When The Bible Is Uncomfortable
Some people reject Christianity because they claim there are immoral and unethical themes in the Bible. The two most common examples have to do with the status of women and condemnation of homosexuality.
Let me first say that when it comes to both of these issues, though there is debate regarding the interpretation of the Scriptures cited, in my mind, the passages are pretty straightforward. And not politically correct.
There’s not enough space here for me to address the relevant passages, or any of the other perceived unpopular views expressed in our Bibles. But let me address just one thought: The closed-minded arrogance of contemporary belief.
Many people criticize the New Testament for what they call “outmoded and regressive teaching.” They will say it supports slavery (which it doesn’t) and the subjugation of women (which it also does not).
If you are reading the Bible and you start thinking this way yourself, do this…
Read carefully and study the text along with the word meanings and cultural understanding of that passage in its original setting. Using a good study Bible or commentary will help. You want to make sure that you are not assuming something that is not there, or claiming that a passage is teaching something that it isn’t really teaching. And by all means, don’t just listen to what some critic has passed on to you. This alone will alleviate a lot of discomfort.
But it probably won’t take care of all the uneasiness you may have over things in the Bible.
Here’s a key point, and I quote Tim Keller, “To stay away from Christianity because part of the Bible’s teaching is offensive to you assumes that if there is a God he would’t have any views that upset you.”
Our views are very limited. They are heavily influenced by our cultural milieu and our personal experiences. In no way can we say that the ethics of our society are timeless and inerrant. Compare the moral views of people just a generation ago and this becomes glaring. How arrogant we would be to claim that we are absolutely right and our grandparents didn’t have a clue. Or to say that future generations, which will undoubtedly have views other than ours, are just as erroneous as we think our grandparents’ views were.
If there is a God, and you probably wouldn’t be reading this if you didn’t believe there is, then maybe we should have the humility to acknowledge that some of his views will be contrary to ours. Instead of insisting that he conforms to us, we need to conform to him. He is the creator. And he knows how everything works a lot better than we ever could.
“‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” –Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV