The Never Changing Bible

So I was just talking with a close friend about sharing the gospel with others. I'm not talking about preparing a speech on theology, more the living of the Christian life in front of the world. Just the other day I was talking with a friend who was feeling a great deal of sadness because one of her daughters is sinning in the way she is choosing to live her lifestyle. As she is a fellow Christian, professing, I asked her if she has gently talked to her daughter about this lifestyle being pointed out as a sinful one by our Lord in the Bible. Her response was that she did not feel comfortable telling her daughter that she was a sinner, and, that she wasn't sure the Bible's black and white absolutes could really be the word of God. It needed to be said that the word of God is always true, the gospel is not situationally true. Even though she walked away saying those things, and I walked away feeling like I messed up that talk-that definately wasn't where I wanted it to go!- I am so glad that what she was saying is not true. I am praying for their family. I pray that she will consider the truth of scripture.

This is the state of some churches today- my friend goes to church every week and is clearly not being taught scriptural truth from the Bible. I hate that for her. And I am so grateful that it is not us, too. It is funny how these things come up right as our pastor is teaching a series on the inerrancy of the word of God. I felt so prepared for this spur of the moment conversation, though really, in myself, I wasn't! There have been times I have wished that not all the things I read in my Bible were true, because I didn't want to be held to those truths- I wanted to make my own, situational, rules.

This is what the world -even the church sometimes!- is teaching us today, that absolutes are intolerant and unloving and even that every religion is right in it's own ways. This is so, so false. God has put these boundaries in place for our protection, because He loves us. In John we read very clearly that Jesus said, I am the way-the truth-the life-no one can come to The Father, except through me. It may not be popular, but let's keep on living our faith in our God and His inerrant word, the scripture, no matter who we are talking to and in as much love as possible. I am not a model Christian, there is so far to go, but I can see God's word at work all around me~ this friend still comes to me and talks to me, I have a couple of friends who are involved in anti-God religions, and yet they still talk to me! It's amazing. I am very open with them about my faith in God and very clear with them about what the scriptures say about their choices. But they also know that I love them and thier families, and I care for them - pray for them- help them when I see a need. They see God's love for them through me. Any other way and I doubt they'd hear truth from me and stay around for more. All I need to do is trust in God's word to go forth, and never return void! So glad we can rest in that promise!!