Believable or Not?

When it come to the Bible , does it really matter whether some of its parts are true or not? Honestly, in matters of names, locations, and miniscule issues throughout that Bible that don't truly seem to rival the core of what Christians believe, are these really "live-or-die" concerns?

Let me give you an example. "Inspiration". Is it that critical that we believe God's Word was actually transmitted into the hands of the writers of the books of the Bible ultimately becoming canonized scripture? Let me put it another way: Couldn't the Bible be acceptable as a guideline as long as it tells us to be good and not do bad?

What about whether Jesus was actually God and man at the same time at His birth or even at the conception: "Fully God and Fully Man". Could it be alright if at some point after Jesus the man-child was born that He became God when the time was right?

What about other issues like if Mary was actualy a Virgin the entire time until Jesus was born. Or if tiny little errors relating to a word tense or or grammatical issue.

Lots of tough questions and lots of deep issues to deal with in just a short BLOG.

So let me brief, well sort of brief.... I believe that it all comes down to one main issue:

"Authority".

Simply put: Something that contains errors or mistakes cannot be authoritative and have any right to say or claim anything if parts of the whole are wrong.

Lets Explore:

• First of all, the Bible touts it's own inspiration: The written sriptures we hold today are 'God - Breathed'. 2 Tim 3:16 tells us they are "...without error..".
• True and false prophets are dealt with harshly and without mercy in Deuteronomy 13:1-5 and 18:20-22 when what they say does not 100% of the time come true; The same applies to the Bible.
• The Bible proclaims it's own "Authority". It would be impossible to do this if there were errors. Matthew 5:17-20 and John 10:34-35 ; in short: Jesus did not come to abolish the law and prophets but to fullful... not one jot or tiddle will disappear.. until everything is accomplished. In other words, the Bible essentially uses itself as its own judge, jury, and witness.
• Scripture uses scripture to interpret scripture . If the Bible does not extend to every minute detail, the scripture loses it's force and reliablity.
• God cannot lie, and therefore if the Bible is the very breath of God and it does not support itself, then it is not a true representation of the character of God or in the other case God can lie.

I love what I have heard our Pastor say from time to time in a sermon. And Paul, please forgive the in accuracy of my quote: "If the scripture seems to contridict itself, the problem is not with the scripture, it is with my interpretation of the scripture."

So ultimately, what we are faced with is NOT let me repeat, NOT reading the Bible so as to make it fit our understanding, we have to conform our understanding to the Bible. This will take time and it will take effort and it will be worth it.

-John Martinez