbringing, and understanding of the text. Most of us probably know people who love God and are genuinely doing their best to find truth who still differ in their understanding of the Bible. This fact lets us know that we can't assume that we ever hold the whole truth or even most of it. We have to be alright with that.
I want to conclude with a brief description on how I currently approach the Bible. I believe that God did have a say in what ended up in the book. I think He knew the significance it would have for generations of people, and I think He was intentional about what He allowed in and kept out. With this, I can approach the book with curiosity, and I can search for understanding of God, humanity, myself, and many other things. I use it to be inspired to love and do good. I read it and am reminded of God's love of people. I am challenged to learn and seek truth.
And what do I think is perfect, infallible, and very capable of helping people be the best people they can be? God. The Bible is a good tool, but it cannot and should not take the place of God.
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