Who's Driving?

There are two basic ways to understand the Bible. One approach is to read it for what it says. It claims to be truth (John 17:17). Of course, atheists do not generally use this approach; most atheists read the Scriptures in an attempt to discover something wrong with it. They try to find contradictions and often make themselves look bad because they do not understand the context. But even theists can also balk when the Bible teaches a truth they do not like.

Take, for example, Mark 16:16: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned.” This verse makes it clear that Jesus gave two prerequisites for salvation: 1) faith and 2) baptism. The trouble is that this verse does not fit in with “faith only” theology. Rather than re-examine their theology concerning the matter and realizing that baptism is necessary for salvation—and precedes it—many try to find a way to discredit the verse. They have some help here because two major manuscripts omit the verse. However, more than 95% of all manuscripts contain it. Nevertheless, they let their theology drive their interpretation in an effort to combat the truth.

The height of arrogance was reached with the “Jesus Seminar.” According to the Internet, “The Jesus Seminar was a group of about 200 scholars and lay associates, founded in 1985 by Robert W. Funk, that aimed to determine which sayings and deeds attributed to Jesus in the gospels were historically authentic.” They took it upon themselves to determine which words of Jesus were authentic, which ones were doubtfully His, unlikely His, or definitely not His. Really? And what were these decisions based on? They were based on nothing but their opinions. They published their findings in books called The Five Gospels and The Acts of Jesus. It is obvious that their own points of views determined what the outcome of this “research” would be. Who can take it seriously?

But these actions go beyond frivolous and humorous. They are dangerous. Why? If the Word of God is truth (as it claims), then no one has the right to trifle with God’s holy book. Suppose someone were to say, “The Bible teaches ‘faith only’ from beginning to end. Therefore, when I read James 2:24: ‘You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only,’ I know that it does not belong in the Bible.” “Wait a minute!” we counter. “Is it a textual variation?” “No, but I know it cannot belong because it contradicts Romans 1:17: ‘The just shall live by faith.’” Actually, it only contradicts the person’s perspective since these two verses do not oppose each other but are perfectly harmonious when understood correctly. It is dangerous to impugn what the Scriptures clearly teach, based on one’s interpretation. Who’s driving—truth or theology?