Barneyisfat

I believe that the Bible becomes the Word of God when we live it out. The Bible, without God's people living out its vision, is simply a book - nothing more. It is only when we hope in the promises of prophecy, take to heart the parables, and change our behavior and actions based on the teachings of Christ that the book we call The Book becomes the Word of God.

We were working on a movie for church, and one of the scenes called for a Bible to be dropped. I decided we were going to use the Big Bible (trademark) from the Holy Shelf(Registered Trademark) from the church. First I highlighted the passage, and then I instructed the team to drop the Bible on the ground for the scene. Everyone looked at me like I was a three legged frog riding a unicycle. No one could believe that I had just written in the Big Bible, nor that I was suggesting we would drop it on the ground. We did the scene - and the Bible's cover was bent ... but ... God's truth is still in tact.

I don't believe there to be anything special about the book itself, I don't even think reading scripture is magical. It upsets me when we take on animistic forms and treat the Bible like a "magic book." Bill Beatty once wrote this really great quote that I keep on my Facebook wall. "What the heck is going on in our churches that we revere the big Bible on the table but we ignore the broken woman in the pew? We polish the brass cross but we push aside the confused teenager?" I don't know if he would agree with my point (probably not) but I think we share the same sentiment.

The Bible is just another book if we don't live out what it teaches. Christianity is just like all the other religions if we don't hold fast to grace. Revelation is a boring confusing book if we don't hold onto the hope it contains in times of struggle. If our churches aren't effectively reaching the people in our communities it won't matter if we have a Big Bible on every Holy Shelf in every room of the church.

I believe that the Bible is errant ... but in a good way. We are errant creatures trying desperately to live for God. We won't get it right; arguing about premill, amill, or postmill won't help us; and discussing theology is pointless ... unless! ... we live out the teachings of Christ in our daily lives. When we do this we will truly experience the Word of God in our lives.