What Do You Really Believe?
Several years ago, after speaking with the pastor of a local church, I knew they were not going to end up hosting Daughters of Sarah®. At one point, she said to me, “You do realize that we use the Bible as a guideline, a historical reference, but it doesn’t dictate behavior for our denomination. We think it is a good idea for moral guidance, but it isn’t everything.”
At that point, I also wondered how they knew what was true. Mind you, I wasn’t feeling judgmental, just know the Bible doesn’t work that way for me.
This weekend, I started working on a response to the questions about divorce we received last week. But then I realized that we needed to back up the train a little bit, and better understand marriage itself.
But to understand marriage, we needed to understand some Biblical truths. But to understand those, I realized that one of the things that is literally foundational to everything we talk about is what we really believe about the Bible.
As for me, I’ve had enough experience with God in my walk to come to a place where I believe the Bible is more than a historical document. It’s more than a collection of true stories, some of which I can’t explain. It’s more than a “guideline” or a “good idea” or a “historical reference.”
I believe the Word itself is alive.
There have been too many times when God has brought a specific scripture to mind to help me deal with a specific situation. Too many times when a verse has followed me around, showing up in multiple devotionals and literally written on multiple church signs within the same week – all in answer to a specific prayer of mine.
So I’m either a complete nut job, have a strange life filled with odd coincidences, or I know God – albeit just a fraction of what is possible.
I vote the last one. Probably because no one wants to think they are nuts. And for the record, I mean no offense with the phrase “nuts” – I’ve had post-partum depression four times. I’ve earned the right to talk about crazy.
But for me, the Bible is like an ancient magic book through which the Creator of the Universe talks with His people. It’s everything.
So before I begin dialogue talking about marriage and divorce and what the Bible (and hence, the Creator of the Universe) has to say about it, I want to hear from you.
What do YOU think the Bible is? Why do you say that? How has the existence of the Bible impacted your life? How would things be different for you without it? Double dog dare you to explain why the Bible is true and relevant TODAY.
Let’s talk. I can’t wait to hear from you today! And in keeping with our theme, please be respectful in how we engage this topic with each other.
Glad to be on the journey with you.
Love to you,
~Nina
The Bible is literally the inspired Word of God. Much of the New Testament was written by those who had been taught and commissioned by Jesus Himself. Therefore, we should treat their writings as if it is God Himself speaking to us, because God Himself (i.e. Jesus) is the One who commissioned them to lead and direct the church. Paul wrote just about all of the rest of the New Testament, and Peter said that Paul’s writings were scripture.
Jesus fully accepted the Old Testament as the AUTHORITATIVE word of God, and that’s all I need to know.
I believe there is tremendous truth in the Bible. I would like to learn more about it’s teachings. I am new to this and wish that I would have continued reading the Bible when I was younger. I have struggled recently with many issues that are leading me in the direction of church and a wanting a deeper understanding or the word. My marraige is suffering right now and my husband is a good christian man who has fallen out of the habit of following the word. I have been reaching out to him for us to read together. I think I need to just initiate the reading and ask him to please follow along with me. Something has to change so that I don’t lose my husband who is everything to me.
Seeking, I’m so glad you are here. 🙂 I hope you’ll check out today’s post – God wants to interact with you. He loves you. He misses your husband. He wants to save you. Might I suggest that you and your husband talk about visiting churches in your area? Find one that teaches the Word, and encourages discipleship. We attend an Evangelical Free denominational church, but there are many that speak the Truth. 🙂 Love that you are here, praying that you continue in your journey. Don’t worry about time past – I didn’t know Him until I was 22. 🙂 It’s never too late.
Love to you,
~Nina
The bible is most certainly alive. How else could you read something and gain understanding. And at another time re-read the same passage and learn all new knowledge or wisdom for what is happening at that Times in your life. The Creator of the universe can do all things and He created the bible to communicate with us. For those of us that want to know Him and desire fellowship to have a life line to keep with us everyday.
The Bible has 66 chapters—39 in the Old Testament, 27 in the New Testament. The Bible was written over a time span of 1500 years on three different continents: Asia, Africa, and Europe. Moses wrote in the Sinai desert (Africa). Daniel wrote in Babylon. Paul wrote in prison in Rome (Europe). The Bible was written by at least 40 different authors who came from every kind of background – fishermen, kings, a tax collector, a doctor, and shepherds; poor and not so poor, educated and not so educated. The authors had different reasons for writing –some to warn of coming judgment, some to encourage, some to prove that Jesus is the Messiah, and some to give guidance to believers and to deal with problems in the early church. Despite the time span, the variety of authors, their backgrounds and their purposes in writing, the Bible is a unified whole. The central theme is God’s redemption of man. Hundreds of issues are mentioned and yet the authors do not contradict each other. There is no other book like the Bible.
Our Father does not expect us to white knuckle our way through our life as believers. He has given us His Word and His Spirit to help us in all our challenges, trials and temptations. God’s Word gives us wisdom for every issue we will confront in this world. God’s Holy Spirit lives in us and will guide us—as we allow Him.
Popular culture and psychology tell us to look within
o The Bible tells us: Therefore, holy brothers, partners in a heavenly calling, keep your focus on Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession. Hebrews 3:1 International Standard Version (©2012)
Popular culture and psychology tell us to follow our hearts.
o The Bible tells us: “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” Jeremiah 17:9 NLT
Popular culture and psychology tells us that we should have it our way.
o The Bible tells us: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. Isaiah 55:8 NIV (©1984)
The Bible is the book that God wrote. The One who created all there is cared enough to clearly communicate His will and His ways to you and me. How can we know God and how to live without it? How great How awesome is He!
The Word of God is infallible and to me it is the absolute way to live life. Now do I follow every word, no, but do I at least try, yes. The Word is a guideline, law if you will, of the Lord speaking to you in every way possible. I have found myself praying for specific things and His Word comes through in many of the ways you listed. I KNOW He is speaking to me through devotionals, signs, anything because I know His Word to be TRUTH! I can’t explain somethings in it either, but because I know it is truth, I follow it the best I can. Many ask me to explain why I feel the way I do and sometimes I have answers and sometimes I don’t. I often say, just because I know it says this and I feel it to the depths of my bones!
Jenn said: “For me, the Bible is the infallible Truth. It is my instruction manual for life! It IS a set of guidelines, but it is so much more than that….it is God’s love language to us. His promises fulfilled and to come, His grace and mercy shown through the generations and the generations to come. It is a living, breathing part of His ongoing conversation with His people”
I Couldn’t say it better than this! Jenn, hope you don’t mind me copying what you said.
Feel free 🙂
For me, the Bible is the infallible Truth. It is my instruction manual for life! It IS a set of guidelines, but it is so much more than that….it is God’s love language to us. His promises fulfilled and to come, His grace and mercy shown through the generations and the generations to come. It is a living, breathing part of His ongoing conversation with His people.
The Bible is a GPS to our house. It’s a guideline without judging. God and Jesus aren’t dictators, they offer us choices but, with the choices are consequences. The Bible is alive to us,it’s a continually moving living part of GOD. Someone told me that years ago and I looked at her like she had 4 heads. It took going through many things and ,finally,someone’s teaching for us to understand…GOD s word is a living water. It’s alive.
I actually completely disagree with Pastor’s assessment that the Bible alone isn’t enough. The deeper into studying the Bible I go, the more I realize it is a compass, map, vocal GPS, and tour guide through life. It is literally complete with everything we need. Everything God tells us not to do is four our own benefit and when we go outside of those guidelines, or veer off the path if you rather, we pay the consequences emotionally and often times physically. I think when we seek outside sources, we may be saying we more don’t like what God’s word says. Don’t get me wrong, I recommend resources constantly and have an entire virtual “bookshelf” of resources. However, while those make it easier to navigate life and understand God’s word, His word really is the real deal. Not sure if that makes sense.
I’m with you…the Bible is the living, breathing Word of God. It speaks to us yesterday, today and tomorrow. It is applicable always. His Word is Truth for all areas of our lives. We also need to strive to understand it as He would have us understand it.
I lean heavily on the Bible and what God teaches us through it. I would probably not still be in my marriage if it were not by my faith in God and the belief in the scripture. 1 Cor 7:12-13 says “12 To the rest I say (I, not the Lord) that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he should not divorce her. 13 If any woman has a husband who is an unbeliever, and he consents to live with her, she should not divorce him.” I have left my husband twice and both times sought God’s will and it has always been to come back to my marriage. I have to daily remind myself to lean not onto my own understanding, but God’s because otherwise I would go insane. I am a romantic and my husband used to be more sincere. Once he took God out of the equation he is pretty much a Pharoah at times. I am only strong on the days that I do not need Alan to show me love. Since this day is our anniversary, it is a hard day. It is the day that I notice that his love is missing in my life. Thank God there is a loving God and I know Him by name! He is what keeps me going!
GREAT post, Nina! Thank you for sharing your heart and wisdom on this very important base topic.
I also believe the Bible is alive & all truth. It is God’s direction for our lives. I am standing for the reconciliation of my marriage based on God’s promises from his word. And as you said, too many times has he answered me & confirmed his promises in “coincidental” happenings. Its actually quite sad that there are church’s that are leading people astray with that thought process. Good luck Nina with the divorce issue.