Spend any time at all around Christians today and you'll inevitably hear someone refer to the Bible as "the infallible, inerrant word of God." This is usually proclaimed with the chest puffed out and the eyes widened to emphasize the infallible, inerrant part of that exclamation. But are these words accurate? What exactly is the Bible?
Before answering that question, I'd like to say what it is not. In the spirit of brotherly love, here are 8 things the Bible is NOT.
A book of rules that must be followed - First, the Bible is not a book of rules or laws that MUST be followed. Sure, it does contain some written laws. After all, Jesus referred to the Law and the Prophets. He certainly believed in them. While the Old Testament is full of laws (613, in fact) or commandments the Israelites were expected to obey, the New Testament teaches us that it was impossible for those laws to be obeyed through human effort. Those laws were merely a schoolmaster (KJV), tutor (NASB), and guardian (most translations) intended to shed light on the nature and presence of sin. Once filled with that knowledge, man could then understand why Christ had to die. The Bible is not a rulebook presenting unbendable laws that must be followed, or else
An instruction manual on how to live properly - The Bible does contain instructions on many things, such as the guidance the apostles gave to Gentile believers in Antioch to abstain from eating foods offered to idols, and instructions in Ephesians for wives to submit to their husbands and husbands to love to their wives. Many Christians believe these verses to be taken literally and cover every circumstance that may happen in a marriage, but that is not the intent of the passage. While the Bible does contain instructions on many things, it is not merely an instruction manual on how to live properly. After all, it doesn't contain instructions for every situation one may encounter in the 21st century. It was not written for that purpose.
A roadmap for those searching for the Truth - While the Bible does contain a lot of truth, it is not a roadmap for people searching for the Truth. Some Christians treat it like a series of homiletics, as if the only way to read the Bible is to search for a lesson to learn. The Bible also contains personal letters, poetry, and facts about history. It isn't a roadmap to show people how to discover universal truths, and it certainly isn't a roadmap to help anyone discover their "personal" truth.
A science or history textbook - Am I the only one who tires of the Creation vs. Evolution debate? It typically doesn't take two minutes before a Christian involved in such a debate to head to Genesis and "prove" that God created the earth in six literal days. That isn't the purpose of the text. The Bible is not a science textbook intended to convey how God created or to demonstrate that the flood literally covered every inch of planet earth, nor is a history book designed to provide dates and times of specific events. While it does contain information that can help us better understand science and history, it is not a textbook. There will be no test.
A puzzle to be pieced together verse by verse - There is something dreadfully wrong with the way many commentators and theologians read and teach the Bible. It's as if God had created a puzzle that these seminarians were intended to piece together through their systematic theologies. Any attempt to read the Bible that doesn't treat each book, each epistle, each Proverb, and each prophecy as a standalone text that can be read, enjoyed, and understood on its own is misguided. I'm not saying the scripture doesn't interpret scripture, but I am saying it's not a puzzle that we should piece together and make sure we have a place to insert every verse to make it fit with our own understanding of how things are supposed to work. It's okay to not be able to make heads or tails of a certain verse or passage of scripture. Can we stop twisting it to make it say things that fit with our 21st-century understanding of reality?
An anthology of folk tales - One of the Bible's most perennial of criticisms is that it is nothing more than a collection of myths, legends, and folk tales. No, it isn't. When Jesus arrived in Palestine and began His teaching ministry, He was clear that He was the fulfillment of the Old Testament Law and Prophets. Folk tales are fictional stories with fictional characters. Jesus was a historic person and there's plenty of evidence to prove it. Don't believe it? Fine. Just say you don't believe it, but don't call it a folk story. These are folk stories.
A problem-solving guide - Got a problem to solve? Faced with a situation that has you perplexed? Just flip open the Bible and read what it says. All your problems will be solved. Ummm, sorry to disappoint you, but that isn't likely to happen. The Bible was not written to be a problem-solving guide for anyone struggling with what to do about their mother-in-law, spouse, child, boss, or that lady at church that bakes really bad cookies.
The only way to learn about God - The Bible is not the only way to learn about God. Why then are young Christians still told to "read your Bible every day," as if reading the Bible is a universal elixir meant to cure every emotional, psychological, and spiritual ailment? There are plenty of ways to learn about God, including prayer, daily meditations, encountering someone who knows Him, and witnessing a miracle. That list is not exhaustive. Let's quit pretending the Bible is the only way to learn about God. We can start by halting our bad habit of calling it the "word of God".
This list is not intended to disparage the Bible. Rather, I hope you find it encouraging in light of contemporary resistance to lean on the words of the Bible as reliable and authoritative for our age.
With that, I'll turn my attention to answering the question, "What IS the Bible?"
What Is the Bible?
If the Bible isn't a book of unbendable laws, an instruction manual on how to live properly, a roadmap for Truth searchers from all walks of life, a textbook, a puzzle, an anthology of folk tales, a problem-solving guide, or the only way to learn about God, what is it?
In my view, the Bible is an unveiling of the mystery of God intended to provide His people a glimpse into the heart and mind of our creator so that we have a better understanding of His eternal purpose, which He established long ago, before the foundation of the world, and which He delivered to us through His son Jesus Christ while continuing to reveal His love in a myriad of ways until His return.
That's a big statement. Allow me to unpack it, one clause at a time.
The Bible unveils the mystery of God - God wrapped His mystery in the person of Jesus Christ for no reason other than it pleased Him.
A glimpse into the heart and mind of our creator - The Bible was compiled from historical texts, both Old and New Testaments, to help us better understand who God is, what His purpose is, and how we can get to know Him. It is authoritative and reliable, but it shouldn't be read as a book of laws that must be obeyed in order for God to be pleased with us. He's already pleased with us.
We can have a better understanding of His eternal purpose - God's eternal purpose is the overriding motivation for everything He does, Has done, and will do.
He established before the foundation of the world - God chose us in Christ before He ever created a thing.
He delivered to us through His son Jesus Christ - Jesus Christ is at the very center of God's eternal purpose. His plan, His purpose, His very being is all centered on Jesus Christ. In the past, God spoke to man through His law and the prophets. But today, he speaks to us directly through His son.
While continuing to reveal His love - God loved us before the foundation of the world, and He loved us so much that He gave His only son. We are so loved by God that nothing can separate us from that love? His love for us so deep we'll never get to the bottom of it and we know that is true because God is love. When God starts loving, he never stops.
Until His return - The Bible reveals that Christ will return again, and it will be a glorious day.
The Bible is ultimately a progressive revelation of God, unveiling His being, His love, and His purpose from before the beginning, into the present age, and beyond the age to come. We can rely on it for inspiration, for knowledge about spiritual things, and for future expectations. It's important to know what it is as much as what it isn't.
May the Lord bless you today.
Allen Taylor is the author of I Am Not the King.
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