Put Your Knife Away

Some of the Bible’s teachings are hard to accept. In fact, some people find many of the Bible’s teachings to be unpalatable and even offensive. In our historical ignorance, we often beleive that these criticisms of God’s word are new. In fact, many who would seek to alter God’s word do so with the false belief that they are more enlightened than previous generations and as a result are better able to determin what is appropriate to be practiced and what should be jettisoned.

Writing nearly one hundered fifter years ago, Charles Spurgeon dealt with similar issues in nineteenth century London. He lamented hearing ministers “with prudish and mock-modesty, who would like to alter the Bible” because they were afraid of it. They feared either the offense of the gospel or the response of their people. Or perhaps they didn’t fear at all, they simply thought themselves cultured enough to alter the words of the Bible to suit them better.

Of course Christians today are just as inclined as they were in previous centuries to change God’s word to fit their situation. We would all do well today to heed Spurgeon’s words,

Pity that they were not born when God lived far–far back that they might have taught God how to write. Oh, impudence beond all bounds! Oh full-blown self-conceit! To attempt to dictate to the All wise–to teach the Omniscient and instruct the Eternal.  Strange that there should be men so vile as to use the penknife of Jehoiakim to cut out passages of the word, because they are unpalatable.  O ye who dislike certain portions of Holy writ, rest assured that your taste is corrupt, and nthat God will not stay for your little opinion.

I tend to identify the liberal who would remove the offensive sections of the Bible to suit his or her position in life, but rest assured, we are all capable of such folly. I heard a good man once preach that he wished Paul would have used a different word because “election” was not what he really meant. I’ve known believers who sought (and still seek) to redefine God’s teaching on sexuality. I myself have often been tempted (and have even succomb) to interpret or redefine God’s word to suit my own sinful inclinations.

In the end, one thing is common among all of these situaions: the beleif that we somehow know better than God. God’s word is our perfect treasure trove of knowledge of God. It is his revelation to us. When we change the Bible to fit our time and situation it becomes our revelation rather than His. The time has come for us to lay aside our knives. We must have God’s word as it is, not demand that it would become what we would have. God’s word is intended to shape us and give God glory. We must never seek to shape God’s word and revel in our own glory.