As I shared in a previous post, to believe that the Bible is infallible and the literal Word of God is questionable. Young people can see the fallicy in this…man has been imperfect from his creation (even man’s creation is open to interpretation), disobedient from the first words uttered. So why do we somehow, now believe that man could write a perfect document or collection of documents? If we can step back from our puritanical upbringings, possibly we can understand why more and more young people turn away from God and the church than come to Him.

One of the more confusing notions for kids to grasp is the idea that we can have a “personal relationship” with God. Although it can be argued, that by some literal definition this could be true, students and I would have to say even adults understand a personal relationship vastly differently. God does not speak in a literal voice, there is no two-way communication, we cannot see or touch God…there is no tangible way to have a personal relationship with Him, as most people understand it.

We see God through the life of Christ, we understand Him by understanding His love for us, (also through Christ) we see Him in the complexity of our being and universe…this is our relationship. We believe based on faith and nothing else. Rather than trying to convince others that they must believe in Adam and Eve, Noah, personal relationships with the Almighty God, hell, etc…, maybe it would be better for us to simply share our understanding of what Christ wanted for us to live a life fulfilled (humility, love, integrity, compassion, generosity and a host of other of His teachings) These are the tangible truths that kids can get their minds around.

Here is a very abbreviated account of what happened. Moses had turned over leadership of the Israelites to Joshua, just prior to his death because he was unable to cross into the land of Canaan. Upon entering the promised land (after forty years of waiting due to disobedience) Joshua’s armies proceeded to wipe out all inhabitants of any city that he encountered. He did, however, offer cities that gave in to him, the chance to be ruled by Israel rather than face destruction. It is also important to mention that Joshua not only destroyed the cities he encountered, he murdered every man, woman and child within the city walls. He did this over and over until Canaan was his.

OK, now without the cute songs and folklore that we grew up with, does this sound a little out of character for our God? Only a few short years before entering the promised land, God gave His people the ten commandments. Among these commandments were “thou shall not steal, thou shall not murder and thou shall not covet thy neighbor’s house” Does it not seem contrdictory that after such a brief time God now embraces murder (let’s face it, Joshua was using the army of Israel to kill children, women and the elderly, as well as able-bodied men), taking the land , by force, from the rightful owners and the coveting of other’s property. I am only a layman but does God change so easily. Is it not more believable that Joshua misinterpreted God’s plan, struck out on his own and layed waste to the cities in Canaan?

Granted, the people he encountered believed much differently than the Israelites but was that alone justification to kill them and steal their land? I tend to think Joshua erred and that we are seeing the results of that blunder today. What part of the ten commandments did Joshua not understand? Why do we accept his military campaign as just? What would your or anyone’s response be to a similar attack on your family and country? Would you lay down and submit? Would the middle east be peaceful today if Joshua had adopted Christ’s beattitudes in his negotiations with his new-found neighbors, rather than military force and murder? Why was there no attempt to work together?

I am simply throwing out the notion that Joshua did not follow a path that he knew to be consistent with God’s character and direction (ten commandments) but through fear, greed or who can possibly know what, decided to run a campaign of murder and destruction instead.

I am in no way saying that the current state of Israel should give up any of what they now possess but maybe that it would work towards a more peaceful world if Israel would acknowledge a possible wrong done by past generations and a desire to work together, basing their work on Christ’s principles. Maybe not but it is no way a mystery to me why the middle east is in a state of constant turmoil.

From the day I began to attend church, ..from birth…, I was taught the Jesus Christ came to forgive us of our sins and by His death bestow eternal life. I can see how christians can use this proclamation, as a vehicle, to convince others. So did He come to die for our sins and by belief in that death and His subsequent resurrection, give us eternal life? I would not be surprised to find out that we misinterpret His coming, His mission and His message.

Here’s why I am questioning: Another christian tenet is that God is omnipotent. Would you agree? Omnipotent means that God can do anything, does it not? So could an omnipotent God forgive us of our sins and lead us into life everlasting without even coming to Earth? Of course He could. It was not essential for Christ to die on the cross for us to be forgiven…God could have done that unilaterally. He certainly could give us eternal life if He so chose. So, if God was omnipotent, why send Christ to die on the cross? I believe there is a possibility that the answer may be a combination of factors. Without the heretic labeling, it may be very possible that God is unable to do everything, therefore not omnipotent. The mere fact that God was not able to convince His people, through prophets, judges and kings, that obedience to Him would result in a life fulfilled, demonstrates that He can do much but not all. God may try to influence but man is still in control of himself. So why the miracles, the perfect life, the death on the cross and the resurrection? Could it be that God needed a feat of such magnitude that it would demonstrate to all, His immense love for His people. “Greater love has no man than to give his life for another” That through this demonstration, His people would believe. Probably, but believe what? What did Christ teach?

I am not convinced that His death was for sin or eternal life. I believe it was to show us how to live our lives here, on Earth. Like I said before, God could have forgiven our sins and given eternal life without any outward display. Christ spent the majority of His ministry telling us how to live our lives, in order to have an “abundant life”. Let’s discuss these ideas and strengthen our faith. If you have a Bible, can we share the specific teachings of Jesus?

Let me throw out the first two:
1. Love your God with all your heart, soul and mind
2. Love your neighbor as you love yourself

After a great deal of research, I find that the Bible was written by men of God who chronicled observations of the events of their day. The gospels written in the later years of the authors’ lives, possibly to preserve the record of Christ’s life, before their deaths. Others were letters written to churches and individuals and were incorporated into the messages delivered to the early christians. Much later, the scriptures were finalized by either tradition (including books by historical precedence) or as a formal canonization by consensus. Armed with this knowledge, when did the idea that the Bible was in infallible occur? Good question. I have found no credible authority to convince me that it did not merely happen within the sermons and teachings of subsequent preachers. However, in that the Bible shows example after example of man’s inability to follow God and demonstrates how God’s people have largely been a disobedient lot, why would we not believe that scriptures were written by mere men?

Here’s one possibility: The Bible is literally the only authoritative text that those who preach the scriptures have to validate what they want their congregations to believe. Without that authority, how does a minister convince his flock that what he says is true? Absent biblical infallibility, the individual is left to sort out the writings of those who lived before and after Christ and to determine for themselves what Christ’s true message was. I believe that our adherence to church doctrine may have caused us to miss the true message of Christ.

I will always add the caveat that I am a layman, and being such will never tell you what to believe, i.e. Adam and Eve, the flood, etc. What you believe is totally between you and your God. I will let you know what I believe. However, I want you to question your faith and live with conviction, those truths you find as you study the scriptures, and much more importantly, the life of Christ.