Photo by Ove Tøpfer; from Stock Xchange
I’ve been thinking about a common expression I hear. People say, “The Bible condemns ____.” Seems like we don’t use that verb in that sense very often, yet I hear it frequently in connection with the Bible.
What do we mean when we say that? I mean, I know what it means to condemn something. But at what point do we say that the Bible condemns something? I hear that applied to things that the Bible speaks negatively about, even when the Bible doesn’t say those things are actually sinful.
The problem I see is that we confuse the different meanings of condemn. We hear it said that the Bible condemns a certain something and somehow begin to connect it with salvation. Saying “The Bible condemns…” seems to add unnecessary weight to any given argument.
It seems to me, in my rarely humble opinion, that it would do us well to avoid this phrase. What do you think?
Tim, I guess your post has me wondering – is “the Bible” capable of condemning or saying or pronouncing or declaring?
Is that giving the Bible powers it doesn’t have?
Great post Bro! I believe we as a heritage have been “trigger happy” with this term. So sad that we would rather run around condemning (when it isn’t even our role) than to run around encouraging others instead. I will run around encouraging and lifting people up and leave the condemning to the miserable…
Strange how those who criticize are usually uptight/stressed out and those who encourage are lovin life in the midst of daily troubles!…peace…
I’m going to stake out a radical position that I’ve been wrestling with.
in Matthew 28, Jesus says, “All authority in heaven and on earth is given to me. No, wait. I mean, given to the Bible. Nono – that doesn’t sound right. Yeah, all authority HAS been given to ME!” (italicized sarcasm MINE)
Scripture possesses no authority in and of itself. Jesus Christ possesses all authority – some of which is mediated through Scripture. How that mediation works is an interesting process, but you’ve got to start by asking NT Wright’s question: “How does a soldier respond when his commander stands at the head of the formation and says, ‘Once upon a time…’?”
How is the Mark 10-style authority of Jesus Christ exercised and mediated through Holy Scripture, the majority of which is narrative?
I am not in the business of condemning anybody’s soul to destruction or eternal life, no matter how evident one direction shows itself. Judgment is left to Jesus, and He will condemn through His authority.
What I can condemn is my own sin. My sin is condemnable. Thanks be to God that it is relieved via repentance and faith in my Lord Jesus who took on the wrath of God in my place. Thanks be to God that salvational judgment for the believer, in the words of Jesus, “is finished.”
As to others, I think we are directed by God to confront, though in a loving way and with understanding that we all stand in the same unrighteous flesh and are saved by nothing but the grace of God by faith in Jesus the Messiah. However when it comes to debatable issues (I’ll call them open-handed, non-salvational issues) I will not die on such hills.
Nick, I think this a little off topic in regards to the post, but the reason why the Bible has authority is because it is they that speak of Jesus (Old and New Testaments), it is they that have the words of Jesus in them, and it is where we find the writings of those whom Jesus gave authority to. All three of these points are affirmed by Jesus in those same Scriptures; thus the Scriptures have the authority of Jesus.
Let me try and sharpen the focus by giving an example. Last week, some brothers were discussing the need to attend worship. One of them referred to Hebrews 10:25 and said, “The Bible condemns forsaking the assembling of the saints.”
Similarly, when discussing alcohol last year, the statement was made: “The Bible condemns strong drink,” with Proverbs 20:1 being the text of choice.
My question is, how do passages like these rate the qualification of “condemning” anything?
Those of us who believe we are in no position to judge (James 4:11-12; Romans 2:1ff), but believe we are also commanded to do so (In whatever sense Jesus is using the word “judge” in John 7:24) have to distance ourselves from the act by passing it off on the Bible. This is why, frequently, it is asserted, “I am not condemning you. I am just telling you what the Bible says.” If it is the Bible, it isn’t us.
Of course, Nick is right about Matthew 28. All power lies in Jesus. The problem is the Jesus promised the Spirit, by whom more revelation would come. Since he extended added revelation to what he offered in his ministry, the conclusion is therefore reached that the words of the apostles and etc. are the authoritative words of Jesus. So to communicate them is to communicate by his authority. This, or course, is why we struggle with the seemingly conflicted messages of Jesus and Paul. Does Pauline material trump Jesus? It is a catch 22.
I say…Communicate truth and leave the judging to God!
I think what Hebrews 10:25 says is that by not meeting together, it is hard to stir each other up to love and good works; which is appropriate behavior for the Body of Christ. Religion says, “meet together, then God will love you” The Gospel says, “God has loved you infinitely, therefore, meet together.” My point is that when the act of meeting together is turned into a condemnation when it doesn’t happen (though it is commanded), the Gospel is lost. Instead, we reflect on what God has done for us (i.e. the Gospel) and we love one another by obeying and meeting together. This could be said to all of the commands of Jesus as well.
And Proverbs 20:1 says don’t be led astray by strong drink. It doesn’t condemn it. I would LOVE to hear their reaction to Deuteronomy 14:24-26 where God commands those who live too far away to bring the tithe to sell it, “then you shall turn it into money and bind up the money in your hand and go to the place that the Lord your God chooses and spend the money for whatever you desire—oxen or sheep or wine or STRONG DRINK, whatever your appetite craves.” :)
BTW… My comment should be considered from the standpoint of those who say…”The bible condemns…” I am sure I say it because of habit, but I have my own reservations about the implications of such a statement. Tim…I am not suggesting that either you or Nick are off. I am just trying to qualify where I was coming from in the earlier comment. I would say it was very close to something akin to the devil’s advocate.
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For what it’s worth, scripture uses some form of the word “condemn” only about 80 times. It uses some form of “save” or “salvation” more than 400 times – about a 5:1 ratio. That’s revealing to me.
I think we use the word “condemn” too much due to our legalistic heritage. If we saw scripture as God’s instructions for a life more like His – rather than as rule and law – we’d more often use words like “forbid” or “discourage.” Or better yet, we’d talk in more positive terms about what God wants for us to do, and use words like “encourage,” “empower,” and even “inspire.”
The approach needs to be from a loving point of view. I hate to say this, well not really I am happy to, That there is no more condemnation for those that love Christ. Now I believe this to my inner core. Grace has replaced all condemnation. We have peace with God thru Christ Jesus.
That is what Paul tells us in the beginning of his letters. Why we pick a silly point and hash it around is what alot of us call a waste of time.
It seems to me that when the “Bible condemns” something that something is being warned about and is not to be engaged in or approved. Would it not mean the Bible is disapproving of some behavior or attitude? Ref: Romans 8:1; 13:3; 14:23; 1 John 3:20, etc. Terrific site, Tim!
Some of us call that hashing around an attempt to discover and live the kind of life our Father finds beautiful… the kind of behavior that best advances the mission of God where we are.
Suggesting that, since there’s no condemnation for PEOPLE who are in Christ, there’s not condemnation for unchristian BEHAVIOR… doesn’t fit the message I get from Scripture.
I think what Tim’s trying to convey, Goad, is that “The Bible condemns {insert hot-button issue here}” is one of the most popular sentences in the church, and such popularity is unhealthy. We should speak as the oracles of God, and the oracles of God don’t condemn stuff quite as much as we’d prefer.
“The Bible condemns such-and-such” sounds so firm! So simple! So straight-forward! and like the concept of a self-evident truth, it is most often a facade papering over some really complex stuff. Today’s example of “forsaking the assembling,” is but one of a multitude.
Thanks for the visit Steve! My concern is that people hear “the Bible condemns” and they get confused, thinking that means they will be condemned for the same thing. I’ve also found that people often use this phrase to address things that the Bible merely warns against. Proverbs “condemns” winking, for example, but saying such doesn’t actually convey the biblical message.
One of the things mentioned earlier or in another topic was dying to self.
It occurred to me that when we die to self, we allow Christ to take our place in that ability to save. My point is that no matter how hard we try, in our flesh we can’t save ourselves no matter how good we think we are. No matter how we puff ourselves up, its to no avail. Dying to self is allowing Christ to do what he intended to do, save the world, all the world whether we believe that or not doesn’t change the fact. I relish in the fact that no matter what I do, he saved me. God is love……..