why is the bible sacred

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my … And, yes, they all seem to be writing about a supernatural entity. Gig Harbor, WA 98335 We engage with it through the roots of our faith. We can trust him. Sacred Books are historic writings generally penned by men or women to whom their content was revealed. When I entered theological college as an adult, I was relieved when my studies provided the foundations over which my beliefs had already been floating: the Bible was a collection of stories which, as you’ve noted in your question, were written by many different people over millennia; God was a concept we needed to wrestle with as we formulated our own truths; and Jesus was a man who lived a long time ago and taught us some challenging and interesting things, but wasn’t perfect. Her best-selling books include With or Without God: Why The Way We Live is More Important Than What We Believe, and Amen: What Prayer Can Mean in a World Beyond Belief. But that’s because the only early writers tended to be either state actors or religious leaders. Why is the Bible important? The Christian Bible has two sections, the Old Testament and the New Testament. These writings represent the foundation of knowledge, wisdom, and revelation from this … jQuery.noConflict(); The Bible’s influence is not limited to Christians; Jews and Muslims also consider the Bible to be a sacred text. //jQuery('#submit-action').attr('href','/paupress/?rel=pauContent&pau_type='+thisact); They were, in a sense, secretaries of the Eternal. } 29 Answers. . Biblical Texts Notes Review. The apostle Paul tells us in 2Timothy 3:16 - 17 that the purpose of the Bible is multi-faceted. The Bible is holy because God himself has consecrated its words. The Bible writers developed a Mafia way of telling people under their control to OBEY their Priestly/Preachers in all things. Sacred describes something that is dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; considered worthy of spiritual respect or devotion; or inspires awe or reverence among believers. Fosdick Dr. NW #80 Why is the Bible sacred? The Early Church Fathers predicted that Christianity in general wouldn't mind the lack of a direct face to face contact with “God” like Moses did as long as they have access to an exclusive book about God. The Bible is also, amazingly, not meant to be a comprehensive record of Jesus' entire life and ministry, as the apostle John wrote that there were MANY miracles, works and pieces of information regarding Christ he choose not to include (John 21:25). According to The Guinness Book of World Records, since 1815 the Bible has sold approximately 2.5 billion copies and has been translated into more than 2,200 languages or dialects. It is God-breathed as 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says,“Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Jesus Christ is holy and He is also the Word and the Word was God and the Word is God (John 1). Relevance. In the Bible, we learn enough about a world that is sin-cursed to know that Jesus is bringing us a new world. The Bible is both the foundation test of the Christian faith and one of the key documents of human civilisation. Other terms for the Bible are the Holy Scriptures, Holy Writ, Scripture, or the Scriptures, which means "sacred writings." The Rev. Few, these days, would be comfortable hearing me identify as a Christian, and I don’t do it publicly very often. My Sunday School curriculum taught me that God was love and Jesus was this cool guy who taught us that we needed to love one another. 1 decade ago. The Bible may be called the notebook of the Church, and she has always claimed to be the guardian, exponent, and interpreter of it. Only those who are declared righteous are allowed to enter th… I am so grateful for his efforts there and for the gift and permission he has given to me to do so as well. 5.) This page no longer exists. The Psalmist says that it is “a lamp to my feet and a light to my path”(Psalm 119:105). They were, in a sense, secretaries of the Eternal. Why is the Bible sacred? The Bible is influential because it is the world’s bestselling book, breaking all records known to man. The Bible contains the sacred scriptures of Judaism and Christianity and has long been the most available, familiar, and dependable source and arbiter of intellectual, moral, and spiritual ideals in the West. It leads us to be a perfect man or woman who has the ability to fill their lives with good works. This unique book reveals things that we could never find out otherwise. It’s like a compendium of authors writing over a thousand years. But I’m also an atheist. God is holy and tells us that we too must be holy. But that’s because the only early writers tended to be either state actors or religious leaders. About the Author Often the source of the works is worshipped as god or God. As a teenager, I delighted in the psychedelic “Live Love” stickers and adorned my school binders with them. Traditionally, both Catholics and Protestant Christians believe that the Bible is God-breathed, meaning that God spoke his word to Man, and Man recorded it in scripture. Andre. The Old Testament is the original Hebrew Bible, the sacred scriptures of … One of the reasons I wanted to reread his book was to see if I could get a different viewpoint on being a Christian within the “church.” I am still flummoxed as to why Bishop Spong is a Christian. 1 decade ago. FREE SHIPPING AUSTRALIA WIDE Sacred Scripture, Sacred War by James P. Byrd The American colonists who took up arms against the British fought in defense of the sacred cause of liberty. window.location.replace('https://progressivechristianity.org/paupress/?rel=pauContent&pau_type='+thisact); Jack’s world is informed, as is mine, by those stories. It's been proven to be a book of stories yet people still hold it sacred. anything he sanctifies or dedicates is also designated as such. What does it mean to describe a Sacred … 16 Bible Verses about Sacred Places ... For they also built for themselves high places and sacred pillars and Asherim on every high hill and beneath every luxuriant tree. The literature and the Bible 4. © 2021 ProgressiveChristianity.org, American Jesus: How the Son of God Became a National Icon, Archaeology and the Galilean Jesus: A Re-examination of the Evidence, Find Faith Communities Using A Joyful Path, Bishop Spong Newsletter – Progressing Spirit, Advertising on ProgressiveChristianity.org. jQuery(document).on('change', '#submission-action', function(){ Verse Concepts. It must also be complete within itself. God's holy Bible imparts true knowledge to those who seek to understand it and the means by which reconciliation can occur through Jesus Christ. All its books, though written by several imperfect people over a time period of more than 1,500 years, were directly inspired by the Almighty. They vary greatly in form, volume, age, and degree of sacredness, but their common attribute is that their words are regarded by the devout as sacred. “Now, a good part of the New Testament was not written in his boyhood: Some of the Catholic epistles were not writt… What does inspired mean? Look at the conversion of St. Augustine, for example. Gretta Vosper is a United Church of Canada minister who is an atheist. It's most holy and he has given it to you so that you may bear the punishment for the iniquity of the entire congregation and make atonement for them in the LORD's presence. And I have been an atheist for most of my life, though I didn’t claim the term until several years ago. It teaches us sound doctrine, reveals our faults, flaws and sins, corrects us and then instructs us how we should live our lives. In the Bible, we have enough to know who God is, what he has done, what he is going to do, and that he forgives and loves us right now. Beyond its two main sections--the Old and New Testament--the Bible contains several more divisions: the Pentateuch , the Historical Books , the Poetry and Wisdom Books , the books of Prophecy , the Gospels , and the Epistles . In the final analysis, the Bible is justifiably called holy (2Timothy 3:15) because it reveals divine spiritual knowledge directly from our perfect and loving Creator. What is the first rule to understand the Bible as literature? The Apostle [Paul] requires the aid of Tradition (2 Thess. The Bible has changed many, many lives and has powerfully impacted the course of Western civilization. The stories bring us back to face and accept those truths in our own lives. It’s like a compendium of authors writing over a thousand years. var thisact = jQuery('#submission-action').val(); The Bible is primary sacred text of Christianity. She has also published three books of poetry and prayers. It should be noted that the Bible is not, and makes no claim to be, a comprehensive work of history (either religious or secular) or even of the lives of those found within its pages (e.g. But three-quarters of the Christian 'Holy Bible' read around the globe in over 500 languages is in fact the Hebrew Bible… Seller: the_nile (1,096,841) 99.1%, Location: Sydney, Ships to: Worldwide, Item: 143579063319 Sacred Scripture, Sacred War: The Bible and the American Revolution by James P. . Awe and wonder, conviction and repentance, gratitude and appreciation, sorrow, lament, and need: all these are human truths and human realities. Scripture, also called sacred scripture, the revered texts, or Holy Writ, of the world’s religions. For decades now, he has looked beneath them and worked to untangle the threads that have held them together. The Bible is holy because God himself has consecrated its words. Send us your: ResourceEventNewsIdeasnow 2.) 2 The Bible is the Story of our Hero. But further, the rejection of the Bible has come directly from the claim of heretics to make it the sole rule of faith. Because it is Gods word. 2:15). Pinging is currently not allowed. What does inerrant mean with respect to the Sacred Scriptures? Text and community 3. In the King James translation, the Old Testament books are called "the scriptures" (John 5:39, Romans 15:4), the 'holy scriptures' (2Timothy 3:15, Romans 1:2) and the 'oracles of God' (Hebrews 5:12, Romans 3:2). 4810 Pt. 4.) jQuery('#submit-action').attr('href','/paupress/?rel=pauContent&pau_type='+thisact); The Bible is a gift from God, one for which we can be truly grateful. Lv 7. That is why the Bible is still functional today! Please Donate Now. The Bible does speak of those who are “set apart” (“sanctified”) for special use. }); Join thousands of others like you who are contributing their voice to Progressive Christianity and list your church, organization or yourself in our global directory. 1 0. princess1981t20. Moreover, the Apostle here refers to the scriptures which Timothy was taught in his infancy. Deuteronomy 12:5. A Place For God's Name Houses. } What does it mean to say the Bible is literature? You see, I am a Christian, too. jQuery(document).ready(function(){ It shows us how to live with purpose and compassion. In a sense, yes. The primary sacred text of Christianity is the Bible, and Biblical scripture is the foundation for all Christian beliefs. Others treat it with great respect, but believe that it was written by human beings and, as such is a complex, often contradictory document. I am still searching. The very word for “church” in the New Testament, ekklesia, means “a called-out assembly.” The people who comprise the church are “sacred”; that is, they are called out of the world and set apart for God. And at the end of his work, he has, every time, grasped the one thread that was worthy of you and me and humanity and lifted it up, offering it to us to hold and use as we will. As a non-profit ProgressiveChristianity.org relies heavily on the good will of donors to continue bringing individuals and churches – FREE OF COST – the resources and tools needed to further the vision of progressive Christians. Over the course of our history, in every corner of the world, we’ve sought solace and encouragement, meaning and destiny. The Bible is considered a sacred text by three major world religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. However we must keep in mind people have a hard time making change, when 'the book' was first introduced it wasn't an overnight success. Many devout believers consider it to be the literal truth. In the New Testament, the word comes from hagios (Strong's #G40), which means something that is pure, blameless or consecrated. The other reason I read the book was that I started out as a Billy Graham=born-again Presbyterian, moved into atheism, then pantheism, and recently back as an atheist. Different denominations also pay additional attention to tradition. Since the Bible is God speaking to us, it is therefore holy because God Himself is Holy. If someone could assist me in explaining rationally what makes Bishop Spong a Christian, I would be very grateful. Sacred words differ from ordinary words in that they are believed either to possess and convey spiritual and … It contains information directly inspired by God that humans could never discover on their own. Something designated as being holy must be dedicated to being blameless or pure. He appears to be more of a humanist (non-capitalized). All its books, though written by several imperfect people over a time period of more than 1,500 years, were directly inspired by the Almighty. Answer: What few people realize is that the English phrase "Holy Bible" does not occur anywhere in the KJV translation. . "Why didn't you eat the sin offering at the sacred place? 1 book many would choose as a desert island companion. He calls himself a Christian because he lives his life through the stories to which his life was and remains bound. The Bible is sufficient: we can trust it because the God who wrote it is trustworthy. If you think of how there are 2 billion Christians, 14 million Jews and 1.3 billion Muslims, that means that more than ha… The stories of Christianity, indeed the stories of all religions, are woven and wrapped around human truths; it isn’t the other way ‘round, as many religions continue to proclaim. */ Elohim wrote it. The Bible is also holy because it was written by men under the direction and influence of the Holy Spirit. It's a much more complicated question than it first appears. } else { Sacred Scripture is the soul of theology and of pastoral preaching. John 14:26 ESV / 20 helpful votes. The Christian Bible is made of two parts: the Old Testament, which is almost identical to the Jewish Bible; and the New Testament, a collection of Christian writings that includes biographies of Jesus and the apostles, letters to new churches, and an apocalyptic work. United States It does not answer all the questions we might have, but enough of them. We’ve done it through the tools our religions have handed us, simply because they were there for that use. The Scriptures are important because they tell us all we need to … Why should people study Sacred Scripture? I understand your confusion around Bishop Spong’s claim to be a Christian and hope that I can help you lay the quandary aside. No one has the answers. The New Testament in the Bible refers to the Old Testament writings in several ways. The Bible as living classic and sacred text 2. It’s the all-time best-seller, and the No. var thisact = jQuery('#submission-action').val(); Ultimately, these scriptures are considered sacred by Christians due to their experience with it over the many centuries since these books were authored and initially circulated. . Abraham, David, etc.). To be pure or blameless, the thing, place or Being must be perfect and without any flaws. 3.) The Bible also tells us how we can have eternal life. It encourages us to rely on God for strength, direction, and enjoy his love for us. Support our mission with a tax-deductible donation! None of us are. Such responses are based on a heady combination of perceptions of the Bible as a sacred text and literature as an art form. In the Old Testament the word "holy," found at least 430 times in the KJV Bible, is primarily translated from either the Hebrew qodesh (Strong's #H6944), or qadosh (#H6918). The Bible is so important to Christians because they believe that it transmits God's ideas to human beings. He wrote: “It is quite evident that this passage furnishes no argument whatever that the sacred Scripture, without Tradition, is the sole rule of faith; for, although sacred Scripture is profitable for these four ends, still it is not said to be sufficient. They believe there needs to be a defining line: you’re this or you’re that; you cannot be both. My Christian upbringing was decidedly in the camp yours would have dismissed or maligned as unChristian or heretical. Since God is holy (1Samuel 2:2, etc.) /* These mean something that is sacred, sanctified or consecrated. if ( '' != thisact ) { It does seems a little churlish though, to claim the Bible is not literature, assuming one accepts the premise that literature tells a good story, has beautiful phrasing of language, depth of meaning, invokes an emotional response, and offers insight into the human condition. 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