You shouldn't pick and choose

The Bible isn't like a supermarket where you can put what you like in your cart and leave the stuff you don't like on the shelf. As a Christian, you can dislike something stated in the Bible, but doing so doesn't mean you can ignore it by placing it on your list of things that aren't true because you don't want them to be true. Even if a recorded event or statement is hard for you to believe, that doesn't mean it isn't true and shouldn't be taught or believed.

Here are some reasons people give for not choosing to believe what's written in the Bible and refutations of the claims:
- A word being used wasn't in the original text. Perhaps not, but English wasn't the original language. The English word used matches up to the description of the sin.
- People have added things to fit their own agenda. Modern copies of the Bible match up to what was written in the earliest known texts. See the thread titled "Reliability of the Bible" under this board.
- God is loving and wouldn't condemn someone for breaking that rule. God does love everyone; however, throughout the Bible we read about who he condemns and who he doesn't.
- My pastor told me it isn't true. If it's in the Bible and your pastor teaches that it's not true, then your pastor is not teaching the truth.

If you're a Christian answer a few simple questions. Do you believe Jesus is who he said he was? Do you believe Jesus died for your sins? Do you believe he rose from the dead? If you answered yes to those questions, then answer these. How do you know those three things are true? Why do you choose to believe they are true? Now take it one step further. How can you believe those things are true and then turn around and choose not to believe that some things about sin and how you're supposed to live your life as a Christian are true? The Bible answers this question. "Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed" (John 3:19-20). Jesus provided the light through his teachings and the men who delivered the message in later years continued to teach what is evil and what is good. People choose not to believe the truth because, if they did, they wouldn't be able to do certain things they enjoy and make them feel good because Jesus said it was a sin.

How do you make the determination about what is true and should be accepted and what is false and can be disregarded? This is an important question. I'm sure you (if you're a picker and chooser) have been told by other people that Christ isn't the only way to salvation and/or the resurrection is a myth. So why not reject those teachings? If you accept those you should also accept as true that "All Scripture [which now includes all of the Bible] is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" (2 Timothy 3:16). If you pick and choose by saying some verses aren't true, you are denying the truth of this verse. And if this verse isn't true, it's only logical to not rely on the truth of any verse or chapter in the Bible. This is logical, unless of course, you don't believe the Almighty God can't and didn't preserve his Word (the Bible) from being corrupted by mere humans.


* All quotes are from the New International Version of the Bible.