Tuesday 9 April 2013

Should We Bring the Bible into the Argument?


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We as Christians sometimes shy away from using Scripture in discussions about social and political issues, for fear that we may be seen as foolish, irrational, or "bible thumpers".  However, we need to ask ourselves if what is behind these fears is a belief that the Bible doesn't speak to the current political and social issues of our day!  The Bible is the word of the true and living God, and the fact that it is not accepted by many people in our culture does not negate its truth or applicability.

Rick Phillips has written a great article at Reformation 21, which I'd encourage you to read.  In it he states that Christians would do better to be more "militantly biblical" than to shy away from using biblical arguments in their discussions.   This needs to be done with gentleness and love, remembering that the message of the Bible is one of hope and redemption - for individuals and for nations.

This quote, from the above article, shows us the dangerous ground North American nations are treading on as we remove the Bible and Christianity from more and more areas of the culture:
It is precisely because the Bible has been excluded from public discourse that our nation is so aggressively pursuing a debauchery like that of the ancient Canaanites and is suffering a societal breakdown of, well, biblical proportions.  The only way to reverse this trend is to reassert the Bible's validity for both private and public moral standards.

In our Sunday School class yesterday, an interesting contrast was shown.  Alexis de Tocqueville, in his "Democracy in America", stated that in the 1800s before someone was allowed to serve on jury duty in the Unites States, they had to acknowledge a belief that Jesus was raised from the dead. You can see how far we've fallen when you consider that in 2005, a jury's decision on a rape and murder trial was thrown out because it was discovered that they considered Bible verses when discussing their decision.

There is often much compelling evidence to support the stances of Scripture, and we can use that as well.  But we must be sure that we are not making Scripture a secondary, or lesser supporting argument.

So today we want to encourage you to be bold.  Know what the Bible says regarding the political and social issues of our time, especially the topics that come up often in your circles, and then don't be afraid to share how those truths shape your thinking!

According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. (Philippians 1:20)

11 comments:

  1. I wish my Sunday school class would read this!

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  2. Amen! We have to bring the Word into the argument since it is THE source for truth. Without it our argument holds no weight.

    Tiffany
    http://thecraftyhome.net

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    1. So true Tiffany. Thanks for your encouraging words. It's always great to hear from others who understand.

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  3. A good reminder! I think modern society tries teaching us to not offend anyone and that fear of offense keeps so many of us from speaking the truth. I know it has been difficult for me on occasion. More boldness in how we present ourselves is definitely a good idea.

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    1. Our culture is definitely teaching that! I struggle with it too - the fear of offending, this was a reminder as much for me as anyone! :) Thanks for stopping by.

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  4. Yes, we too often tell people what we think or believe without backing it up with Scripture. And our words are weak and limp compared to God's when given in a spirit of love.
    Thanks for this reminder/challenge.

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  5. Christians need to realize that while you consider the Bible to be the ultimate authority, it is not necessarily relevant for nonChristians. Saying "The Bible says...." holds the same weight as saying "Jane Austin wrote...". It is just a book with some good ideas to other people. A lot of Christians cite scripture like it is a slam dunk argument and can't understand when nonChristians don't accept it as such.

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    1. It is true, Heather, that some might not regard the Bible as they should. I think the commenter below does a good job of responding however to why this shouldn't keep us from speaking the truth in love.

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  6. Heather, I don't agree with you. The bible teaches by example that we are to counter the non believer with the word of truth which is the Word of God. The Word of God is a double edged sword that cuts deep into the heart of the unbeliever. A christian is not striving for acceptance, the christian's job is to speak the truth especially when encountered with a lie. Non believers will hate you for telling the truth. Why? The Bible tells us that is is because they love the darkness rather then the light. But if the christian does not speak up and speak out, how can anyone be educated on the Word and the gospel, to, at some point make a decision for Jesus. How can they hear without a preacher? Every christian is a preacher. Every christian is a soul winner. After you become a christian you are then duty bound to replicate yourself. We are duty bound to advance the Kingdom of God on this earth. This cannot be done with silence. Silence is complicity with the forces of darkness.

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    1. Thank you for speaking up with the truth right here! Well said and founded in Scripture. Often also, as you did here, we encourage other Christian's when they hear us boldly stating what we know is true.

      Stephanie

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  7. So good! Love this: "the fact that it is not accepted by many people in our culture does not negate its truth or applicability."

    Thank you for sharing such great insights!

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