Does the Bible Matter?
[et_pb_section bb_built="1" _builder_version="3.0.47" custom_padding="4px|0px|0px|0px"][et_pb_row custom_padding="0px|100px|0px|100px" _builder_version="3.0.47" background_size="initial" background_position="top_left" background_repeat="repeat" _i="0" _address="0.0"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_image src="https://drwadearnold.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/ben-white-128608-unsplash-e1522940243944.jpg" show_in_lightbox="on" _builder_version="3.0.77" /][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row custom_padding="27px|50px|3px|50px" _builder_version="3.0.77"][et_pb_column type="4_4"][et_pb_text _builder_version="3.0.77"]Many people think the Bible is irrelevant for the 21st century...and many of those people are inside the church!
Is the Bible Inerrant?
I do not believe in inerrancy. Here’s what I mean by that. A person who claims inerrancy says that there are absolutely no errors in Scripture. The truth is, I simply don’t know that to be true. If for no other reason, we have multiple biblical manuscripts, many of which do not agree 100%, and there is no way of determining which one is “correct.” The fact is that our Bible is a “mash-up” of the best original manuscripts that we have found to date. I doubt that anyone reading this blog is qualified to make these types of judgments, so we have to trust that those who have more direct access to the manuscripts themselves and experience handling this type of evidence are responsible and truthful. Fortunately, there is a fair amount of scholarly consensus about the reliability of the biblical documents. For instance, it is clear that Mark 16:9ff was not a part of the original writing. That’s why I would never preach from that passage. To me, to claim inerrancy is to go beyond what is necessary and intellectually honest. It is not necessary because the text does not have to be free from “errors” in order to communicate God’s truth and accomplish God’s purposes in the lives of his people. It is not intellectually honest because some measure of humility is required because a new manuscript could be found that clarifies or calls into question the biblical texts as we have received them.
What's the Bible Good For?
Having said all this, one does not have to believe in biblical inerrancy to believe in biblical authority. I absolutely believe in biblical authority. The Bible is the first and final word on all matters of faith and practice. It is the foundation upon which our faith rests. We would have no knowledge of God or Christ without this book (these books). We would have no knowledge of salvation without this book. We would have no knowledge of how to lead a life that pleases God without this book. John Wesley considered himself “a man of one book.” My view, I believe aligns closely with our forbearer, John Wesley who wrote about the Bible, “Every part thereof is worthy of God; and all together are one entire body, wherein is no defect.” And, in his commentary on 2 Timothy 3:16, “All scripture is inspired by God—The Spirit of God not only inspired those who wrote it, but continually inspires, supernaturally assists, those that read it with earnest prayer. Hence it is so profitable for doctrine, for instruction of the ignorant, for the reproof or conviction of them that are in error or sin, for the correction or amendment of whatever is amiss, and for instruction or training up children of God in all righteousness (italics in original).”
Why is the Bible important to me, personally?
In the pages of Scripture, I see God revealing himself to us. These books are not just historical accounts of the nation of Israel and the early church. Through these books God reveals himself to all of his creatures. Is the Bible the only way God reveals himself? No. The Bible says that God reveals himself in nature (Psalm 19). As believers in Jesus, we are filled with his Spirit who also reveals God to us. But, God has given us these documents which serve us as “guard rails at a bowling alley.” The Bible protects us from thinking we have a special revelation from God. Because God has fully revealed himself in Scripture, he will not reveal himself in any way through the Spirit that contradicts the Scripture. The Bible protects from throwing a spiritual gutter ball.So, how do we use the Bible? First, we seek God in the pages of Scripture. We don’t seek knowledge about God. We seek God Himself directly in the pages of Scripture. Through prayer, under the guidance of the Spirit, we commune with God through Scripture. In short, the Bible is an interpersonal, spiritual document.Second, we seek to understand what pleases God. God created human beings to function in a certain way and that way is revealed in the Bible. The Bible is the human being owner’s manual. The way of living described in this collection of books is normative for every human being. The way of life described in these books is the way God desires every human being to live. In short it is a moral and social document.Third, because the Bible reveals God’s Truth, it is a doctrinal document. Must we be humble in our interpretations? Certainly. The Bible has been used to justify all kinds of evil from the Crusades, the Inquisition, to slavery. Nevertheless, contained within these pages is the truth of a holy and loving God. Contained within these pages is the Truth of a God who is perfectly just and perfectly merciful.The task of all Christians is to discern the meaning and application of what the Scripture says using the best study tools and methods available under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This is no easy task. It requires conscientious dedication to developing the skill set necessary to interpret the Word of God accurately.The bottom line is this: the Bible represents God’s revelation of Himself to humanity and if we desire to know God and live the life he has created us to live, that is, to be fully human, to be conformed to the image of Christ who is the perfect image of God, then the Bible contains everything we need for God to accomplish that purpose in us.Does the Bible matter? Of course it does. It is indispensable in the life of a Christian and in the body of Christ.PM. Be sure to invite a friend.[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]