“God needs to update the Bible”
25/01/11 13:41 Filed in: In defence
That’s a common view of many people today—and surprisingly it’s the view of some who would consider themselves Christian. Setting aside the claim—often made and never substantiated—that there are mistakes in the Bible, I’d be interested to know what needs updated.
Does it need brought up to date with respect to women? It is often seen as misogynistic, yet the Bible gives women a far higher status than they have in most of the world today. And in marriage it demands the ultimate level of love from husbands—that they love their wife as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for it. What woman doesn’t want to be loved in such a self-sacrificial way?
Is it in the area of marriage and sexuality that it needs updated? After all, one man and one woman for life is seriously outdated, is it not? And is living together without getting married not equally valid in God’s sight? It’s not as if people in Bible times didn’t know about casual sex, homosexuality, adultery or living together yet God spoke his rules into that society. He thought they were right for them then, and right for us today—for nothing has changed that much. Interestingly, the facts and figures show that a man and woman joined in marriage is the best option for stable societies and the bringing up of children. Perhaps God did know best.
Sometimes people think the Bible is out of date scientifically, and we should update it to reflect our progress. But what science should we update it to? Scientists are constantly changing their theories, and finding that so-called ‘universal truths’ aren’t universal. Also the Bible has yet to be shown to hold one single unscientific statement.
Does the Bible need updated to take into consideration our information age and all its temptations? Yet what lies at the heart of society’s problems? It’s the heart of people—and our self-centred pleasure-seeking lunging after status, sex, wealth, excitement and success. Exactly the same problems the Bible has been dealing with for millennia. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
God’s word is in need of no update—it’s eternally relevant.
I suspect that those who want God’s word to be updated are looking for a convenient excuse to disregard God’s word and ignore God’s demands on them. It’s not that God’s word has been tried and found wanting, instead people have been tried by God’s word and found wanting, and they don’t like it.
If God is God, then we should expect his word to say things we don’t like, to challenge and rebuke us—other than that, it becomes the word of a giant fairy who indulges all our wishes.
Does it need brought up to date with respect to women? It is often seen as misogynistic, yet the Bible gives women a far higher status than they have in most of the world today. And in marriage it demands the ultimate level of love from husbands—that they love their wife as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for it. What woman doesn’t want to be loved in such a self-sacrificial way?
Is it in the area of marriage and sexuality that it needs updated? After all, one man and one woman for life is seriously outdated, is it not? And is living together without getting married not equally valid in God’s sight? It’s not as if people in Bible times didn’t know about casual sex, homosexuality, adultery or living together yet God spoke his rules into that society. He thought they were right for them then, and right for us today—for nothing has changed that much. Interestingly, the facts and figures show that a man and woman joined in marriage is the best option for stable societies and the bringing up of children. Perhaps God did know best.
Sometimes people think the Bible is out of date scientifically, and we should update it to reflect our progress. But what science should we update it to? Scientists are constantly changing their theories, and finding that so-called ‘universal truths’ aren’t universal. Also the Bible has yet to be shown to hold one single unscientific statement.
Does the Bible need updated to take into consideration our information age and all its temptations? Yet what lies at the heart of society’s problems? It’s the heart of people—and our self-centred pleasure-seeking lunging after status, sex, wealth, excitement and success. Exactly the same problems the Bible has been dealing with for millennia. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
God’s word is in need of no update—it’s eternally relevant.
I suspect that those who want God’s word to be updated are looking for a convenient excuse to disregard God’s word and ignore God’s demands on them. It’s not that God’s word has been tried and found wanting, instead people have been tried by God’s word and found wanting, and they don’t like it.
If God is God, then we should expect his word to say things we don’t like, to challenge and rebuke us—other than that, it becomes the word of a giant fairy who indulges all our wishes.