You may be reading the Bible wrong. Pete Enns says the Bible itself shows a better way

[guillaumeb]

From the article:

The Bible isn’t a rule book, an instruction manual, or a road map, says Peter Enns, a Hebrew Bible scholar and the host of the popular podcast The Bible for Normal People.....

The Bible doesn’t work well as an owner’s manual that lays out for us what to do or think at every turn. It is holding out to us the invitation to accept the sacred responsibility going forward and working things out....

I would just want to stress that the punch line of the book is that the Bible is designed for us to seek wisdom, and to ask ourselves what this faith we are a part of requires of us in this moment. The answers to those questions are rarely simply written out for us. And we are all in the same boat on that. I think that’s actually what God wants: to raise us to be thoughtful, mature followers rather than young children always looking for a parent to tell them what to do. The Bible, simply by being what it is, points—or even pushes—us in that direction. And that is good news.

To read more:

https://religionnews.com/2019/02/20/you-may-be-reading-the-bible-wrong-peter-enns-says-the-bible-itself-shows-a-better-way/

[standingtall]

1. The bible is not an instruction manual

he got that part right. If someone is reading through the bible looking for do's and dont's they are reading it wrong, but if you read through the bible looking for when to shift does and dont's your reading it wrong then too. The bible is not about anything Christians do it is instead about what Christ did for us.

The law of God is anything God ever commanded from eternity. The purpose of the law is not to teach us to keep it or to see how good we can do keepig it, but to show we cannot keep it and therefore need a saviour Jesus Christ.

[Thomas Hurt]

2. Would it be shameless boasting to say I figured this out back in my late twenties without clergy.

Not that I can say I haven't failed repeatedly over the years at it.

A lady I worked with many years ago was asked by another person if she was a Christian.

I am paraphrasing but she basically said: "I work hard every day to achieve that goal."

I thought that to be very wise.

[guillaumeb]

3. I agree with that lady.

We try to follow His example, and when we fail, we try again.

[Squinch]

4. The Bible says whatever the person reading it wants it to say.