Gridblog #1 The Bible Story and it's Authority

So Tim has started this gridblog thing (I'm feeling all technological savvy being included, by the way) in which a few of us folks with blogs will take a different topic and post our thoughts. This week, he picked the authority of the Bible. I guess since it was his idea, he can pick whatever topic he wants but, wow, he sure didn't start with an easy one!

After one of my busiest weeks of the year, I'm not sure I have much brain power left and of course I'm writing late Friday night 'cause this is all the time I've got. I'm not complaining though, because I realized that the beauty of this is that several people have already posted on the topic already so all I have to do is read theirs and add my two cents worth...and believe me, it's worth it! A whole two cents. Keep reading now. I dare you!

Tim started it off with a bang saying: "The bible is often confusing, often seems outdated, and often offers seemingly insurmountable challenge; but the idea it offers - of a God son sent to earth for me, of an answer for the darkness of my heart, of a grace for my unfaithfulness, and of a community to walk the journey with - these are things I am willing to pursue, even though sometimes I can only sense just a whisperÂ….even though the vision often seems so faint."

So true!

John talked about how the Bible exists to point to Jesus. All my Bible college study says he's right. The Old Testament explains creation, the fall (the purpose of his coming) and is prophecy of his arrival while the New Testament describes his life, ministry and eternal rule. The thing is, as Angie alluded in her post, I wonder if we always take it that way. Of course, maybe that's an issue for a whole different topic. Stay focused, Stace, we're talking about the authority of Scripture for life...or perhaps we're right on topic. Oh boy. This could be harder than I thought. So much to say and so little time!

Scripture. It's a book - words on paper - written by a bunch of guys, some of them pretty uneducated, about things that don't really seem to come all that naturally or make all that much sense. Some of it is just down right absurd.

Feeding five thousand people with one lunchbag?
Loving my enemies? I find it hard to love my family sometimes...and they're pretty special.
Everlasting life?
Creating the world in 7 days, no 6 and one of rest, just by speaking?
A God I can't see?
A flood, 40 days of rain and a big boat that saved it all?
A small man killing a giant?
Battles galore?
Plagues?
Wait a minute...you say there was a baby born in a manger?
And he became a man who was - or claimed to be - the son of God?
He died on a cross?
He rose from the dead?!
For me!?
He loves me?

Are you for real?

Why should I believe it?
You tell me it applies to my life? You've got to be kidding me?!
You say it changes my life? Really?!

Here's the thing. I believe that it's authoritative because it's so much more than words on paper. I believe, by faith that defies logic and reason, that Scripture and all it contains, is true.

Sure it was written by a bunch of seemingly random, undeducated guys but you know what? I'm pretty amazed at how similar their stories are. As eyewitnesses to the things they recorded, they have authority. Today we have eye witnesses testify at court cases, in insurance claims, and any other issue where truth is in question. We believe the testimony of eyewitnesses. ..even with the risk of them making mistakes. By their very proximity to the action, their testimony is validated. Yes, eyewitnesses can make mistakes but I happen to have a belief (and maybe this is the faith part) that these were specially chosen and inspired witnesses.

There's more (and I love this part!). As a fan of the classics - Shakspeare, Homer, Dumas - I recognize that it's pretty impressive that their words have carried over the past couple hundred years virtually the same but get this: there is no piece of literature in the world that is as old, has been translated into as many languages and has remained as true to the original as Scripture. We're talking thousands of years worth of people taking those words to heart. Before the printing press was created ittraveledd by word of mouth. Are you seeing how amazing that is!? Did you ever play that telephone game as a kid? You know, one person starts at the end of a line with a message and you see how close to the original it is once it's been whispered through the whole line of people? Same sort of thing but on a much bigger scale!! And this time the message stays the same.

There's all sorts of scientific, scholarly answers as to why I should believe the Bible but I don't think they answer why I do. While this may sound weak or ridiculous, it's because I need to believe it. Because nothing else makes as much sense. Because when it comes down to it, that hole that people talk about is real and can only be filled with Jesus and the Bible tells me about him so....okay, you get the point. I've seen it lived out in people's lives. I know it's made a difference in my life...just not as often as I would like. So yes, it should be authoritative, it should make a difference, but what's the reality?

I want, more than anything, to be a living reflection of the words there. To take it to heart, not just 'to head' and to live it out. Several other contributors have mentioned ourfascinationn with the word itself, so much so that we forget the Truth it points to. We are at risk of getting so caught up in semantics and rules that we forget the heart of the text - Truth, Jesus, the Kingdom.

Okay, maybe I do need to go to bed now 'cause I think I'm just rambling, so let me leave you with this: If we agree that the Bible is true, the question becomes not if it is authoritative but how we read it, live it and convey it so that the REAL story of Jesus is what the people around us see when we reflect it. That is relevant...no matter who, what, where, when or why!