What's The Deal With The Bible?

For the past 20 some centuries there have been a collection of books, organized into what is called a canon. This canon we might know as the Bible. For many the Bible, or the scriptures are the foundation of a journey with God. From the scriptures knowledge of who God is, what God has done, and how we should live can be gained. Still there are many struggle points with the good book.

So why is it that the Bible faced unparalleled scrutiny among the holy books and other historical documents? There are all kinds of reasons. Some say it is because of science. Others will chime in and say because of the miracles. Still others claim doubt because of the way we see God in the Old Testament. There is also an aspect of looking at the scriptures which has been tainted by what other humans have done with the words given to us. Many a times, unfortunately I myself have been here, humans take the scripture and distort it to fit their message. This is pretty backwards, yet still done my many if not all.

However, there is one reason the Bible is questioned which overrules all the others. The content of the Bible is not merely history, it is not merely literature, the content of the Bible deals with our moral life, and calls us to a high moral standard. If I admit the Bible to be truth, and something I should pattern my life after, I will have to change my life. If I can discard the Bible as story or myth, I can live however I want to, with zero perceived ramifications.

Now I am willing to admit my bias, I think the Bible is not only the single most important book on my shelf, I think it is the single most important book ever written. I do believe it to be 100% truth. I do believe I should conform my live to it, not it to my life. I am also willing to admit I do not have a perfect understanding of the what is presented int he Bible. I must interpret what is there into my life and the lives of those who I shepherd, but I am not the final authority on the interpretation.

In the end we should read the Bible, study it. We should challenge and ask questions. We should seek to investigate all the claims of God through the scriptures. In doing so we need to be open to the idea that God is at work in those pages, and our lives can be forever transformed for the sake of the world, if we would allow it.