Fiction in the Bible?

Critics of the Bible often decry it as a massive piece of fiction. Some even deny that Jesus existed at all. The Christian response is often to launch into an effort to convince the non-believer that the Bible is true and, of course, it is.  But angrily rushing at critics is probably not the best way to respond.   

It is a provable fact that the Bible is more historically attested than many ancient secular documents which are themselves almost universally accepted as genuine.  Whether or not the Bible is accepted as a supernatural book, it is increasing being proven as a historically accurate document.  The kings and kingdoms mentioned actually existed.  Many of the places mentioned have been found by digging where the Bible says they were.  The problem for the Christian apologist is that these arguments will probably fall on skepticism-deafened ears.

I recently found an old book from 1946 which gave me an insight about which I had never before thought.   The book is How to Read the Bible, by Dr. Edgar Goodspeed.  Dr. Goodspeed points out that the parables of Jesus were fictional.  Jesus was a master storyteller; it was his “favorite and characteristic vehicle.”  He used his stories, some of which are as short as a sentence in length, to teach spiritual insights in a simple and clear manner.

A very good opening to start with a non-believer might be Jesus’s parables.  Once the non-believer is interested in the parables, the Christian should point out that though the parables are clearly fictional, the Bible itself is historically based.  Even if the non-believer cannot be brought to a place of conviction, they may at least come to a place where they recognize that the events depicted in the Bible actually happened. This is progress which may later bear fruit.

Don't Say That!

Has this ever happened to you?  The day is going well at work and you comment about how pleasant the day has been.  Looking very concerned, your co-worker sternly sys, “Shhh! Don’t say that!  You’ll jinx us!”

My response is always that, if my words can affect the universe, then I have some very big plans.  Actually, I believe that the attitude exhibited by the admonition is rank superstition.  I amounts to a belief in the practice of magic, the use of secret words and knowledge for power over the physical world.  It may also belie the insulting belief that God is watching and will interfere if it seems that you may be happy about something.

Non-believers see us as being riddled with irrational superstition.  In fact, Christians are firmly grounded in historical facts attested to by eye-witness observers.  We have no reason to resort to superstition, magic, or the occult.

Jesus Right Before Our Eyes

This image is an optical illusion and has no supernatural or religious meaning in and of itself.  It is, however an illustration of what I have been talking about for the last few days.

Look at it very closely.  Move close to your computer's monitor screen and focus on the wooden blocks.  If you immediately see the word “Jesus,” you are one of the few.  Most people will see a randomly arranged set of rectangular wooden blocks.  Pull back from the screen and focus on the background rather than the blocks and you should suddenly see the word “Jesus.”  From that time on, you will see “Jesus” every time you look at the image.

The world is like that.  Non-believers do not see Jesus even though He is standing right in front of them.  Believers see Jesus in everything.

What I Believe

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Since Wednesday, I have been responding to “What They Think of Us: God Blames Us for His Mistakes.”  I disagree completely with Gene Roddenberry’s criticism.  Here is what I believe to be a scriptural rebuttal.

1.     God did not make a mistake.  He intentionally made us as we are. (Genesis 1:1-31)

2.     He made us in His image. (1:27)

3.     He made us as we are because we must be free to choose.  God does not purpose to have the mindless obedience of robots or machines.

4.     God knew that the vast majority would reject Him.  He has declared that the few are worth the costs: a. the billions lost (Romans 1:20), and b. the life of Christ. (Luke 15:10)

5.     Those who chose God are invested with the Mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16)

6.     He is perfecting us into creatures, not Divine, but like Himself.  Our ultimate destiny is one of sinless perfection, able to judge angels (1 Corinthians 6:3), and able to exist in the presence of the perfectly Holy God.  We are being perfected (sanctified) into holiness. (Hebrews 7:25)