“The Bible is full of scandal and drama. I can’t believe it!”
“Pastors commit adultery and priests have committed acts of pedophilia!”
“So-called men of God have taken sexual advantage of men and women, adults and minors! Whether their acts were consensual or not, they misrepresented Christ!”
Perhaps you’ve heard similar statements to rationalize why people refuse to read and believe the Bible. Religious leaders and the so called devout have disgusted even those lost in the mire of their sins, those who do not know the gospel (or the good news) of the Savior who died to free them from sin and the ultimate destruction it brings. Whether their sexual misconduct was consensual or not, they misrepresent Christ. This brings me to an interesting point. Consensual sex CAN be wrong afterall. Therefore consent can’t be what any of us use to justify our lusts and fornications. This is but a small point I wanted to make for those who justify acts of sexual immorality to rationalize their sinful lifestyles, orientations and preferences, etc.
The Bible is full of scandal and drama because our lives are. Nevertheless, it is the primary means through which God introduces and or reveals Himself to fallen people (like you and I), so that we can begin to understand the differences between life with him and life without him and truly see the root cause of what is wrong with this world.
If you don’t believe in the God of the Bible, and you don’t believe the contents of the Bible, then you simply refuse to believe. Nothing (no external pressure or incident) stands in the way but your own dissonance and excuses). Sure you’ve said it’s because a pastor slept with a woman or with multiple women from his congregation. Perhaps he had affairs with people outside the church. Or maybe you’ve pointed to priests who took advantage of minors. They’re the reason you don’t believe right? Wrong. You’ve even tricked yourself and your thinking is flawed. If I told you it is wrong to steal, would my doctrine suddenly be wrong if I stole something? Of course not!
It’s wrong to lust. Is my doctrine suddenly wrong if I fall into temptation? Of course not! Please don’t lie. Though I (like virtually everyone else) have lied in the past, there are few qualities (if any) that are better than loving and living in truth. Would my doctrine suddenly be wrong if I got caught in a lie? Of course not!
The Bible talks about spiritually fallen leaders and role models. In fact, sexual immorality among pastors is not new! The sons of Eli in the book of 1 Samuel fornicated with the women who assembled at the tabernacle of God. They not only defiled themselves, but the tabernacle also. Sin displeases God no matter whether you’re in the church or in the world.
So why don’t you believe the Bible? …the real honest reason… We already established that the sins of a so-called follower of Christ do not expose any bad teachings in the Bible. If anything, they prove the Word of God is true and infallible, and that everyone (as scripture tells us) has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
If you don’t believe the Bible, it’s because you do not want to. It’s because you’re comfortable holding on to at least one aspect of the illusion you enjoy or feel you cannot separate yourself from. If that’s not your reasoning, then maybe it’s fear. It’s either fear of being rejected by a perfect God, by your friends, or by the world.
Now, if your fear is rejection by a perfect God who hates sin, Let me tell you…no matter how messed up up you are, if you want Him in your life, he will not turn you down. He hates sin, but He loves you enough to understand you and to help you if you confess those sins and your need of His spiritual presence. If you’re worried about being rejected by friends, listen…friends come and go. Life on earth is a one time event. It is our trial to see whether we can overcome…and not just get by. Drunks get by. Emo people get by. Criminals get by. Average people get by. Believers in Christ know that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. We are overcomers.
In this world we will have troubles, but how many people remain appreciative when they’re hungry, have a loaf of bread, and compassion compels them to break half with a stranger who’s also starving? How many remain appreciative when they end up with less than they had hoped. Only those who know Christ will ultimately overcome because He gives us the power to do so. After this life, there is judgment and one cannot enter a perfect world without the perfect connection (Jesus Christ) who is our mediator.
If your fear is to be rejected by the world, remember Christ was spit on, mocked, beaten and even now, when people pretend to respect Him as a “Great teacher,” yet another mere “prophet,” “a role model,” or something of that sort, they use His name as a cuss (i.e. Jesus Christ/Jesus Bleeping Christ!! For Christ’s sake!!), or they hire an impersonator of Christ to do unseemly things in a parade, those people still spit on his name and what He stood for. They lie on Him and suggest His stance on certain moral issues was unclear. They still hate the Jesus of the Bible while they love the aspects of Him which they can twist to support their lifestyles.
Whatever is really keeping you from believing the Bible (which are God’s words to man, written by people who had submitted wholy to His will), that very thing is your blackouts curtain.
SOUL HAVEN 