Saturday, September 06, 2008

Of Course Mortal Man Will Seek for Chinks in the Armor-clad Bible. How else can a man displace God's Word with his own?

There is a very real paradox when one's ordained Pastor says or writes that he is reading a book that sets forth the notion that the Bible (66 Book, Protestant Bible) is a flawed document because it was written by "flawed" men.

The major reason for the paradox is that ordained pastors are presumed to be Bible exhorters; not Bible critics, certainly not Bible-flaw seekers.

As a Gideon, I had to publically proclaim Protestant Bible inerrancy.

But I have taken the note which was sent to me by my open-minded pastor and I have considered its ramifications. Unfortunately, they lead to a false loop containing circuitous reasoning.

Accepting the premise, for the sake of a discussion, if something touched by man is always "flawed" because of the very "flawed" nature of man; then to whom do seekers turn in order to find the truth, the way and the life? By lowering the stautus of the Protestant Bible, do ordained pastors find elevation? Should we stop reading the Bible and start reading the book my pastor is reading...or just sit down at the pastors feet so he can translate the essence of the book for our digestion?

If the ways and vagaries of man are changing and the Bible is regarded as "fixed" or closed; why would a pastor challenge anyone to consider concepts from a 21st century "flawed-man" written book that challenges the premises of the Bible?

I can only conclude that a dynamic exists that may be the reverse of a wise statement issued by John the Baptist, Jesus' cousin:

John3:28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, Iam not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. John3:29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: butthe friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him,rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this myjoy therefore is fulfilled. John3:30 He must increase, but I ®must¯ decrease. John3:31 He that cometh from above is above all: he thatis of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: hethat cometh from heaven is above all. John3:32 And what he hath seen and heard, that hetestifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. John3:33 He that hath received his testimony hath set tohis seal that God is true.

I can only conclude that any man's efforts to diminish the Bible is an effort, by "man," to self-increase.

We should subordinate ourselves to the Bible.

Labels: The Bible...or the opinions of men?