Those Who Are Biblical

 July 26, 2024

Friday

I have a question for you. Was Jesus biblical? I am asking if Jesus not only knew the Bible but He followed what the Bible said. The answer is absolutely, but that doesn't mean there were people who wouldn't call Him a liberal. He knew what the Bible said and intended to say. The others gave their human interpretations without knowing the intention nor the full explanation which comes from knowing the whole Bible.

As I have gotten older in the faith, I have changed many of my understandings of what the Bible says. None of these new understandings involve salvation or who Jesus is. That is solid and settled. No, these changes have come about through the study of the scriptures which give a greater picture of what the Bible says and the culture in which the Bible was written. 

For example, my understanding of the woman who was caught in adultery has changed. I thought the purpose of that story was to prevent people from judging others years ago. Later, I found out that it had far deeper meanings. The men who brought her to the Temple for condemnation caught her in the act. They either knew she would be caught by them or they set her up. The Jews understood that knowing a person was sinning without warning them involved them in the sin. They also knew that setting her up involved them in the sin. When Jesus commanded those who had not sinned to cast the first stone they were convicted of their sin, dropped their stones and walked away. However, Jesus could have condemned her except for the fact that there were not two witnesses necessary to convict of a capital offense. So, Jesus didn't condemn her either. He, also, didn't let her off the hook. She was told not to sin anymore. Well, this would be extremely hard for the woman for she had to be married to have committed adultery according to the Jews. Since it was a public sin at this point, she was very likely to be divorced soon. Many divorced women had to resort to prostitution because other men didn't want them. Jesus command to her would not permit prostitution.  Life would not have been easy for her.

So, now when someone quotes, "You without a sin cast the first stone," I ask, "Why do you believe I was involved in a particular sin?" This is being biblical but it goes against what so many people have been taught.

I have determined that I will wash myself from the tradition if that's what it takes to be biblical. Sure, tradition is comfortable but it is the very thing that caused the most conservative people in New Testament times to miss who Jesus was and is. Yes, that does mean that some will call be liberal.  That's what they would have called Jesus, too.

We are not born-again as mature Christians. There is a walk that God expects us to take with Him. That humble walk will reveal God through His Word. It will depend upon the Holy Spirit to lead us in all truth. It will require change as we learn what the Scriptures say. It will separate us from the world more and more. And sometimes, it will separate us from those who want to call us liberal for not agreeing with them.

Strive to know what the Bible says. Study it and the culture to which it was written. Try your best to understand the message to the earliest of its readers. Let it speak without manipulating it for a predetermined interpretation. Meditate on it. Memorize it. And in all this, do not forget to live it.

Hebrews 4:12 (NASB 2020) ¹² For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.