Most modern people have trouble believing everything the bible has to say. That shouldn't surprise any of us. What is surprising is that many people who say they believe the bible is true actually haven't read it, or read only bits of it and then only occasionally. In fact, according to Barna
research, 56% of people in the US are favorable to the bible and only 36% of those people read it once a week or more (mostly only in church).
We are now at a place where belief in the bible actually creates skepticism among 20% of modern people.
Translation: When I quote the bible as I often do, 20% pay close attention and 20% get immediately skeptical.
This is perhaps
why. Check out this
VIDEO sent to me by one in my audience. It is a worthwhile watch.
The issue emerges when we ask the question: "Is the Bible the Word of God?" In other words, if God
doesn't lie, then is the Bible completely trustworthy?
When answering this, every denomination under the sun will begin to emerge. Some people believe every word in the English translation is 100% accurate and true and have no category for how it can be otherwise. These people usually clash harshly with the culture and constantly argue with science.
Others completely throw out anything the bible says,
because they have learned to associate bible belief with extreme cultish behavior or weirdos which we have all seen.
I could write books on bible interpretation and variances, but I won't here. The issue for our redefinition surrounds both truth and ethics.
Problems with the bible occur when people create ethics and morals from the bible (usually those with institutional, racial, or economic power) and then impose those
on others. This may be a frameshift for most people, but that isn't the primary goal of scripture. It's goal is to reveal something bigger, not behavior modification. (That is why it is called "revelation.")
You see, my PhD is in Christian Ethics and I can tell you that to get to the right place we must understand that ethics do not come from the bible, but rather the bible comes from a
meta-ethic. (Ponder that for a moment).
If that sunk into your thinking, then the next step will be much easier as you redefine the Word of God or Truth. Truth can then be seen "through the pages of scripture" (in between the lines) rather than being seen as the pages of scripture (words on the page.) Words are containers. Ever get into an argument over the bible? Didn't end well did it? This is because most people miss this
point.
This means that the bible is a vehicle for communicating timeless and lasting truth and need not be everything the church has tried to make it be. We can always tell when the bible is being used correctly because when it is misused it breaks down culture (see video above) and if it is revealed truth it creates culture. Unfortunately, most religions are trying to make the culture conform to the words on the page, rather
than seeing that the ethic in scripture is what has progressed every culture and still does today.
For example, atheists like to equate bible belief with belief in Santa or the Tooth Fairy. That may make sense according to the common definition (words on pages), but employing this wider definition makes such claims silly. Just because there is no actual "Grinch" does not mean that Dr. Seuss is not communicating timeless and profound truth about the
condition of the human heart. Chapter and verse need not be culturally applicable in order for all comers to capture the story behind the stories.
In the same way the bible doesn't have to defend every word of its text in order to share profound truth. This also doesn't mean that the scripture is simply interpreted allegorically rather than historically, it is both, but wisdom is required to know the difference. If we land too
far on either side we err. (Ecclesiastes 7:16-18) Moving beyond the words does not diminish the bible's authority.
This meta-ethic which brought us the "special revelation" of scripture, brings us revelation in countless other areas too (nature, music, transcendence, other writings). A lot of people and various religious perspectives have figured this out. "General revelation" does reach us at a soul level (like
being in nature) and some feel that is all they need. I think that is limiting belief. I would encourage you to take each revelation as far as it goes and let each one teach you as much as it can. Why limit your proximity to only one form of the transcendent?
You can warm your hands to every fire. Each shows us a bit more of the meta-ethic behind it, none tells the whole story, some tell more than others. As we gain
eyes to see, we begin to see just how many teachers the meta-ethic uses in our life. We are surrounded by benevolent communication from this voice. The bible is everywhere.
The question "Where is God" is not answered, "In the Bible." Instead the Bible teaches and life proves there is no such thing as non-God.
