Dangers In Not Questioning But Assuming The Bible Is Entirely Inspired By God!

By Mike Edwards

(This is a two-part Post. Second part next week. This Post is longer than usual)

Most God-followers get their understanding of God from the Bible. Non-God followers often understand God from what people claims about God according to the Bible. Readers may be aware of arguments suggesting dangers when assuming the Bible isn’t entirely inspired by God. I wish to address dangers when not questioning if the entire Bible is inspired by God. When the Bible is said to be infallible or inspired by God, most assume the words penned somehow came from God and thus approved by God. Few suggest God dictated the entire Bible word per word, but a dictatorial style is implied if God somehow prevented biblical writers from having less than perfect views of God. It is very different to approach the Bible from the perspective that God acts uncontrolling but continually seeks to influence for one’s moral good.  

Even if God did produce a perfect collection of Books, we could not know for sure

We don’t have the original manuscripts so infallibility is a non-starter. If infallibility was critical, why didn’t God find a way to preserve the original texts if God controls the writers’ thoughts. The most common defense for arguing the Bible is inspired is to claim the biblical writers make such a claim. Such logic would not lead those same people to accepting the Quran being infallible because it claims to be. There are many dangers in assuming the Bible is inspired as opposed to accepting the Bible as a document recording experiences of beginnings with God and Israel culminating with the life of Jesus that we don’t possess in any other documents. Writings about God can keep us talking and reflecting what God is really like. God didn’t necessarily have in mind that recordings would not be questioned. 

The danger of wondering or assuming God is an accomplice to immoral behaviors 

Did God really inspire or approve a woman being required to marry her rapist because writers couldn’t handle the truth about God at that time? Laws proclaimed by Moses supposedly came from God. Deut. 22: 28-29 says: If a man happens to meet a virgin…and rapes her…He must marry the young women, for he has violated her. One who assumes this law was inspired or accommodated by God rationalize that in that culture woman would be worse off unmarried. The idea of a woman ever having to marry her rapist as a good thing hardly inspires many about God. I am convinced only humans thought this was a good law at that time, not God, and with time most would understand there are more compassionate solutions to a woman violated by a man.  

Did God really inspire acts or language of genocide? I Samuel 15:3 says God told Israel: “Now go, attack the Amalekites… put to death men and women, children and infants, cattle and sheep, camels and donkeys.” Today, only evil dictators approve of such actions or talk during war. Hundreds of passages in the Old Testament advocate violence in God’s name. One might suggest, to protect a certain view of the Bible, it was common in literatures in OT times to use warfare rhetoric to induce fear and inspire victory but women and children would be spared when possible. Isn’t it more rational to ask if a good God would inspire or approve such thoughts or language?

The danger of an infallible Book can lead to the idea of infallible interpretations

Most admit literature requires interpretation, thus why biblical scholars often disagree about the meaning of the same passage. Scholars, who respect the Bible as authoritative, disagree if the Bible supports loving hierarchal or equalitarian relationships between partners.  It is seldom voiced one’s view about God according to their interpretation could be wrong. Such an admission would better encourage different views standing side by said as we continually evaluate the most loving approach, rather than forcing opinions on others in the name of God. Infallible Books, as opposed to fallible Books, often lead down the slippery slope of justifying interpretations as if infallible.

The danger of justifying violence in the name of God.

The possibility of an infallible Book has led down the slippery slope of assuming God’s view on morality only comes from a Book such as the Bible or Koran.  Not questioning if writers always understood God perfectly has led to justifying slavery, killing infidels, and other atrocities in the name of God. Interpretations must be questioned by our moral consciences. It is suggested that Jesus, who was said to be God in person, must be the lens through how we view possible misunderstandings of God in the Old Testament. It may be true that Jesus had a more correct view of God, but this still leads to certain interpretations of Jesus considered more correct and deemphasizes the priority of a relationship with our Creator rather than a Book.

The danger of declaring God mysterious leads to an unknowable and unrelatable God 

God sometimes is said to be a mystery beyond human comprehension because one’s interpretation clashes with common human moral sense. When assuming the writers understood God perfectly, we often search for ways to rationalize certain passages. But the Bible ask us to be perfect like God (Mt. 5: 48). How can one understand a God who created us to know and hate evil, if their evil in our eyes is supposedly good sometimes? God says hate evil, so should we hate God sometimes! To declare God is mysterious is to perhaps do the opposite of what God desperately desires – to be knowable and relatable. When we rationalize certain biblical passages, we don’t question God and create barriers in the relationship.   

The danger of leading people to reject God for the wrong reasons  

Many only condemn gays or restrict women’s spiritual roles because of the Bible, but two plausible interpretations exist on most major issues when speaking of God’s character. Many defend that the Bible teaches that God proclaims women cannot be in authority over men in roles such as a priest or pastor. Scholars who respect the authority of Scriptures also proclaim the Bible can teach roles are based on gifts not gender. Many recognize as bigotry if we humans used such criteria in business or other roles. Women can feel disrespected and confused why a supposedly loving God would put men in leadership position over women which has encouraged dominance on the man’s part and is has been conducive for abuse and other atrocities women face at the hands of men. When God is portrayed in unloving terms, understandably this leads to atheism or rejecting God. 

The danger of causing crises of faith because the Bible is supposedly without error

When insisting all of the Bible is inspired or approved by God, it forces one to reject God if the Bible is wrong on any issue. Many insist the Bible can’t support evolution. These same people also insist the Bible is without error. If one believes evolution is a possibility, this forces them to reject the Bible and often God goes with that. There are already enough issues to cause one to turn from God than encouraging the Bible to be another reason by claiming it can’t be without error.

Tithing, Giving and Financial Support

by Jim Gordon

If you have spent anytime in the institutional church system you know something about tithing. Tithing is talked about in every church whether it is every week, every month or only a certain time during the year. We need to remember there is a difference between tithing, giving and financial support.

I remember feeling guilty because I felt I could not afford to tithe. You know, the real tithe, ten percent of your income and that was not take-home pay that was ten percent of all you made.

I can remember one church we used to attend the pastor would have the ushers count the money after the offering and if there was not enough in it he would tell them to pass the plates again. Another church we went to the pastor told the congregation they needed to give one month’s salary to support a special building project they had going.

Now I know not all churches go to that extreme, but all churches will talk about the tithe. What bothers me about all this is that the tithe is an old covenant teaching. I believe that tithing is no longer something we need to worry about. We no longer have a storehouse to bring the tithe into. Many teach that the church is the storehouse but that is certainly not the case. If you read more about what tithing was and what the purpose was back in the old testament you will see it is no longer for us.

The church is not a building or storehouse. God does not live in buildings made by hands. We are the temple of God and he lives within us. The Church that God is building is not a religion or institution or organization. The Church is made up of the community of believers who live for God each and every day by the guidance of the Spirit that is within us.

I have no problem with giving. In fact, we are to give but we are not to tithe. Giving is done out of love, it is done out of caring. It has no set amount and is not an obligation for us to fulfill.

If people decide to attend a church building and be part of the religious institution that is OK as long as they know that it is not God’s house and tithing is no longer required. If the pastor would just be honest and tell the people that they are part of an organization that meets in a building and it needs their support. They have bills to pay, salaries to meet, utilities to pay and expenses that have to be paid if they are going to run the organization.

What upsets me is when the pastor tries to guilt the members into giving their money because they are giving to God, or they are told they are robbing God by not giving their ten percent. They are told to bring the tithe into the storehouse so that others can be helped, then most of the money goes to pay the expenses of the organization. Just be honest and tell them there are expenses that need to be paid and if you are part of this group you need to help pay the bills.

I could go along with that much better. I could go along with being told we need to financially support the organization to pay the bills. Beyond that we are free to give what we feel is right and directly to people who need it without going through the organization who takes its cut.

So, for those who are still in the institutional church give your money as financial support of the organization. There is nothing wrong with that, but do not think you are giving to God. Do not let the pastor guilt you into giving because you are robbing from God. The old covenant has been fulfilled and we now live by grace in the new covenant where tithing is no longer needed.

Follow your heart and give to others out of love and as you feel led. If you attend a religious organization then give your money to financially support it, but do not feel guilty or be guilted into giving money out of any obligation. You are free to give as you see fit.