WHY READ THE BIBLE? July 19th, 2015 | Zach Daniel
WHY READ THE BIBLE? •
If the Scriptures ceased to exist, who would care?
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If this Scriptures ceased to exist, why would it matter?
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If we did read the Scriptures, what is there to gain?
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Who might be impacted?
WHY READ THE BIBLE? Matthew 4.1-4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” 4 But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
WHY READ THE BIBLE? Worldview 1: The Evolutionary Accident •
View of God: God is dead
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Identity: Like animals, our identity is a product of evolutionary chance and random chemical reactions.
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Love: evolutionary product to facilitate the continuation of the species.
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Justice: no moral obligation as this is survival of the fittest.
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Transcendence: none
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Freedom: none, an illusion as we are just chemical reactions.
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The Scriptures: at best- An opiate for the masses.
WHY READ THE BIBLE? Worldview 2: The Sovereign Self •
View of God: either same as Evolutionary accident or Moral Therapeutic Deism
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Identity: The Sovereign Self
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Love: A feeling meant to bring me meaning, happiness and fulfillment
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Justice: A society that affirms and honors who I have determined myself to be.
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Transcendence: Self manufactured through achievement and experience
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Freedom: highly desired, removed from any commitment or undesired responsibility.
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The Scriptures: optional, the ultimate end of which is to make much of me, to make me happy, and to feel good about myself. Therefore, I edit and keep the parts I like and throw out the parts I don’t.
WHY READ THE BIBLE? Moral Therapeutic Deism 1. A God exists who created and orders the world and watches over human life on earth. 2. God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions. 3. The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself. 4. God does not need to be particularly involved in one’s life except when God is needed to resolve a problem. 5. Good people go to heaven.
WHY READ THE BIBLE? A famous line in an opinion of the Supreme Court, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, captures this principle well: “At the heart of liberty is the right to define one’s own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life.”
WHY READ THE BIBLE? Worldview 3: The Religious •
God: Exists, is powerful, just and is disappointed
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Identity: Sinner, every inclination of the heart wicked.
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Love: Not important, rules and moral code most important.
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Justice: The wrath of God over the wickedness of man.
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Transcendence: For those who, by self effort, master the rules.
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Freedom: Dangerous.
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The Scriptures: Law meant to control, confine, destroy
WHY READ THE BIBLE? Worldview 4: Jesus •
God: Built on the truth of God as he truly is: Creator, King, Judge, Father, Redeemer, Bridegroom.
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Identity: Gospel Identity
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Justice: the flourishing of mankind- the weak and the strong, every ethnicity, every education level, every gender under the Good Kingship of Christ.
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Transcendence: Has come to us through Jesus and is found in our union with Him.
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Freedom: Absolutely necessary that we might be free to love God and one another wholeheartedly as modeled through Christ.
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The Scriptures: Bread to live on, milk and meat that strengthens us, sweetness that satisfies us, fire that gives us passion, a hammer that gives us power, a light to our path and a sword that kills and brings life.
WHY READ THE BIBLE? Colossians 3:1-3; 16 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God‌16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.