BIBLE: Why I Explain the Bible…Not Explain it Away

Early in his ministry, the great evangelist Billy Graham attended a conference with some top seminary professors and intellectuals high up on a mountain in California.

They told Mr. Graham their doubts about the Bible and showed him what they called the contradictions in Scripture. He was young. He had only been out of school for a short while and was having his first experiences in preaching. These men were persuasive, and he began to doubt.

He wandered out into the mountains, found a tree stump, and laid his open Bible on it. “Oh, Lord,” he said, “I do not understand everything in this book, but I accept it by faith as Your Word.”

From that time his preaching was marked by a new and God-given authority. I had the privilege of visiting the site where Mr. Graham made this declaration. It moved me.

My job as a Bible teacher is to explain the Bible, not explain it away. Here’s what the Bible says about itself:

The Bible is for now. “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4).

If the Bible had a subtitle, it could easily be: Loving Father Relentlessly Pursues a Relationship with His Children.

Scripture is first and foremost a love letter from God telling us how to become disciples (followers) of Jesus by revealing how we are:

• called to live “in” Christ (a passport to salvation)
• equipped to live “like” Christ (a training manual for transformation, maturity)
• sent to live “for” Christ (marching orders for neighbor love, serving others, making disciples)

The Bible is truth. “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).

The Bible is without error. “Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar” (Proverbs 30:5–6).

The Bible is effectual. It produces the intended result. “My word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11).

The Bible is our Magna Carta, our Constitution and, as the Westminster confessions says, our final rule for all matters of faith and life.

If you’re a Biblical Christian, use Scripture to explain your experience, not your experience to explain Scripture.

If you have doubts or would just like to feel more confident about the Bible, ping me with an email at pat@patrickmorley.com and I’ll send you an unpublished, comprehensive 7,500 word article I wrote to satisfy my own doubts titled, “Why You Can Believe the Bible Is the Word of God.”

Dr. Patrick Morley has held leadership roles in 59 companies and partnerships. The deep hunger he saw in men for a more authentic life led him to found Man in the Mirror at his kitchen table—a global men’s ministry impacting thousands of churches and millions of men. He remains actively involved with Man in the Mirror, serving as a teacher for the weekly Man Alive Bible Study. Regarded as a leading authority on men’s issues, Patrick has authored 23 books and over 750 articles aimed at addressing men’s most pressing challenges. His award winning works have been translated into many languages and distributed in 48 countries. He continues to teach through his website, and also shares spiritual insights through his weekly Man to Man email. Patrick holds a PhD in leadership and organizational change, a master’s degree from Reformed Theological Seminary, and a marketing degree from the University of Central Florida. He has also pursued postgraduate studies at Harvard Business School and Oxford University. He resides in Winter Park, Florida, with his wife, and they have two married children and five grandchildren.

Feature Image by Steve Haselden from Pixabay