Five Views of the Bible
1) Uninspired and Uninspiring:
How could a book written thousands of years ago possibly have any relevance for my life? Many secular people hold this view.
2) Uninspired but Inspiring:
Like Shakespeare's poems, or Greek mythology -- interesting literature, but nothing divine about it. Often, "Bible scholars" interviewed on the History Channel have this view.
The Bible is God's Holy Word, but remains unread because it is boring. Many professing Christians think this, though very few say it. They think this way because have not yet read the entire Bible, and do not care to study it deeply. After a good start in Genesis, they get bogged down in Leviticus and quit. It's like the little boy who "doesn't like" Chinese food because he hasn't given it a real chance.
4) Partly Inspired:
Some parts are God's Word and some parts aren't. This is the cut and paste approach, where we eliminate the passages we wish weren't in there. But what is our standard for determining which parts are which? The Bible message of people who hold this view looks very much like the editor.
This is what I think! The Bible is God's Word and the most helpful, inspiring, relevant guide for living ever written. There's a good reason why it continues to be the world's bestseller every year.
Boring? Are you kidding?? This book is packed with mystery, action adventure, romance, mystery, intrigue, drama, poetry, and predictions for the future.
Although I read it every morning, and have read it all many times, I find something fresh and new daily in these sacred pages. Granted, not all parts of the Bible are equally inspiring -- but they are all equally inspired. There's a good reason why every part is included, and the more we dig into it, the more treasure we find!
The most meaningful moments in my life have been wrapped in Scripture.
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