Friday, November 18, 2016

According to the Bible?

I often hear Christians say we need to live our lives according to the Bible. Although they have good intentions I believe it's actually really confusing, and at times damaging, to non-believers and those unfamiliar with the Bible. See, a lot of people have tried reading the Bible, starting at Genesis 1, and they typically make it to Leviticus before throwing up their arms in frustration. Therefore when we say "according to the Bible" they think we're talking about laws, commands, incest, killing, plagues and animal sacrifices.

We as Christians need to do a much better job explaining what the Bible is.

The Bible isn't a book, it's a collection of 66 interconnected books written over a period of 1500 years. Inside you will find historical narrative, poetry, songs, love letters, wise sayings, prophecy, apocalyptic literature, letters to specific churches, letters to specific people, etc. These books are NOT arranged in chronological order.

When we say "according to the Bible" or "Biblical values" which book are we referring to? Which story? Which proverb? Most importantly, which covenant?

All of the Bible is *for* us. But not all of it was written *to* us.

We can't just say "the Bible". Much of the content - and even the covenants themselves - contradict each other. No wonder the world is confused! If the church is the light of the world we better start shining some truth.

The Bible is the historical record of God's covenant journey with mankind. Throughout history God has chosen to interact with humanity through the ratification of five major covenants (promises). There were different types of covenants in the ancient world. Sometimes God's promises were conditional upon the people living up to their side of the bargain (much like a marriage covenant today), and sometimes God's promises were completely unconditional. Sometimes they were for specific people, sometimes they were for all people. The way God started that initial journey with Abraham is much different than the journey we are on today.

The confusion (and subsequent damage) comes when we read the Bible as a "flat" book - as if every word and every covenant is equally valid - rather than as a collection of covenants, each with its own supporting documents. Much confusion also comes when we put validity on the older, outdated covenants.

There is only one valid covenant today. It's the one Jesus made with His Father. It's called the New Covenant and it's really good news for us because it's completely unconditional. We're not even involved, it's between Jesus and the Father. The only question is if you want to be born into their family. That's why it's good news - the covenant itself is not dependent on us keeping up our side of the bargain. Let that sink into your soul for a moment. Sit back and put your feet up. Take a deep breath.

Seriously. It's not about what you do, it's about what He did. God's no longer interested in your sin, He's interested in YOU.

This New Covenant fulfilled every preceding covenant before it. God's prior covenants with Noah, Abraham, Moses and David are all fulfilled. Complete. Outdated. The New Covenant trumps them all.

We are now running God 2.0 and there will be no further releases, this version is amazing. Unshakable. Unbreakable. Unchangeable. Plump full of features and benefits.
While reading about older covenants may be helpful in that they help us more fully understand the reality of what we now have under the New Covenant, in no way are we to apply "obsolete" (Heb. 8:13) stipulations to the freedom we now have in Christ. For further reading, see the entire book of Galatians.

Of course, read your Bible - all of it. Again and again. It's like an onion. You keep peeling the onion and one layer of meaning leads to another layer of meaning. It's amazing. God will meet you between the pages. The old interprets the new. Just remember where you are in the story, and most importantly, that you're running God 2.0. The old drivers and software are no longer compatible.
"But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises." - Heb. 8:6

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