‘The Bible just tells us a bunch of stuff we can’t do’. I’ve heard something this like a million times growing up. A lot of people think that once you are saved, there goes the fun. There goes the freedom. Now I have to read this book that tells me what not to do. A list of things that are now off limits. God is thought of as a big mean parent who just wants to kill the fun in our lives. But actually the Bible is not just all that. Just the opposite. Now, I won’t say that I have been perfect in this area. I’ve grown up in the church all my life and a lot of the times I did feel pressure to not make a mistake and to do what the Bible says or else. Once I got older I had to really get better with my Bible time and it was not easy. It took a friend that I met in college to help me out and take me to a YoungLife bible study. And once I did get better, I began to realize that my perspective of the Bible was all wrong and this is what I learned.
Perspective is key. Romans 12:2 – Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. I know now that the Bible is not just a book of what not to do and realize that its a vital piece of information, that shows us all we can gain for ourselves and what we can give to others. It truly transforms us from the inside out and we gain wisdom straight from the Lord so that we can live our lives free. As well the Bible is truly God’s word breathed onto pages from his chosen people, so that from now to forever He can be the one who speaks to us no matter what we are going through. And we need that guidance, we need that knowledge, we need that encouragement. (All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; – 2 Timothy 3:16) And to know that it’s words are never changing and are always true make us feel confident. So lets not think of the Bible as a rule book but as something more. Something we can put our trust and our hope in.