If someone is a Xn it's a safe bet that they pick and choose which bits of scripture to read and learn from and which to ignore, particularly from the Old Testament (OT). Look at any Xns bible and I bet that while Genesis and Exodus might be well thumbed the pages of Leviticus and Numbers will be pristine. We reinforce our theological bent by reading particular bits and leaving out others.
The question shouldn't be whether we pick and choose but how we pick and choose or what lens we read through. Selecting just a handful of parts of the bible it's easy to get a war mongering judgmental God or a peace and justice loving God. The same bible has the call to turn our ploughshares into swords and then our swords into ploughshares.
As Xns followers of Christ who take the Bible seriously (not followers of the bible who take Christ seriously) it is Jesus who frames how we read the bible. So, for that reason I'm more of a swords into ploughshares kind of guy because, I think Jesus was like that. Just because something is written in the bible it isn't necessarily a command to go and do the same. God sticking with Israel no matter what (through wars and kings) is not the same as tacit approval for everything Israel did.
I'm a big fan of the Bible and take it very seriously. But, i follow Jesus and that is what taints, filters and shapes how I read the Bible.
The question shouldn't be whether we pick and choose but how we pick and choose or what lens we read through. Selecting just a handful of parts of the bible it's easy to get a war mongering judgmental God or a peace and justice loving God. The same bible has the call to turn our ploughshares into swords and then our swords into ploughshares.
As Xns followers of Christ who take the Bible seriously (not followers of the bible who take Christ seriously) it is Jesus who frames how we read the bible. So, for that reason I'm more of a swords into ploughshares kind of guy because, I think Jesus was like that. Just because something is written in the bible it isn't necessarily a command to go and do the same. God sticking with Israel no matter what (through wars and kings) is not the same as tacit approval for everything Israel did.
I'm a big fan of the Bible and take it very seriously. But, i follow Jesus and that is what taints, filters and shapes how I read the Bible.
1 comment:
I believe it would be prudent for you to learn the Jewish bible through the eyes of those that know it best. The Orthodox Jews.
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