Read the whole thing before you send me nasty messages. I came to this conclusion not after months of research or philosophical debate but after I listened to a GREAT message on my way home from West Virginia. The message was “Hermeneutical and Exegetical Integrity” by Scott Golike.
I have simply concluded that I do not treat the Bible with the respect due to the Word of God. I believe that your actions reveal more about your beliefs than a doctrinal statement or your words ever can. My actions say I don’t believe the Bible to be the word of God. I haven’t read and studied like I should have since I left my youth pastorate, I have a plethora of reasons but none that are valid or worth wasting your time discussing.
If we truly believe this to be God’s message to us then reading it is not an option. It was CS Lewis who said, “Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” I believe this can be said about the Bible as well. I have not given my time to study. I have abused it by trying using it to make my point, I have ignored the authors intent and inserted my own. As a minister I have used it as a spring board to make my own message sound biblical, and I will never do it again.
I will make God’s word a priority in my life, despite the cost.
5 responses to “I no longer believe the Bible is the word of God.”
Hey J,
Wow, that must have been some message. I think I will have to listen to it before I reply more.
It doesn’t sound like you are referring to being a hypocrite in your walk, because we all are hypocrites. We do what we don’t want to do and don’t do what we want to do. But it doesn’t sound like that is the thing you have realized.
Can you expound some more on what you mean? I certainly understand making God’s word priority. I don’t understand how it can be abused. Do you mean in making statements of faith? Determining what you believe and how you live your life?
Aaron
I get what you are saying — when I was in a class about who I am in Christ, I was taught that “your who will match your do”. I have said in the past that I ‘want’ to believe in healing – but I don’t. I say I believe in healing, but if I really did believe God heals, wouldn’t I act differently toward the sick? Would I walk past a person in a wheelchair if I really believed God could heal them and that God’s will was to heal them? But I do walk by … the only conclussion is that I DON’T BELIEVE IN HEALING.
I want to – I wish I did – but my actions scream that I don’t. The same could be said regarding the belief that the Bible is the Word of God. Am I way off — or are we on the same page?
[…] time ago I was challenged on what I really believe and I decided that “I don’t really believe the Bible is the Word of God” which challenged me to act as if I really believed that is was the Word of God. Which […]
Just wondering aroung your blog Jason. Found this comment by you, and it just leaped at me. “I WILL make God’s word a priority in my life, despite the cost.” This impressed me- because realized that your decision to pick-up the bible reading again flows from this committment.
I guess it did, although not consciously. It has been hard with the new baby but I truly want to make God and his word a priority in my life.