In a time when belief in objective truth, i.e., to say something is true whatever you or I may think about it, the Bible has come under increasing suspicion.
Why? It claims to be the Word of God, revelation once delivered. It claims to be truth and to present the Truth and Christians have for two millennia consider the Bible inerrant and infallible, the source from which we develop a Christian worldview and proclaim the Lordship of Christ in all of life.
What then do we believe and know?
- The Bible, the Word of God, was written for all times, countries, and cultures.
- Without contextualizing or modifying or revising, much less updating, whatever that means, the Bible is permanently contemporary.
- The Bible gives us propositional statements, absolutes, about (a rather short list but one we ignore at our peril) moral issues, sometimes called non-negotiables.
- The Bible gives us principles from which we can learn to discern, developing our convictions and preferences on matters the Bible does not directly address, by which we can become “fully convinced in our own mind” and apply based upon our Christian liberty.
- The Bible is trustworthy on all matters of life and culture.
- Christian liberty may be the least understood and least practiced doctrine in the Bible.
Christians give others room to be different in food choices or maybe clothing. Rarely do they seem to do so regarding politics, yet this in our age is a primary sensitivity.
This does not mean we cannot disagree. Respectful disagreement promotes critical thinking or spiritual discernment and wise decisions. Nor is this an argument for the moral equivalency of all issues, because the Bible speaks directly to the morality of some issues, while providing principles upon which we can draw to decide our stance regarding other issues. But no one’s viewpoint is non-debatable, non-negotiable, unimpeachable, inviolable.
Christians in America, or anywhere else, cannot wrap the Bible in their flag and claim the Word was given as if only to them. No, the Bible is for the Church Universal, the Body of Christ across nations, across cultures, across time.
How shall we then live?
- Affirm biblical values, by developing our Christian worldview, spiritual discernment (Phil. 1:9-11).
- Embrace Christian liberty and allow for differences of conscience (Rom 14).
- Speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15).
- Exercise grace with humility, knowing we all see through a glass darkly.
We must honor others above ourselves…even and especially those with whom we disagree.
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Col. 3:12).
© Rex M. Rogers – All Rights Reserved, 2020
*This blog may be reproduced in whole or in part with a full attribution statement. Contact me or read more commentary on current issues and events at www.rexmrogers.com/, or connect with me at www.linkedin.com/in/rexmrogers.