My Willful Child

What are the pitfalls in only studying parts of the Bible?

The Bible has many uplifting stories and encouraging words. These are gems to tightly hold. However, there is much to gain in interpreting our world’s current circumstances against the backdrop of the Bible’s characters’ many failings (and knowing that we are of the same cloth). This is how history teaches lessons.

What important messages arise as the novel portion unfolds with Scripture?

Much of the historical and prophetic books focused on kings and the Jewish theocracy; the lowly and weak were largely ignored. Jesus’s ministry was the complete opposite. Then and now, the greedy, power-seekers, and arrogant live on the edge of our human laws and often cross them.

How do you study the Bible?

Long ago, I would read the Bible and use various concordances and dictionaries. Often, this was tedious work as many referenced verses took time to locate only to realize that they didn’t fit my purpose. My study approach changed dramatically when I started using software to identify keywords in Scripture. It was fast and the landscape was complete. I could cut and paste with ease instead of typing.

If the Bible is God's truth, what about its inconsistencies?

Many books have been written both supporting the Bible’s authenticity and deriding its inconsistencies. I have done enough reading of both sides to acknowledge the following. There are inconsistencies, but these are far removed from the Bible’s core teachings.