Is The Bible Really The Word Of God?

By Mike Edwards

We often hear claims that the Bible is “THE WORD OF GOD.” A perfect, loving God can’t lie, so one may assume that all the Bible claims about God is true. But the Bible can’t be the definitive word about God since subject to interpretation (different scholarly views of the same passages). Besides, we can’t prove God controlled if the writers always accurately portrayed God.

The truth is we can’t prove God inspired the Bible 

The biggest proof often given to suggest God inspired perfect thoughts written down is because the Bible claims that to be so (i.e. 2 Tim 2:16). But this passage has several different interpretations. Anyway, a Book isn’t proven to be inspired because it claims to be inspired. Those who claim God’s inspired the Bible would not accept the Koran to be divinely inspired because it makes such claims. It seems fair to ask if divine inspiration is so important and God is that controlling, why didn’t God preserve original manuscripts to remove doubts of editorial errors?

Even if God controlled everything written in the Bible . . . 

Even if we could prove the writers of the Bible always understood God perfectly, we can’t claim our interpretations are perfect. The truth is biblical scholars who have a deep respect for Scriptures don’t agree what God believes about many moral values. See here.  See here.  See here. Gays are often condemned, women’s leadership roles are limited despite their gifts, and it is suggested a fiery torturous afterlife awaits infidels – all in God’s name. Extremists often will advocate killing infidels in this life because they believe their Holy Book is inspired by God and of course their interpretation is the right one.

So, how do we know what God is like? 

Over half the people born into this world didn’t have a Bible. Were they all clueless what a loving God would be like? If we can question if writers always understood God perfectly, we can naturally wonder if God’s actions would ever violate our moral intuitions of a loving God. See here.  If a loving Creator exists, which is the only God worth believing it, it is only intuitive that a Creator loves the ways their creations ought to love one another. We all seem to know the question we ought to ask ourselves – am I loving others perfectly? Self-evident morals aren’t hidden in any Holy Book. We all have an inborn sense of good and evil. Our moral intuitions, unless you are a terrorist, aren’t the enemy! 

Why bother to read the Bible if can’t prove God approved all written? 

It doesn’t matter if you believe the Bible is inspired. You still must interpret the Bible and you may be right or possibly wrong. Uncertainty is a fact of life unless my son or son-in laws mistreat women! The Bible is God’s story beginning with Israel and culminating with the life of Jesus that we don’t possess in other documents. God may have inspired/encouraged the writers to write but didn’t necessarily approve of everything written about God. Enjoy what God is trying to reveal to you about your Creator and how to treat others. Insights contrary to how you know you ought to love your neighbor may be amiss. A Book must not replace our relationship with God and common moral sense. Questioning the Bible may lead to knowing God better!

Is The Bible Really The Word Of God?

Mike Edwards has been writing for Done with Religion for some time and has been a great addition to the site. He couldn’t find enough people to discuss God openly so he started blogging years ago. Mike also has his own site where he writes that can be found at What God May Really Be Like  He can be contacted by email at: medwar2@gmail.com

10 Books That Changed My Life!

By Mike Edwards

Who the heck am I that may influence what you may read! I enjoy reading other people’s list of books that excite them. I may discover a Book that I didn’t know about. The title of a Book doesn’t always peak one’s interest to read. I add a brief comment of each book suggested to see if that relates to what you are seeking to know more about God. It’s hard to only list 10 books but I narrowed my list from 30 favorite books that have had the greatest influence in being a better, more thoughtful person, God-follower. I have probably read over a thousand books. I am convinced reading the thoughts of others is the path toward wisdom.

1. Ruth Tucker: Black And White Bible, Black And Blue Wife: My Story Of Finding Hope After Domestic Abuse – I had no idea the most influential woman scholar in my life regarding what the Bible really says about women’s roles had suffered such abuse. You can’t go wrong reading any of her books about the Bible and women’s roles. There is no way God limits women in the home, church, or public. You haven’t met my wife, daughters, and women I know! 

2. Thomas Oord: God Can’t. Dr. Oord provides the most loving, moral explanation of why God can’t intervene more in evil and suffering though God is dying to do so. The biggest reason why many hesitate to believe in God, though inclined to believe, is there is so much evil in the world 

3. David Gushee: Changing Our Mind. Finally, a leading Christian scholar and ethicist comes out and admits the Bible can’t be used to declare God condemns gays. Amen!

4. Eric Seibert: Disturbing Divine Behaviors. I believe Seibert offers a more rational, loving explanation as to how we should understand biblical texts where God is depicted as acting irrationally, violently, or destructively 

5. I H Marshall: Kept by the Power of God. I had to include this book for sentimental reasons. One of the first books I read many decades ago that freed me from having to believe God elects and love only certain people thus limiting God’s grace. Damn Calvin theology! I am convinced Calvin’s views are exegetically and morally bankrupt

6. Craig Keener – Paul, Women, and Wives – Marriage And Women’s Ministry In The Letters of Paul. Finally, a biblical scholar who disputes that the Apostle Paul, a main writer of New Testament books, doesn’t necessarily defend women being prevented to serve in leadership roles in the church or that marriages shouldn’t be mutually submissive as opposed to a male being the leader

7. Garry Frieson & J. Robin Maxson: Decision Making And The Will Of God: A Biblical Alternative To the Traditional View. Another book read many decades ago began the pilgrimage of understanding how God’s guides and that indeed the future is not a specific script. One doesn’t have to worry or be anxious that they are missing God’s will, like I did in my twenties

8. Richard Rice: God’s Foreknowledge and Man’s Free Will. This book is one of the most precise books on the freedom of God and how this means the future is open. Our future is not predetermined, thus God is not somehow looking into future evil and suffering and doing nothing

9. Michele Weiner Davis: Divorce Busting. You can’t go wrong reading any of her books on relationships. As a counselor she empowered me to go down the road in search of solutions for couples rather than a regurgitation of problems which is often a dead end

10. John Rosemond: Teen-Proofing – Fostering Responsible Decision Making In Your Teenager. Can’t go wrong reading any of Rosemond’s books on parenting. He helped me to understand how to not piss my kids off unnecessarily, thus possibly leading to a better relationship during challenging teen times

10 Books That Changed My Life!

Mike Edwards has been writing for Done with Religion for some time and has been a great addition to the site. He couldn’t find enough people to discuss God openly so he started blogging years ago. Mike also has his own site where he writes that can be found at What God May Really Be Like  He can be contacted by email at: medwar2@gmail.com