1065. Talking Outside the Traditional Box About the B-I-B-L-E

Many Christians consider the Bible as a book that is their connection to God. This is understandable because people tend to desire in seeking ways to make God more tangible within their life and world. The pages are something we can touch and see. It can easily become something worshiped or considered to be our primary source and destination when it comes to knowing God. But it's all based upon how one interprets through human filters—which can constantly change.

The Bible isn't a single book, but a collection of writings authored by many people over a lengthy period of time, and came to us from many thousands of manuscripts which were copied by hand. Whether written before the cross or after, the scripts are designed to point to truth and life which are found and contained within a Person—Jesus Christ. As believers in Christ, we're not called to 'believe in the Bible.' After all, there are millions of very different perspectives, opinions, and ideologies being embraced and debated. We certainly can't believe every version of someone else's truth... because they are all over the map.

Our life and destination will not be in trying to unlock the vault to proper interpretation and understanding. Jesus sent a far more superior Guide to help us in our walk of faith as we live in the Spirit. Of course we're thankful to have access to these writings. After all, we've been referring to them on the podcast for more than a couple decades. But compared to the thousands of other religions out there, we have something that goes beyond "the book" and academics ... or theological labels. Becoming aware of the incredible view from above 30,000 feet may help from getting lost in a maze of individual verses.




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1040. Is the Bible God's Word and Our Final Authority?

In our culture today, the collection of writings commonly referred to as The Bible has often been called God's Word. Some call it our final authority. Yet we see within the pages where it is Jesus who is specifically defined as the Word who was with God from the beginning—and was God—and He became flesh. In Him was life and light. Jesus never promised an addendum to the writings of the old, holy, Jewish scriptures ... but did indeed promise to send His Spirit as a helper and guide.

This is not to minimize the Bible or anything in it, whether it be Old or New Testament. The pages are a reliable source of truth that point us to the Life-giver. But there is much confusion amongst thousands of corporate Christian church denominations with a multitude of different opinions that do not align ... and yet they pretty much all consider the Bible as the source for their beliefs. God is not the author of that confusion. Considering the phrase, "the word" ... it can be defined in multiple ways when looking through the pages of the Bible. For example, there was a word of law for the Jews and there was something better that came along that Paul preached, which he called the word of faith. One was given for the Jews "to do" under what is now an obsolete covenant, while the other was given for anyone to believe in a new and better covenant.

But we are not on a divine path to become perfect interpreters of the Bible. This is not our destination. It's all about keeping our eyes on the person of Jesus with the help of His Spirit while getting to know Him. He is our final authority and the Author of faith, life, and salvation.



   
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1039. Is God the "Author" of the Publication Known as The Holy Bible?

A slogan heard quite often within Christian circles—used in various ways—is that God is the Author of the Bible. It's a concept that somewhat turns into a catchphrase without entirely taking into consideration what this specifically means.

For those who have listened to us for the past twenty years, you know how we embrace the truths found within the pages of this compilation of writings called The Bible. You also know how many things we've come to see differently from the beginning of our journey into grace and throughout the years as we grow in our understanding of the gospel of grace and the knowledge of the truth concerning Jesus. There are "concepts" about the Bible that are often handed down to all of us through religious mindsets that may not always be accurate and will have influence over us ... sometimes positively and sometimes negatively—depending on whether it is based on real truth or theorized assumptions that may be at least partially false.

For some, their belief is anchored in thinking everything in the Bible was dictated by God to humans who transcribed it in writing. Does inspiration really means dictation? Is the phrase God-breathed synonymous with "God spoke?" Is the Bible alive and able to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart? Let's be clear ... we continue to be cheerleaders for the Bible as we always have been. But our faith and confidence isn't contained in the writings themselves, but in the living One to whom the writings point to as the Author of faith, life and salvation.



   
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1016. The New Covenant Is Contained Within a Person - Not the Pages

After more than twenty years of doing the Growing in Grace podcast, you might have guessed we like talking about the gospel, God's undying love, and overflowing grace. Nearly each week, our conversations use the Bible as a springboard ... and we're so thankful to be able to have these writings to look back upon.

However, like with any religion who uses their own written material or "book" to guide them through a belief system, it is easy for the followers to place their faith in the written manual—not unlike a form of worship. Within the wide variety of Christian denominations and doctrines, it becomes somewhat like a competition on who has the more accurate interpretation ... which may be very different from another persuasion with a large following.

Our conversation this week is an encouragement for all of us not to get so tangled within the tittles found on the pages ... and to keep our focus on Jesus—looking to Him as the author and finisher of faith. He is the truth, the life, and the only way to God. God gave Him as a covenant to both Jews and Gentiles. He provided us with a guide for this life ... not letters written with ink—but His living Spirit—as we look to that which is not seen.



   
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927. The Word of God Is Alive (His Name Is Jesus)

The problem with taking lengthy passages of scripture and chopping them into individual Bible verses is the frequent attempt to interpret the meaning of each verse. Context gets missed, which can have a domino effect on other interpretations regarding the writings. We give an example from Hebrews 4:12, which states the word of God is living and powerful. Many of us were taught this is a reference to "the Bible." Keep in mind, these people who were receiving this message would have had no idea what a Bible was ... and most of their knowledge about the law and the prophets came from hearing it in the synagogues or other sources not associated with their bookshelf.

We take a closer look at not "what" the writer was referencing ... but "who" they were highlighting in this passage and throughout the letter.



   
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781. Paul and James: The Elephant in the Bible Room

Christian theologians have always been concerned about the elephant in the room – the quandary or controversy regarding what appear to be conflicting statements by Paul and James about justification, salvation and righteousness. This week, we continue looking at the apparent differences or viewpoints between them and how it does not take away from the truth within the Bible as a whole or Jesus as King of kings and Lord of lords. Interestingly, both men use Abraham as the example to make their case (examples in Romans 4 and James 2). They both quote Genesis 15:6 about how Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness.

Paul dives into a much longer explanation, using the context that Abraham was declared righteous by faith before any work was performed, including circumcision … when he believed God would provide a child. Whereas James jumps out of context to when Isaac was taken to the altar. If one is going to tout a mixture of faith plus works when it comes to salvation, those who hold to James’ view will need to be much more specific on exactly what type of works or action is needed to maintain their justification. That ingredient is always missing, leaving people in doubt and fear instead of peace.

   
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767. "Delight in the Law of the Lord"

In the first Psalm, we see one of many writings referring to the law that the writers were under. They make a declaration that one who avoids wickedness finds delight in the law of the Lord, while meditating on it "every once in a while in their free time." Actually no, it states they needed to meditate day and night … and by doing so, they would prosper.

On this side of the cross, we now know that law which Israel was under couldn’t deliver the right-standing with God that they were seeking. Prosperity came only by an element of grace because nobody ever met the requirement of the law. Today, we don’t meditate on that law which has been declared obsolete, weak and useless when it comes to attaining life or sanctification. We aren’t under it and Israel was freed from it! They’ll even try to interchange the word “Word” by substituting it for what the Scripture calls “law.” So be on the lookout when the pulpit tries to twist the context.



   
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738. Hebrews 4: The Word (Jesus) Is Alive and Powerful

Our walk through Hebrews has us in Chapter 4, where we discover Jesus allowed us to enter into rest by faith, contrasted with those under the first covenant who did not enter because of unbelief. Verse 12 declares the word of God is living and powerful, able to divide soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

A collection of books known as the Bible, which gradually came into existence over a lengthy period of time, is not able to do this. But Jesus can. He is the Word that was manifested among us. He is our only High Priest. He was the focus leading up to Verse 12, and He remains the subject in the spotlight throughout this writing.



   
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735. Hebrews 1: God Has Spoken to Us Through His Son

Welcome to a series where we will provide an overview of the book of Hebrews. We will sift and skim some highlights to help provide context of these very important writings when it comes to realizing the grace and truth that came through Jesus Christ … and the differences between an expired Old Covenant and a New and better covenant.

The writer starts off in Chapter One by pointing out to Jewish believers that God had formerly spoken to them—their ancestors—through the prophets (and the writings related those prophets). But now in these days, He has spoken through His Son, who has been appointed an heir of all things, through whom the world was made.



   
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699. Our Life Is Not Found in the Bible

The Scriptures have been a centerpiece of our program over the past 14 years. But many “Christian” programs, churches, and ministries can make that claim. You’ve probably noticed there is a wide variety of opinions and interpretations as individual verses or passages can leave people in a place of bondage, hungering and thirsting for righteousness because the good news of the gospel is often missing. Much of this stems from mistakenly trying to apply the Old Covenant of law and mixing it with New Covenant grace. The written publication we know as “The Bible” hasn’t always existed. It went through many transformations with how it came to be published and continues to do so today. For centuries, most people never had easy access to these writings as many of us do today. How did they survive spiritually? It was by the life of Christ through God’s Spirit living in them. Of course we cherish the Scriptures and we know God is able to reveal actual truth to us by His Spirit when we are taught by Him. But those pages are not where life is attained or sustained… they point to the one and only source of Life - the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ.



   
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