Do you ever wish God had been a little more clear about life and faith in the Bible? I mean, there is a lot of material in the Bible, wouldn’t you say? So why does it seem to leave so many questions unanswered? Sometimes I think that if I were God, I could have done a better job putting together the most important book ever written. I mean, did we really need 1&2 Chronicles AND 1&2 Kings, when they cover so much of the same material? And what about Judges? When was the last time anyone really read Judges and had a life-changing experience? I think that if I had been in charge, I would have taken out Judges and replaced it with a much more important book – “How to Know my Will.” And, with all the space I would have saved cutting out 1&2 Chronicles, I would have had room to include two other crucial books: “How to have a Perfect Marriage” and “How to Raise Perfect Children.”
While we’re at it, there are a few other changes I would make to the greatest book of all time. How about this rule - if 95% of churchgoers couldn’t tell you what a certain book of the Bible is about or quote any verses from it, then it’s gone. With that rule, let’s cut out Nahum, Obadiah, Amos, and Zephaniah. In their place, I’ve got two big but tremendously important books – “Proof that I Exist” and “Answers to all your Theological Questions.”
Okay, so I’m obviously joking, but do you see my point? The Bible can be a very difficult book to read and apply to today’s world. It can often feel like a few more practical chapters could have gone a long way. Last week, I raised the question of how to know which verses should be taken literally and which ones were only meant for the cultural context in which they were written. This is a hugely important, extremely practical question that, if answered incorrectly, can lead to everything from silent women with head coverings filling the pews to homeless, penniless Christians who have sold all of their possessions and given the proceeds to the poor. Should we still “greet one another with a holy kiss?” (1 Corinthians 16:20) Is it still detestable for a man to lie with a man as with a woman? (Leviticus 18:22) Is it wrong for a man to have long hair (1 Corinthians 11:14) and get a tattoo (Leviticus 19:28)? And what makes us answer yes or no to those questions?
All of which leads me to ask of God, “Couldn’t you have been a little more clear?”
Think about it – why didn’t God just take one verse of the New Testament to outline the correct view on baptism (“And God said, don’t baptize infants”)? Why didn’t he answer once and for all the manner in which Jesus was to return (“Whenever I feel like it, so quit your guessing”)? Why did he leave so much open to interpretation, knowing that the resulting ambiguity, left in the hands of proud, stubborn, know-it-all men, would be centuries of division and discord in the church?
And why not lay out the prescription for knowing His will, or achieving success in work or in family or in life? Wouldn’t that have given Him a lot more followers, and made those followers a lot more impressive and Christlike?
Well, I’m sure that God knew what He was doing, so let’s ask the question again a little more respectfully – Why did God give us a book that is made up of 66 books of prose, poetry, history, stories, apocalyptic visions, and the like, written by many different authors over many different years in many different locations? Why didn’t he answer all the questions we ask, or outline more clearly what it means to know and follow Him? What can we learn from the way He decided to do it?
Among other things, here are a few suggestions of what we learn from the way God organized the Bible (thank you to Brian McLaren’s Finding Faith for helping me think about this):
1) The Bible is not meant to be read like a college textbook, or like a novel – No one can ever say “The Bible? Oh yeah – I’ve read that. I’ve understood that.” The smartest person in the world will never be able to fully wrap his or her mind around God’s truth. We will never master God the way we might be able to master geometry. The Bible is not just about logic and linear thinking. It is story and prophecy, challenge and mystery, all meant to bring us into a deep and dependant personal relationship with God.
2) Relationships with God are situational – God is not an abstract thing defined by abstract words and principles, no matter how hard we try to capture him in theological boxes. Rather, God can only be known through specific times and places. The Bible is the record of God’s dealings with many people over many different centuries, and some of the truths are timeless, while others were meant for that specific time and place. And, to answer my previous boasts about being able to create a better Bible with chapters on God’s will and proofs for his existence, who would I be writing for? College-educated, suburban Americans? Aboriginal hunter-gatherers? Asian housewives?? South African chicken farmers??? The Bible stories are situational, and God deals with people situationally, because that’s where we live.
3) What you find when you read will depend on why you’re reading – The Bible is difficult enough that those who are not really interested will find nothing of value, those who are prejudiced will find what they are looking for, while those who are spiritually hungry and thirsty will find God and life to the full in the very pages of the Bible.
4) Focus on the parts that are clear – Mark Twain once said “It isn’t the parts of the Bible that I don’t understand that bother me; it’s the parts that I do.” Since the Bible is so deep and full of mystery, let’s major in the majors and give the most attention to what is most clear – love God, love your neighbor, do unto others…that sort of thing.
Next week I will continue to deal with the question of hermeneutics – how we know which passages are meant to be interpreted literally today and which are bound to the culture in which they were given. Until then, I encourage you that if there are Bible commands that you have wondered whether or not we are meant to interpret literally, post your specific questions in the comments so that we can do our best to deal with them.
Write a comment