Don't Judge The Bible

When you first read that title you probably came to some conclusions about what I am writing about today. Let me say up front you are probably wrong. This is not written to defend the Bible against scoffers and mockers. Many others have done so much more effectively than I ever could. I have a totally different aim in mind.

There are those suffering so much, even believers in Jesus, that doubt the truth of the Bible against the backdrop of their circumstances. People who battle for health and that have watched loved ones slip into eternity despite fervent praying. People who have suffered even though they have lived righteously.

In such moments it is easy to judge the Bible by our harsh circumstances. We may not say it out loud but we sure think that Bible truth is not true for us. We judge the Bible by our emotional upheaval. Let me state emphatically, WE DO NOT JUDGE THE BIBLE.  THE BIBLE JUDGES US. Bible truth is set in bedrock. It does not change. The word of God has weathered much larger storms than just the ones you and I face.

We get slammed by the winds and waves of life. This is no surprise. I think of repeated passages when God warned us such things would happen. [John 16:33] [Ps 30:5] [Ps 34:18-19] just to name a few. When we read Bible stories we see others who suffered and endured believing God along the way.

I think of Joseph. He could have easily given up on God. He didn't. We learn God was with him when he was sold as a slave. God was with him when he got falsely accused and imprisoned. God never abandoned him in those difficult years.

Job suffered. He lost everything but his wife and his health. Eventually he even lost his health. Yet he did not turn his back on God. He wanted to die. He questioned why he was even born. He did not curse God though. He did not judge truth from his horrible circumstances.

 The winds and waves hit hard. That does not mean the Bible is not true. We must mature to the point where we believe God's word in all of life's circumstances. We must believe that He works all things together for our good if we love Him and are called according to His purpose. [Rom 8:28] We must believe it is possible to rejoice always. [Phil 4:4] We must believe that He lifts our burdens as we cast our cares on Him. [I Pet 5:7] We must believe that when our hearts are shattered He is near to us. [Ps 34:18] We must believe that He loves us. [Rom 5:8]

Trust Him. Trust His word. Don't judge either by your circumstances.

Matthew 7:24-27 (ESV)
24  “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
25  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
26  And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
27  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”