The Rorschach GodSample

The Role of Scripture:
Throughout history, the orthodox Christian tradition has affirmed that all canonical writings are “God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16, NIV). But what does this concept truly mean? How could God ensure that the writings produced through His “breathing” are precisely what they intended without compromising the autonomy of the writers He “breathed” through? In simpler terms, did God compel the authors to write exactly what they wrote?

To affirm that the Scriptures are inspired means acknowledging that they are “God-breathed,” or perhaps more precisely, that God “allowed” their recording in the form we have them. If we acknowledge that God “breathed” Scripture in the same way as He “breathed” Jesus, and if everything Jesus represented is closely tied to the cross, then I suggest that our comprehension of “God-breathed” Scripture should also be centered on the cross. Therefore, we must reflect on how God’s actions on Calvary might shape our understanding of His actions in Scripture.

I believe the most crucial aspect of God’s revelation at Calvary is this: On Calvary, Jesus’ actions toward humans not only clearly revealed God (which is always with goodness, kindness, patience, mercy, and love) but also allowed humans and the fallen powers to act upon Him (which is typically through violence). While God initiated the plan of salvation, which involved the Son of God incarnating at the opportune moment for His crucifixion, He also took the initiative as Jesus taught and acted in ways certain to lead to His crucifixion. Thus, Scripture states that part of God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge was to have Jesus handed over to wicked individuals to fulfill what was in God’s heart all along (see Acts 2:23-24).

When we lose sight of the Bible's role in leading us to Jesus, we risk manipulating it to fit our desires. It becomes like a trained dog, obedient to our whims. With a concordance and a little ingenuity, we can cherry-pick passages to support our opinions in minutes. Proof-texting becomes a game where almost anything can be "proved" using selective Bible verses. Wars, capital punishment, slavery, the subjugation of women, and ethnic cleansing have all been justified this way. But Jesus doesn't endorse any of these practices! If Christians don't interpret the Bible in the context of Christ's teachings, they might as well not read it at all.