My Hope is Built on ______________.

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The comments about my earlier blog are thoughtful, insightful and honest. How can I reply to each?!  This blogging may be tougher than I thought. I’m going to put off addressing the question of “What’s up with the Old Testament and New Testament picture of God,”  and talk a bit more about the Bible.

I’m a pastor.  A pastor’s son.  A pastor’s grand-son – on both sides of my family.  A nephew of pastors – again on both sides of the family.  I grew up in a home that not only had a Bible in every room but several Bibles in every room in every translation available. Our Bibles didn’t stay on the shelves.  Ours was a home where the Bible was read, studied, discussed and, yes, debated.

We were taught to respect the Bible, not just the message in the Bible, but the actual book.  You would never find my Bible left in the back of the car.  It could be damaged by the sun.  Each time I was given a Bible dad would show me how to “break it in” and how to apply mink oil to the leather cover.

I proudly carried my Bible against my chest, just like dad did it, as I walked into my Sunday School class.  It was in Sunday School that I learned the song, “The B-I-B-L-E. Yes, that’s the book for me.  I stand alone on the word of God.  The B-I-B-L-E”

Oh, speaking of Sunday School, I rocked the Bible drill.  “Bible Drill” was a competition to see which kid could find a called-out Bible verse the fastest.  “Attention! Present Swords! Begin.”  We’d be shaking like a thoroughbred waiting for the gate to open.  Then we’re off!  Seeing who could beat the rest of the field to Zephaniah 3:9 or whatever.

Yet. my parents taught me that while the “written word” – the Bible, was inspired, it’s primary purpose was to take me to the Living Word – Jesus (see John 1:1,18)

On Christmas, 1970, I received a Bible, titled, Reach Out, the New Testament in the Living Bible Paraphrase.  “Reach Out” was a cool phrase for kids in the 1960s and early 1970s and this New Testament was “groovy”.   Spiritually, 1970 was a big year for me.  I was 14 years old.  In the front of the Reach Out New Testament were written these words,

“To Phillip, who this year encountered the author of this book in a way that gives expression in his behavior.”  Dad & Mother, 12/24/70

Lesson?  One’s commitment to the Bible is measured by the reality of the presence of Jesus in his/her life.

C.S. Lewis was a popular author at our house.  He said, “It is Christ Himself, not the Bible who is the true Word of God.  The Bible, read in the right spirit, and with the guidance of good teachers, will bring us to Him.”

The apostle Paul was also popular at our house.   Paul did not teach that “every knee will bow and tongue confess that the Bible is the Word of God” (although I believe it is), but that “every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

We may have our differences on certain views of Biblical interpretation and how to understand certain texts, but on this we can agree: Jesus is Lord.  He is the Living Word.  He clearly shows us the Father.

I learned another song in my childhood – from “big church”:
“My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.”

“This I Believe” Part 1

Aside

“A lie travels around the world, while Truth is putting on her boots.”  Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892), British Baptist preacher who in his lifetime preached to over 10,000,000 people

Prompted by some recent mis-representations of my theological views I will attempt in the following posts to clarify said views and to communicate my positions on other theological matters.  So, come on, grab your favorite beverage, and join in the conversation:

Today’s post will follow a “That – this” format.  It was said “that” I believe…. but in truth, “this” is what I believe.

1.  It was said that I believe that “we cannot base our faith on the Scriptures as a whole.”
But in truth this is what I believe:

I believe that the foundation of the Christian faith is the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  “For no one can lay any foundation, other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:11; “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” 1 Corinthians 15:14; See also 1 Peter 2:6

Jesus, the Living Word, is the foundation of our faith.  The Scriptures point us to Jesus.
Jesus laid it out to the Pharisees, “You diligently study the scripture because you think that by them you possess eternal life.  These are the scriptures that testify about me yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”  The Pharisees thought life was found in the scripture.  Jesus said it isn’t.  Life is found in Him.  Paul, therefore, says in Galatians 2:20, that we live this life by “faith in the Son of God who loved us and gave Himself for us.”

It’s like our cute, but not always so bright dog, Skittles.  When I point my finger at something to show Skittles, she doesn’t look at the object at which I’m pointing.  She only looks at the tip of my finger.  The Pharisaical trap is to fail to see beyond the Bible to Jesus.

Scripture is the foundation of what we believe but not why we believe.

2. It was said that I believe, “The only thing we can truly believe in are the four gospels.”
But in truth, this is what I believe:  The entire Bible is trustworthy.

The above misrepresentation of my view arose out of a teaching I gave at a seminar at which the leaders were “equipping” people to share the gospel to those without Christ.  The seminar covered topics such as “What is the Gospel” “What is truth” “The Resurrection.”  My task was to address Biblical issues in presenting the “good news” to people.

In talking to a person about Christ, I don’t start with the Bible and the difficulties commonly raised about the Bible. I start with Jesus as presented in the Gospels.  Even with questions and problems people have with certain Bible texts, we can have complete faith in Christ.  We have very convincing historical evidence confirming not only the existence of Jesus, but the historical events of his ministry, crucifixion, burial and physical resurrection.  The evidence of the Gospel’s reliability is such that each person must ask, “What will I do with Jesus.?”

Once a person comes to Jesus, he will then grow into a deeper appreciation for the rest of the Bible.

I believe in the Bible because I believe in Jesus.

So, just to be clear:  I believe this:
*The entire Bible is trustworthy.
*The foundation of the Christian faith is the life, death, resurrection of Jesus.
*When talking to a person about a relationship with Jesus, focus on the Gospel accounts of the life of Jesus.

Next post:

It was said that I believe that “the God of the New Testament is different than the God of the Old Testament.”
But that’s not what I believe.  I believe…
I will address “that” in my next post.

What do you believe?