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You have obviously never been to a Bible believing church.
I've been a member of three Bible-believing (Southern Baptist) churches in my 54 years, all which believed that the Bible is 100% the Word of God, without error.
Our faith is not in a book, but rather in the Savior that book speaks of.
I certainly wish the SBC had remained that way, I would return to the SBC church. And I am licensed to preach by an SBC church, got my degree from an SBC college, my father-in-law is a retired SBC minister, and many of my core beliefs are "original" with the SBC denomination. I've preached in SBC churches both in the U.S. and across the oceans.
But the SBC of today is not even close to what it used to be. It is far more focused on the Bible, the correctness of the Bible, the authority of the Bible, the advertisement of the Bible, than it is on Jesus Christ. I believe it's one of the reasons the denomination (now the Great Commission Baptists or something like that) has begun an inexorable decline from prominence. It will continue to do so as it is losing relevance to young and old alike.
It began its decline back in the late seventies when political aspirants began to see the denomination as a means for political victory. As it fell into that morass, it's emphasis on getting one's own life right with God began to decline, and elevation of the Bible to become the Golden Calf of the SBC began to increase.
One of my good friends, a conservative, fundamentalist was a missionary to an African country for over eighteen years. In the early nineties a representative from the Missionary Board showed up to tell him he would be asked to sign a document concerning his belief in the infallibility and inerrancy of the scripture. He said that although he certainly believed it, he also believed in the "priesthood of the believer," a concept now lost from the SBC, and would not sign any document.
When my friend returned to the U.S. for sabbatical and got close to returning, the SBC Missionary Board informed him he would not be returned unless he signed their paper. When he told them he had already stated he would not, they did not return him to Africa. Further, they refused to pay to have his household goods which were stored over there returned to the U.S. He now works in Belgium with another group of Baptists.
Sad to say, but that denomination is all about faith in the book, and so much so that they have lost sight of the fact that the purpose of the book is to be a mirror into the heart of God, not a golden calf to be polished and shined and protected from adverse comments.
This is not to denigrate members of the denomination. I have many who remain close friends. I suppose if the denomination as a whole has decided to make the Bible their object of worship---then so be it.
But for me and my family, we choose to serve the Lord, and to recall the glory days of the SBC when it was all about pointing out to each individual not what to believe about the Bible, but how they needed to straighten their own life out in order to be an example for the lost. I don't care what anyone believes about the Bible. I care whether or not it impacts them enough to come to saving faith in Christ and sanctification of their own life, not worry over how or what someone else believes or thinks.
From my experience, you are absolutely correct. My "belief in Jesus", which I absolutely believed was written on my heart, went out the window with my belief in an inerrant bible. But "love remains".
For some reason this makes me feel so very, very sad, Pleroo . . .
Quote:
Originally Posted by LargeKingCat
I think Bishop Spong summed up what I had already been saying for years when he said
"I do not see how any intelligent person can read the Bible from cover to cover and still say that it is the word of God"
Clearly, people have not read it, or they do not understand it.
I fear you are correct, KingCat. They have made it an idol to be revered with magical properties and God-like attributes. It also makes me feel very sad . . .
Quote:
Originally Posted by jimmiej
I've been a member of three Bible-believing (Southern Baptist) churches in my 54 years, all which believed that the Bible is 100% the Word of God, without error.
Well this rounds out the sadness-fest for today. What a terrible shame all that misplaced devotion was not spent on Christ alone and His instructions to "love God and each other" daily and repent when we don't.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wardendresden
But the SBC of today is not even close to what it used to be. It is far more focused on the Bible, the correctness of the Bible, the authority of the Bible, the advertisement of the Bible, than it is on Jesus Christ. I believe it's one of the reasons the denomination (now the Great Commission Baptists or something like that) has begun an inexorable decline from prominence. It will continue to do so as it is losing relevance to young and old alike.
It began its decline back in the late seventies when political aspirants began to see the denomination as a means for political victory. As it fell into that morass, it's emphasis on getting one's own life right with God began to decline, and elevation of the Bible to become the Golden Calf of the SBC began to increase.
One of my good friends, a conservative, fundamentalist was a missionary to an African country for over eighteen years. In the early nineties a representative from the Missionary Board showed up to tell him he would be asked to sign a document concerning his belief in the infallibility and inerrancy of the scripture. He said that although he certainly believed it, he also believed in the "priesthood of the believer," a concept now lost from the SBC, and would not sign any document.
When my friend returned to the U.S. for sabbatical and got close to returning, the SBC Missionary Board informed him he would not be returned unless he signed their paper. When he told them he had already stated he would not, they did not return him to Africa. Further, they refused to pay to have his household goods which were stored over there returned to the U.S. He now works in Belgium with another group of Baptists.
Sad to say, but that denomination is all about faith in the book, and so much so that they have lost sight of the fact that the purpose of the book is to be a mirror into the heart of God, not a golden calf to be polished and shined and protected from adverse comments.
This is not to denigrate members of the denomination. I have many who remain close friends. I suppose if the denomination as a whole has decided to make the Bible their object of worship---then so be it.
But for me and my family, we choose to serve the Lord, and to recall the glory days of the SBC when it was all about pointing out to each individual not what to believe about the Bible, but how they needed to straighten their own life out in order to be an example for the lost. I don't care what anyone believes about the Bible. I care whether or not it impacts them enough to come to saving faith in Christ and sanctification of their own life, not worry over how or what someone else believes or thinks.
Your witness says it all, Warden and the sadness at such human perversity is overwhelming. How could Christ's beautiful and unambiguous message and example of agape have become so horribly corrupted and misdirected????
I've been a member of three Bible-believing (Southern Baptist) churches in my 54 years, all which believed that the Bible is 100% the Word of God, without error.
Guess you're not as smart as you think.
You said that your faith was not in the Bible. But it sounds like the SBC does place their belief and trust in it.
Because we believe it? None of us would know a thing about Jesus without the Bible.
What does that have to do with my original question? Now you seem to be saying that you believe it. But earlier you said that you don't put your faith in it. There is no difference between those words in what I am talking about. Unless you are just arguing semantics.
But how much of the Bible do you believe? And how much of it did you trust was true before you ever read it?
What does that have to do with my original question? Now you seem to be saying that you believe it. But earlier you said that you don't put your faith in it. There is no difference between those words in what I am talking about. Unless you are just arguing semantics.
But how much of the Bible do you believe? And how much of it did you trust was true before you ever read it?
All Christians believe (have faith in) the Bible as God's Word. Percentages vary.
Before I read it, I trusted my family, who HAD read it.
All Christians believe (have faith in) the Bible as God's Word. Percentages vary.
Before I read it, I trusted my family, who HAD read it.
That's probably the same experience many people had. The Bible has a lot of truth in it, and a lot of good people are attracted to it because of that.
But my point is that there are some weird things in the Bible in addition to the good things. I have to question the weird things that don't reflect the values I trust.
Why do so many new Christians have full faith a book they have not yet read? (The New Testament)
I have faith that my car will start every morning, but I have never read the owner's manual nor have I read the factory service manual. The "book" is not a source of faith, it is a guide. Faith is from the heart, not from written word(s) or stories.
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