Give Me the Give Me the BibleBible

This is no longer a matter of personal or private faith. With politicians, social leaders and even some clergy invoking a book they seem to have never read and whose phrases they don’t understand, America is being besieged by Biblical illiteracy. … all of these arguments have been advanced by modern evangelical politicians and their brethren, yet none of them are supported in the Scriptures as they were originally written.

The Bible is not the book many American fundamentalists and political opportunists think it is, or more precisely, what they want it to be. Their lack of knowledge about the Bible is well established. A Pew Research poll in 2010 found that evangelicals ranked only a smidgen higher than atheists in familiarity with the New Testament and Jesus’s teachings. “Americans revere the Bible—but, by and large, they don’t read it,’’ wrote George Gallup Jr. and Jim Castelli, pollsters and researchers whose work focused on religion in the United States.

Newsweek’s exploration here of the Bible’s history and meaning is not intended to advance a particular theology or debate the existence of God. Rather, it is designed to shine a light on a book that has been abused by people who claim to revere it but don’t read it, in the process creating misery for others. …when it impedes science and undermines intellectual advancement, the topic has become too important for Americans to ignore, whether they are deeply devout or tepidly faithful, believers or atheists.

But the history, complexities and actual words of the Bible can’t be ignored just to line it up with what people want to believe, based simply on what friends and family and ministers tell them. Nowhere in the Gospels or Acts of Epistles or Apocalypses does the New Testament say it is the inerrant word of God. It couldn’t—the people who authored each section had no idea they were composing the Christian Bible, and they were long dead before what they wrote was voted by members of political and theological committees to be the New Testament.

“Deep seated cultural codes, religious beliefs and structural biases have to be changed.” (abortion)

~ Hillary Clinton“Women in the World Summit,” April

2015

• Why make an effort to know Why make an effort to know the Bible’s message? the Bible’s message?

• Is this ancient message Is this ancient message relevant in 2015?relevant in 2015?

• 1 Peter 3:15 ~ But sanctify 1 Peter 3:15 ~ But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a and always be ready to give a defensedefense to everyone who asks to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and is in you, with meekness and fear; fear;

•Because the Bible Because the Bible claims to be a claims to be a completecomplete guide of guide of all truth needed all truth needed for salvation and for salvation and godly living. godly living.

• A message that contains “all” A message that contains “all” truth for spiritual life. truth for spiritual life. – John 16:13; 2 Peter 1:3 ; Jude 3John 16:13; 2 Peter 1:3 ; Jude 3

• An An allall sufficient message. sufficient message.– 2 Timothy 3:16,17; James 1:212 Timothy 3:16,17; James 1:21

• A A confirmedconfirmed message message– Mark 16:17-20; Hebrews 2:3,4Mark 16:17-20; Hebrews 2:3,4

• A protected messageA protected message– 1 Cor. 4:6; Gal. 1:8,9; Rev. 1 Cor. 4:6; Gal. 1:8,9; Rev.

22:18,1922:18,19– 1 John 4:1; Acts 17:11 1 John 4:1; Acts 17:11

• A written and A written and authoritativeauthoritative messagemessage– 1 Cor. 4:61 Cor. 4:6– 2 Thess. 2:152 Thess. 2:15– 2 Peter 3:1-22 Peter 3:1-2– 1 Tim. 3:14,151 Tim. 3:14,15

• A message intended for A message intended for futurefuture generations generations – John 20:30,31; 1 Thess. 5:27; Col. John 20:30,31; 1 Thess. 5:27; Col.

4:164:16– Matt. 28:20; Rom. 16:26; 2 Pet. Matt. 28:20; Rom. 16:26; 2 Pet.

1:151:15– Writing Writing “Scripture” “Scripture” 2 Peter 3:162 Peter 3:16– 1 Cor. 2:10,131 Cor. 2:10,13– 1 Tim. 5:181 Tim. 5:18

• An An abidingabiding message message – 1 Peter 1:22-25; Matt. 24:351 Peter 1:22-25; Matt. 24:35

What More Do We What More Do We Need?Need?

• All TruthAll Truth• ConfirmedConfirmed• ProtectedProtected• Written/ Written/

AuthoritativeAuthoritative• Intended for future Intended for future

generationsgenerations• ScriptureScripture• AbidingAbiding

If the Bible Doesn’t Apply to If the Bible Doesn’t Apply to Our “Modern” Age …Our “Modern” Age …

• How do we know God’s will for How do we know God’s will for us today? us today?

• Back to Back to humanhuman agency, direct agency, direct divine revelation? divine revelation?

• Back to needing the same Back to needing the same things already revealed to things already revealed to confirmconfirm that word? (1 Cor. 13:9- that word? (1 Cor. 13:9-10) 10) PartPart again? again?

The The BibleBible

• A pattern established A pattern established by the Old Testament by the Old Testament Law of Moses. Law of Moses. – Matt. 4:4,6,7,10Matt. 4:4,6,7,10– Luke 2:22-24; 10:26Luke 2:22-24; 10:26– Hebrews 8:7 ~ For if Hebrews 8:7 ~ For if

that first covenant had that first covenant had been faultless, then no been faultless, then no place would have been place would have been sought for a sought for a secondsecond. .

– James 1:25 – But he James 1:25 – But he who looks into the who looks into the perfect law of liberty perfect law of liberty ……

God’s plan God’s plan was for a was for a testament to testament to be be writtenwritten, , confirmed, and confirmed, and delivered and delivered and to last until to last until the time when the time when all would be all would be judged by it. judged by it.

Bible Bible UpdateUpdate? ?

• Man > Man > SameSame ~ Rom. ~ Rom. 3:233:23

• SinSin > Same ~ Rom. > Same ~ Rom. 6:236:23

• Salvation / Savior > Salvation / Savior > SameSame ~ Mark 16:16; ~ Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38Acts 2:38

• Life’s Duty & Life’s Duty & PurposePurpose > Same ~Eccl.12:13 > Same ~Eccl.12:13 1 1 C0r. 10:31C0r. 10:31

• Genuine Needs > Genuine Needs > SameSame ~ Matt. 5-7 ~ Matt. 5-7

Why Why would we would we need an need an updated updated Bible? Bible? What does our present text not answer or provide regarding spiritual life and godliness?

• James 1:22 ~ But be doers of the word, James 1:22 ~ But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. yourselves.

• John 12:48 ~ He who rejects Me, and John 12:48 ~ He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that does not receive My words, has that which judges him — the word that I which judges him — the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last have spoken will judge him in the last day. day.

• James 1:22 ~ But be doers of the word, James 1:22 ~ But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. yourselves.

• John 12:48 ~ He who rejects Me, and John 12:48 ~ He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that does not receive My words, has that which judges him — the word that I which judges him — the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last have spoken will judge him in the last day. day.