So, I’ve started digging. First of all let me say that I am “pondering these things in my heart” just as Mary did when the angel of the Lord told her something that seemed absolutely ridiculous. I make no quick judgements or theology shifts here, but I just feel the need to dig.
We all know that there is great debate surrounding the accuracy of the scriptures. We have been taught that the Bible was verbally inspired – down to its very words. But, we don’t actually have the original writings of the New Testament. What we have are copies of these writings, made years later – in most cases, many years later. What if the scribes inadvertently and/or intentionally changed them in places? For instance, Mark says that Jesus was crucified the day after the Passover meal was eaten (Mark 14:12; 15:25) and John says He died the day before it was eaten. (John 19:14) Or what about Paul saying that after he converted on the way to Damascus he did not go to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before Him (Gal. 1:16-17), whereas the book of Acts says that was the first thing he did after leaving Damascus (Acts 9:26). Now, these differences are not such that would bring about a major shift in my theology but, what other differences are there?
Even with all the questions, I am commited to the truth of the cross. I believe that before the foundations of the earth were laid, God had a plan for the redemption of man. We have proven the fact that we can never earn our salvation, we can never be good enough to deserve God’s grace and mercy – that is a supernatural gift that is given to us despite our sinful nature. I believe the work of the cross was finished with the death and resurrection of Christ – finished! God put an end to our struggle to be righteous on our own! He made us righteous with the shed blood of His son. How, then, do we live in that freedom? Do we beat ourselves up and live in the fear of eternal hell fire every time we think a bad thought or mess up? No! That attitude would discount the plan of salvation – we are essentially saying that what Christ did on the cross was not enough!
It is enough. We live in true freedom today – we just have to start acting like it!
Abs of Steel 
Hey Pastor A,
No more hiding for you…. Good word… Keep it up!
I’ve heard a lot of people say the Bible is the 100% true & accurate word of God. But when I read it, I find other things. I find a description of a concubine who was raped to death and then cut into pieces and mailed to the 12 tribes of Israel to start a war. Was that the word of God? I find the poems of David, pouring his heart out about his fears, his frustrations, even his sins. But God doesn’t have fears or sins, does He? (I will admit he has frustrations!) The bible is full of historical accounts, poems, prophecies, lists, instructions, commands and comments, arguments and their refutations (sometimes, like in Job, there are places where God speaks and says that something that came previously is WRONG.)
It confuses me, and it frustrates me. Ron Wood and Beth Moore both teach that you should pray scriptures, but which ones? Sometimes the promises people quote seem taken out of context. Is all of the bible all true and without contradiction?
I’ll tell you what I believe (you were holding your breath, waiting to find out, weren’t you)… I believe that God is true. Christ is true. And the bible is the very best resource we having for learning what God is and wants from us. It is full of things that teach, correct, and edify us. It tells us the history of mankind with God and without God. It gives examples and precepts, commands and commentary. But I don’t know that I would stand up in a meeting like I have seen people do, hold up a bible and declare, “Every WORD in this book is true!”
I read the bible groping for what lies behind it. I read it searching for the footprints of Christ, for the marks of love and purity that show where the hand of God has touched. I had a vision once where I entered a dark room. On a black stone screen taking up the whole of one wall were glowing, fiery words. When I went closer, I saw that they were the text of the scriptures. But when I went even closer, I saw that the words were actually cut out of the screen. When I held my face up close to them, I could look through them and see that the firery glow was really the glory of the Lord’s face shinging from where he sat on the other side of the screen. He is what we are really looking for. He is what lies behind it all. The scriptures are just a way of finding him, of approaching him, of drawing close…
I study my bible, but it’s God I love.
Hey PA – I posted a blog in response to yours… here
“Relate in the Book the story of Mary, when she withdrew from her family, to a place in the East. She screened herself from them; then We sent to her Our spirit (angel Gabriel) and he appeared before her as a man in all respects. She said: I seek refuge from you in God Most Gracious (come not near) if you do fear God. He said: Nay, I am only a Messenger from your Lord, to announce to you the gift of a pure son. She said: How shall I have a son, when no man has ever touched me, and I am not unchaste? He said: So it will be, your Lord says: ‘That is easy for Me; and We wish to appoint him as a sign unto men and a Mercy from Us’: It was a matter so decreed” (Quran 19:16-21).
“She (Mary) said: ‘O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me.’ He (God) said: ‘So (it will be) for God creates what He wills. When He has decreed something, He says to it only: ‘Be!’- and it is” (3:47).
“Then will God say: ‘O Jesus the son of Mary! recount My favor to you and to your mother. Behold! I strengthened you with the Holy Spirit (the angel Gabriel) so that you did speak to the people in childhood and in maturity. Behold! I taught you the Book and Wisdom, the Law and the Gospel. And behold: you make out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, by My leave, and you breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by My leave, and you heal those born blind, and the lepers by My leave. And behold! you bring forth the dead by My leave. And behold! I did restrain the children of Israel from (violence to you) when you did show them the Clear Signs, and the unbelievers among them said: ‘This is nothing but evident magic’ (5:110).
““They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but they thought they did.” (Quran 4:156) “God lifted him up to His presence. God is Almighty, All-Wise” (Quran 4:157) .