Myth/Objection: The people in the Bible obviously didn't know much back then.
One very quick discovery I'll try to type down that I came across while preparing for MCAT on Friday (PLEEASE PRAY FOR ME!). One popular objection to the Bible is that because Bible days were so long ago, they must now have known very much back then. But, isn't it funny that the Bible describes the people as early as Noah as being masters of a chemical reaction whereas solid C6H12O6 yields liquid C2H5OH and 2 CO2s? They were able to take glucose, a sugar that even the body modifies for its own energetics, freely available from grapes, and induce a chemical reaction through fermentation to make the ethyl alcohol, CH3CH2OH. It's called wine-making. Gen. 9:21 describes the household of Noah having done this - implicit within this passage is that they produced their own wine. This is seen again in Gen. 14:21 where an Old Testament priest, Melchizedek brought forth bread and wine, both of which have to employ fermentation reactions in their production. They may have been masters of these chemical reactions - the winepress and the grape vineyard were significant entrepreneurial endeavors for the people of Israel that we see all over the Old Testament, even in the illustrations of Jesus Christ in the New TEstament.
I also think that there are a lot of things that the people of the Bible knew how to do in their common way of life that the 21st century common person wouldn't have a clue on - for instance, agriculture. The Old Testament describes these people as spending away signficant time and resources wholly employed in the toil of sowing seeds, plowing, planting, harvesting, reaping, and so on. Could your average person today, fed by Wal-Mart's, Aldi's, and with their pre-made Michaelinas and Hungry-Mans be able to do that? They wove their own clothes. They harnessed the working power of undomesticated animals such as oxen. They built ships, ran marketplaces, and did trade. They even did woodworking and things like fishing. Find one average American that has any two of those skills - it is very difficult. Why in the world would anyone say that they 'didn't know much'?
Regardless of what they knew, this objection doesn't discredit the Bible in any way. Every part of the Bible is still relevant to today: for instance, we still have liars, thieves, adulterers, fornicators, murderers, and all sorts of sin going in - the same as in Bible days (1 Cor 6:9). Men still need a Savior to save them from their sins, and the Bible is still the means to reveal the character and nature of that Savior along with what He taught. Also, must of the labor of the text of the Bible is spent in conveying prophetically what is yet to happen in our day. The Bible talks about events in history that haven't even happened yet in our 21st century - meaning that the Bible isn't a thing of the past, it's way ahead of its time!
I wrote this in response to "Making Moral Decisions" by Rowan Williams in The Cambridge Companion to Christian Ethics.
In “Making moral decisions” by Rowan Williams, the strengths of each section are that its author presented them in clarity and, without losing the academic and intellectual tone, made his point by maintaining a personal tone throughout the chapters. As for weaknesses, it seems that echoed throughout all of the sections is one central flaw in their presentation – that of the essential, foundational obligate place scripture takes in Christian decision-making. The weakness of the first two sections on self-knowledge and moral depth are that they overlook in the subjects they pertain to of decision-making coming from self-identity the all-encompassing importance of the impartation of an embodiment of knowledge self-contained in the written text of scripture that is external to the Christian. The centrality of scripture in decision-making as the basis of reasoning cannot be overlooked. If the person has come to true salvation, a faith based on the Gospel message, scripture is the primary route of identifying self in salvation in Jesus Christ. It is the central nucleus out of which our knowledge of practice of faith should spring. All other routes proceed after the ‘external Word,’ as Martin Luther called scripture. If scripture is the source, we shouldn’t be afraid to say that some communities’ moral decisions are wrong and some are right. Williams lists the idea that “…Christ makes sense to us because of the specific Christians relationships in which we are involved – this community, this inspirational pastor or teacher, this experience of reading scripture with others” (Gill, 8) These should never be the “ways” by which Christians “make themselves accountable to the central truths of our faith” (Gill, 9). In contrary, all pastors and Christian leaders of the community submit to scripture and all right action for the Christian is defined by it. In the section on moral discernment, Williams states that those on an opposing Christian side read the same scriptures (Gills, 9 & 11), which may be true, but obviously their interpretation of it is poor or parts of it go unnoticed or ignored if they’ve allowed their cultural settings to overshadow the plainness of the text. To say that there isn’t an absolute subjectively certain meaning to the text is to say that the hand of the writer through its divine Author had no intended meaning when it was written down and undermine textual criticism and hermeneutical basics – the opposing side may disagree, but no matter how large the community in opposition it doesn’t make them right. No matter how “fallible and divided” the community this doesn’t entail any credibility to what causes their division or mean we should embrace it over the clear meaning of the text. The substance of the practice of faith derives its sufficiency from scripture, the intended primary source for the Christian, which informs all investment of action done in the Body – scripture is like a Shakespearean play whereas it acts as the script that tells each role their lines. If this is true, then exact and identical decision-making can consistently be made by a community of Christians because their faith is rooted in scripture, an For example, this is clearly seen when a convert from another religion enters Faith; If a Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or comes to salvation, though they come from a completely different foundation of decision-making from their background, because they are converted at heart and have assumed the knowledge of Christ that comes from scripture, they now have a new background for decision-making. Its principles are a-cultural, and no matter what ‘tribe’ or community or ‘accent’ the Christian may have or come from, even the convert from paganism will still know that those in the community that are claiming to be Christian and yet committing adultery are in direct violation of God’s will because scripture says so in 1 Corinthians 5:11. If their decision-making is out of line with what God’s written in the bible, it is doubtful they have come to faith in Christ and can identify themselves as Christian. “Your word I have hidden in my heart…” says the Psalmist (Psalm 119:11).
I haven't really sat down and watched TV for a good 2-3 years now, but when I did I remember show after show of corrupt televangelists just begging the viewer for money. I don't remember ever hearing any of them preach the Gospel (1 Cor 15 - The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus). I remember numerous times some of them would walk the viewer through a prayer, but no times of even remembering any of them actually teach about the crucifixion of our Lord or how that takes away sin.
I was reading the Word today and came across this verse - Col 2:9, "For you remember brethren, our labor and toil; for laboring night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, we preached to you the gospel of God."
If anyone ever questioned Paul's motives for preaching the Gospel I bet he'd have a couple dozen hundred eye witnesses to tell them that Paul is completely down to earth - he worked to fund his own ministry, he was completely sincere in his preaching and worked so hard as a tent-maker just to prove that his preaching was without trying to reward himself with personal gain. Not so with today's modern TV-'preachers.' Yes, its okay for ministers to live off of the Gospel that they preach (which Paul said in another epistle that he had the right to do but freely gave up that right to make it even more clear that the Gospel was being preached in sincerity and that the power of it was being supplied by God), but they don't really preach the Gospel! Oh sure they may mention the cross in passing, but never had I in the past heard any of them expound upon and exposite the things of salvation and the death on the cross.
The most precious message that should be the cornerstone and foundation of every preacher's preaching - whereas every message that they preach touches on this all-important life-and-soul-saving message, is, very sadly, being neglected. They place in its place in importance the value of living an 'abundant' lifestyle filled with blessings. (Wasn't the cross a blessing?! our sins are taken away and we can turn to God!!!) Prosperity in the here and now takes the prominent place in their preaching in place of the cross, which is not only for here and now but eternity forevermore. Never had I heard any of the meat of the teaching of scripture being exposited. One prominent television 'preacher' never talks about hell. Jesus talks about hell extensively. Peter talks about it. Paul talks about it. But, this preacher, unlike those of the Bible, will not. Scripture says in Romans 1 that 'There is none good, there is none who seeks after God.' If these people are to be seeker-friendly and try not to offend anyone, why not be friendly to the only seeker - God? He seeks men. He leaves the 99 to find that 1 lost sheep. There is none that seek after God - who are they being friendly to? Why not preach the Gospel in its full and entirety and step on a few toes? Someone might just actually get saved.
Last week I had someone who was collecting donations on the street wave to me to give. At that point, my bank account was overdrawn by 400 dollars or so and the 75 cents, which I was unaware I had, would have been the only thing I'd have (I quit my job to work on school). So, not knowing I had pocket change, I didn't bother to stop and donate (I didn't think I had anything to donate). So, the guy comes up to my window, and I roll it down, and he says with a cold, serious face, 'Give. I should call the police on you.' As if it was a crime not to give. They got angry with the Lord in Luke because Jesus pointed out that God's grace was extended to Naaman the Syrian and to the Sidonian widow through Elijah, who were gentiles, when there were other lepers and other widows. God gives grace if God saved everyone without holding them accountable to their sins, what debt would their be to show the ones forgiven of the sensation that they have been pardon of anything? Grace wouldn't be grace. I HAD to know that I was going to hell - that the punishment was so vast and my crimes so evil - before I saw the need for a Savior, and before I could thank God for His grace towards me - which has exceeding value to me now.
Yes, I discovered the 75 cents or so in my pocket and freely gave it, even though the guy said something so offensive. I asked him which church he was supporting to see if it was a cult. Then he told me that God will bless me for giving. I told him that my salvation comes by grace through faith, not of my works, and that God will bless me whether I give or not. He thought about it for a second, then he told me, 'I don't know who told you that, Jesus said that you'll be blessed if you give.' He then walked away. Why can't my salvation be enough? I'm so thankful that I'm saved! Yes, I'm thankful that God's grace is even to my material needs and that I have food, clothes, tuition, and a place to stay - but the greatest thing I've seen the grace of God do is to pay for my sins through His own crucifixion - He died in my place and took the wrath of God on my behalf, He washed me clean of my sins, making me righteous, and gave me new life! THAT is a blessing! If that 'prosperity' were to be preached, in the same venues as the ones these TV-preachers have right now, our world wouldn't be the same.
