As I was sorting through my Bible study and Christian living books, I came across this passage in an introduction to the Layman's Bible Book Commentary, Volume 3, "It is based on the conviction that the Bible speaks to every generation of believers but needs occasional reinterpretation in the light of changing language and modern experience." Personally, I find that a very scary sentence. So...is it telling me that I need someone else to reinterpret the Bible for me? Yikes! What happened to the Holy Spirit speaking directly to each person as he or she reads the passage?
I think we need to be very cautious of thinking that the Bible needs rewording in order to speak to the present generations. If God is who He says is, isn't it presumptuous of us to assume that He is incapable of speaking to the current generations through His Word?
On a slightly different note, I do wonder what the author is referring to when he speaks of "modern experience."
3 comments:
Scary sounding indeed..."In the last days, perilious times will come."
Yeah, Gina, you know?!?! the modern experience!!!!
You see, people aren't born "sinners" anymore, and they don't have some "sin" that requires some sort of "penalty". Therefore its kind of silly to pull out the antiquated notion of God sending his "only begotten Son" to pay said "penalty".
As you probably know, people started being born good at heart around 1950, the modern experience commenced as they reached adolescence. Not being touched by "original sin" modern people will be shocked by the seemingly exaggerated gesture of Christ taking the full wrath of God for them on the cross. They would much prefer that He showed his "love", or at least "like", for these non-wretched, non-vile, non-sinners, by joining them for picnics and ultimate frisbee and occasionally sharing His God-style wisdom with them in the areas of fitness, finance, and raising teenagers.
Rather than dealing with the problem of "sin", modern people have the equally dire problem of "felt needs". While some of old may have fallen short of God's glory by their very selves, modern man is non-naked, non-poor, non-wretched, and non-blind, and is, in fact, only limited by the "felt needs" that he has not found a way to manipulate a Holy God into satisfying. Modern bible translations must therefore take the emphasis off hoary-headed ideas such as "substitutionary atonement" and place more emphasis on God showing men and women the niceness they deserve.
I hope that helps clear up some of your confusion. I know its hard to keep up with the times, but I am confident that if you read plenty of Brian McLaren, and start limiting your consumption of oxygen, you will be down with the program in no time!
that's why Mr. Osteen is so popular.
Gina, I agree, that does not seem right to me. the last verses of revelation caution anybody against changing the bible.
I'll read other translations or what not to get a different perspective, but the niv speaks the most to me.
it's interesting to read some of the latter books of the new testment because they caution against false teachers....that little gut instinct that says this is wrong is a good thing to have.
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