Taking the Bible Literally

There has been a recent article stating that the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible is outdated and in need of being phased out. For the most part I would agree. Most people don't know what half of the "olde English" words are and have trouble with the grammatical layout and phrasing.

What has stirred my heart is the thought that many people on my social networking site, mostly from college & high school, are now questioning a literal translation of the Bible...and it frightens me.

Regardless of the version of the Bible we choose, if we are to place our faith in God and Christ and believe that They are who They say They are then we should take Bible as literal fact.

To do anything but would be to question the very nature of God and the very truth He proclaimed within it.

There are arguements on the side of the, for lack of better word, heretics regarding Old Testament law, the anti-chronologic nature of the Bible, and the general "weird" nature of the book of Revelation. I'll be one of the first to admit that there is plenty within and regarding the Bible that we many never comprehend; culturally, literally, or ideologically. But does our incomprehension negate the Bible's basic truths? Do we allow our ignorance to overpower the need and desire to seek out the truth that we cannot see on our own?

Part of me feel as if we all need to attend some form of theological seminary course just to comprehend some of the basics of the Christian faith; to be given clear answers and to be allowed our questions, however naive they may seem to others.

I have a bone to pick with some modern churches, preachers, and “Christians” out there who have decided to simply pick and choose bits and pieces of the Bible. They select what they like out of the Bible – that which is “happy” and deemed 'relevant' to today’s society. They leave out the “hard” stuff that is in a sense counter-cultural (all of the judgemental, anti-homosexuality, pro-life, one-way-to-heaven stuff).

The world has us seeing shades of gray rather that black or white. Truth is now just a word for what we believe to be correct rather than what is factual.

Christ never said that this journey through life would be easy. He said very plainly that Christians would be despised, hated, and rejected by society; that the truth would be scorned and also rejected. (you can reference Matthew chapter 24 verse 9) Take a stand for truth. Don't be as a wave tossed by the wind.

God gave you a free will in the hope that you might choose to love Him. A love that is demanded is no love at all. Ultimately it is your decision what you believe. The rest of us are simply here to offer our take on things.

*If you need a resource for understanding Biblical truths in modern times, I highly recommend "The Truth Project" DVD series. It's lengthy, but well worth your time.