Understanding the Bible Part 1–Is the Church Suffering from Biblical Illiteracy?
What is the bible? Some would contend the bible to be the “unadulterated Word of God.” Others would similarly contend that the bible is NOT the word of God per se, but rather it contains the Word of God. Others would say that it is an instruction manual for mankind, containing instructions on how mankind is suppose to live in the sight of both God and one’s neighbor. Or how about this: the bible is a “love letter” from God to man that reveals God’s love for mankind through the work of Jesus Christ. Some would conservatively say that the bible is a compilation of thoughts, some good and some bad, and that it is a piece of work that is useful in dealing with the various and many issues facing mankind throughout the ages. Still others will contend that the bible is a book of fables and wise sayings geared to appeal to the vanities and insecurities of the human race.
Regardless how one sees the bible, the Bible holds a prominent place in the lives of millions of people in the world. Of those millions, countless hundreds of thousands revere the bible as more than just a book of wise sayings with questionable historical documentation. These individuals see the bible as some form of medium that connects them to the Creator.
In this episode of a multi-episode series on Understanding the Bible, I explore the problems that are inherent to reading, studying and understanding the bible. Furthermore, I explore the remedies associated with these inherent problems. This is not for the spiritually faint of hearts deary—for I am going to challenge the status quo that is traditional and fundamental Christianity and even the Hebraic and Messianic communities as it relates to the viability of the Bible in the 21st century as well as how we view and approach the reading and study of the bible as so-called believers in Yeshua Messiah.