For my entire adult life, I have been having conversations with people who believe that the Bible is without any errors – perfect in every way. I have worked very hard to read and reread the Hebrew and Christian Testaments and have studied experts in the field who are able to explain things that I don’t understand. The Bible is an amazing text, filled with wisdom and lessons that have allowed me to live a better life and be a better pastor and person. The Bible also contradicts itself regularly, and while those contradictions are often small, there are many that are blaring in their inconsistencies. Because of these problems, a lot of people reject the Bible completely, falling into the same trap that fundamentalists do. They feel lied to – they feel like the Bible is meaningless if it isn’t perfect. I think they are wrong.
2 Timothy 3: 14-17 tells us, “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.” Those scriptures he wrote of are the Hebrew Scriptures. Anyone who has read the Bible seriously knows that from the very beginning – Genesis 1 & 2 – the two creation stories are very different – they are not the same story at all. And while Revelation 22 says not to add a word to “this book”, it doesn’t mean the entirety of the Bible. God is perfect – we are to strive to be perfect in love – God’s path is perfect – but the Bible? No.
Which, to me, doesn’t matter. The Bible is a guide to life – but Jesus changed commandments, like “You shall not murder.” He was asked which commandment was the most important, which tells me that some are less important. The Bible tells us that slavery is perfectly fine – but it isn’t. I think that an imperfect Bible is good enough, like Timmy wrote, to teach me and correct me and train me, and it does all of those things. Here is my suggestion: read it – study it with a group of people – consider what the experts say about it – and then ask the Holy Spirit to help you through life. The totality of God can be a source of comfort and learning and consolation in the best and worst of times. And the church can help too. Because imperfection is all we’ve got, so it has to be good enough to help us through the good, the bad, and ugly. Because God is good – all the time. Together, we can make it.
Prayer – Holy God, in the midst of controversies, You are present, giving us love and guidance through Your words and Your Spirit. And each other. Thank You. Amen.
Today’s art is “Miracle at the Sea of Reeds” by Yossi Rosenstein.