Is the Bible the ultimate source of wisdom? In order to answer that question, we need to compare it to other works. Is the Bible full of more wisdom than Confucius or is the Bible a better source of Science than a text book. I will with a renouned voice . . . it is not. But wait! I am a Christian and that means that I beleive that the Bible is "God-Breathed," right? I do so. But how can I take science and history in one hand and the Bible in the other and say that they are both right? This is a very good question and it is the job of every Christian to do just that. I suggest that Christians take another good long look at the Bible!
Where I go from here is to ask, what is the Bible really for? I have asked my good friends that during my church service; and my good friend and ex-college professor told me exactly what the Bible is. The Bible is actually about a story; every book in the Bible adds something to the story. There are many books in the Bible that have different purposes; but they are ultimatly meant, not to convery history or wisdom, but simply a story of a supreme being creating a kingdom on the earth. No where in the Bible does it say that there will never be a recording error or that every book in the Bible was meant to be taken litterally; the Bible is meant to convery one over-arching story. That is phenonomly different than what I was taught in sunday school.
This story is about a perfect humanity falling from a perfect state by doing something that God told them not to do. The story then goes and gets infinantly more complicated (as we humans do); but if humans are complicated, it seems that God is much more complex because God goes and tries to create a kingdom on the earth. God uses Abraham and his descendants to create a nation on the earth. In this time we go and find that the Bible is not meant for timeless truth because God commands his people to go and to destroy every man woman and child in the land that they were to acquire. If that were a timeless truth than Christianity would be very bloody, indeed. God's kingdom does eventually fall because of their disobedience; but God quickly goes about to recreate his kingdom. Jesus, the Messiah, is the one that God has chosen to succeed the ancient kings as the monarch of the kingdom. But wait! If Jesus has a kingdom where is it? In this respect, God changes the rules of humanity; and in this time we find the "timeless truths" or so some think. Where in the old kingdom, Israel was taught to honor a code of "an eye for an eye" and to destroy the enemies of the kingdom; Jesus the monarch of the new kingdom commands us to lover our enemies and lover our neighbors and to love God. How can destroy are enemy and love our enemy both be timeless truths? They cant! Jesus showed us that his kingdom is here now but not all of the way; we will have to wait till the end to see God's kingdom in its fullness on the earth. Meanwhile, Jesus dies on a cross and raises from the dead to redeem humanity so that all can be part of God's kingdom and to become the first to be resurrected into a new body.
So is the Bible the ultimate source of wisdome? Yes and no. The Bible is not a proverbial handbook for Christians (although it does contain some proverbs). Confusius can have all of the wise sayings in the world. Most of them are funny because they are so common sense and yet nobody does them. The Bible is very different; it is not meant to be the source of wisdom but yet it is the source of the greatest wisdom; to follow the Messiah and to be a part of God's kingdom on the earth.
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7 comments:
Dustin,
I think I understand what you are getting at when you ask, "Is the Bible the ultimate source of wisdom?".
But I would perhaps word the question a bit differently...
That is because I would say that the Bible is indeed the ultimate wisdom in the same way Paul described it to Timothy in 2 Tim. 3:14-15...
"You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."
Jesus is revealed as Messiah and King of the World in the writings we call the Bible. Because siding with Jesus brings us into God's Kingdom (that's what Paul is referring to as "salvation"), what could be "wiser" than doing just that - believing that Messiah Jesus is bringing his kingdom?
So yes, the overarching story that the Bible proposes is, in my view, the ultimate wisdom. Nothing else comes close.
Having said that, however, I do not use the Bible as a science textbook, or my guide to curing leukemia with umbilical cord stem cells, or as an auto repair guide, or a text on how to set the time on my DVD player. Success in these activities requires studying other materials.
I think that is what you're getting at.
So I'd word your fundamental question differently. Something like, "Is the Bible the only book you'll ever need to read?"
I would answer that question like this.
"Yes - in matters of worldview - because the Bible defines my chosen worldview. It defines the metanarrative which explains the past, present and future history of the world.
No - in other matters - because the Bible was not meant by its authors to be definitive on other subjects such as science, medicine, auto repair or technology."
Good job, Dustin. You're trying to make sense of theology, philosophy, science and your own micronarrative.
That means that you are on the right track. I look forward to seeing you work through all that on this blog site.
Bravo!
I completely agree Mike, it is my firm belief that the Bible has the greatest wisdom: to love others and to love God; to follow the Messiah; and some undisputable ways to live life in our current "Age." But the point that I am trying to make is that the Bible is not an alternative for Science and scripture verses are not meant to be put into fortune cookies.
It is really sad when what God has told through men or even the Messiah is taken out of context and placed in a world of antidotes and Hellenized philosophies.
Yep - I agree. The degree of Hellenistic influence on our modern viewpoint is not well understood by most folk.
Good job, Dustin!
Hi guys!
I'm excited to see you online presence, Dustin! I hope you've been well.
In respone to mike's comment:
In response to the question, "Is the Bible the only book you'll ever need to read?", is it fair to answer "yes - in matters of worldview"?
While the Bible tells the story of the Judeo-Christian worldview, and therefore defines it, it isn't the only resource that is useful in interpreting it and determining what it looks like in application.
Much of what I have used in my interpretation of the Judeo-Christian worldview has been taken from a number of different works, and a number of different viewpoints.
Because Messiah didn't explain the worldview to me face to face, and because I didn't live in the 1st century A.D., I feel like I must use additional resources to determine what I would have thought the Bible said if the previously stated condititions were true.
Let me know your thoughts guys!
Good Tyler. So let's refine the question even more.
The question I really answered "Yes" to was perhaps, "Does the Bible contain all the fundamentals of the Christian worldview?"
As you guys know, I certainly advocate reading other books to help us discern exactly what the Bible is telling us.
Hey Tyler,
I hope that you are doing well. I miss having you in our meetings. Tell Jada I said hello.
.
To me, the bible is the gateway to the supernatural. It promises us things, plus it promotes a relationship with the Creator.
It actually has the audacity to declare it is alive and active and sharper than any two edged sword... To me, it's words are invigorating and challenging in a unconventional way...
We read, study and memorize scripture... and yet it takes time, it's a process of renewing our minds by saturation. Some would declare it's brainwashing and irrelevant to science...
I disagree, I think science is interesting and should inspire people to seek out the Creator of the universe.
In fact the universe amazes me, the nearest star...90 million miles, next star is 4 light years away, a light year is 5.88 trillion miles, Astronomical distances are often measured in the length of time it would take a beam of light to travel between two points (see lightyear). Light in a vacuum travels approximately 300,000 kilometers per second or 186,000 miles per second.
The distance from Earth to the Moon is 1.3 light-seconds. With current spacecraft propulsion technologies, a trip to the moon will typically take about three days. That means light travels approx 200 thousand times faster than current spacecraft propulsion technologies. The distance from Earth to other planets in the solar system ranges from three light-minutes to about four light-hours. Depending on the planet and its alignment to Earth, for a typical unmanned spacecraft these trips will take from a few months to a little over a decade.
The nearest known star to the Sun is Proxima Centauri, which is 4.23 light-years away. The fastest outward-bound spacecraft yet sent, Voyager 1, has covered 1/600th of a light-year in 30 years and is currently moving at 1/18000 the speed of light. At this rate, a journey to Proxima Centauri would take 72,000 years!
No current technology can propel a craft fast enough to reach other stars in under 50 years' time. Current theories of physics indicate that it is impossible to travel faster than light within a flat region of space-time, and suggest that if it were possible, it might also be possible to build a time machine using similar methods.
The bible says creation cries out...it declares the glory of God..
Romans 1:19-32
Because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools...
The word of God is simple, yet profound, it's timeless magnetism draws me to it.
Science is a vehicle to try to comprehend God and his creation, it is not intended to box God in or limit his extravagance. This why the word of God is our GPS, our internal moral compass that leads us through our brief, little life spans. In the beginning was the word, the word was with God and the word was God... John 1:1-4
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