Unfortunately, the whole debate of homosexuality, ordination of women bishops and so on is merely scratching the surface; these are all symptoms of something far deeper: the authority of Scripture. If you choose to dismiss just one aspect of it, then by the same model you have to dismiss everything else, simply because of the rules you're viewing it by (and the Bible is clear, particularly on the former issue I mention). When it comes to the Bible, it's all or nothing. Dismiss one part, and you automatically call into question everything else by your same action. I'd rather people threw the Bible out completely rather than pick-and-mix... (*)
If, as Timothy informs us, "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" (2 Tim 3.16), and Jesus Himself says that, "Scripture cannot be broken" (John 10.35) - and taking on board that same rule of thumb that these statements are fact because I'm not calling any other piece of Scripture into question either - then the Bible is more than a book, more than a guide, more than just a manual; it is God's revelation to us of Himself, it is prophetic, it is inspired through man (as opposed to the common assumption that it was written simply by man), it is His living Word...
In which case, ask yourself the following:
Do I understand the Bible in the light of my own life and surrounding culture?
Or do I understand my life and surrounding culture in the light of the Bible?
I know where I stand...
(*I'm not for one moment suggesting that we accept the Bible blindly or naively [the writer to the Hebrews reminds us in chapter 5.11 - 6.8 that learning should be a part of our maturity - in fact, it is part of that process, no?], but we need to be absolutely determined in every way that our study of God's Word is not filtered by a subjective approach. Remember Who ultimately wrote it. Then study it.)
[For further blogging on the same theme, check out bluefish )
3 comments:
Well, yeah! But it's not just that, it's also people who are unregenerate and clearly unspiritual attempting to speak on matters that are. What's messed up is that these institutions safeguard so tightly meaningless traditions, holding on to them dearly but are uncertain about matters that are unquestionably clear! "We can have gay bishops, as long as they wear the proper habit!" ;)
Steve I didn't know you had a blog! It's all good stuff mate, and I look forward to more. I put a link from my blog.
Ciao
Hi Steve. When I was at Spurgeons (15 years ago)there was a book in the College Library by an American evangelical scholar (something or other the III, can't remember.) He said that the only problem with the interpretive arguments put forward for women elders was that if you also applied them to other issues you would completely overturn the Bible's moral teaching on just about every subject. Errr, which is exactly what seems to have happened! (BTW Why are you writing theological stuff while I'm doing silly photos of cats?)
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