[Is the Bad Stuff in the Bible Really God’s Word? by Steve Ham]

Remember those parts of your life you would rather forget about? I do. Yet whether we like it or not, those events happened. A wise man once told me, “You can never ‘should have.’” In other words, we don’t have any ability to redo what is already done. So after all is said and done, the truth is the truth, and there is nothing we can do to deny the truth.

God is a God of truth, and in His Word, we have a selected account of our history in this world. Sometimes, it’s not a very pretty history and we only have to read through a book like Judges to see that very quickly. While we acknowledge that the whole of Scripture is God’s Word, we must also recognize that not every statement is spoken by God; the Bible even quotes words that have been spoken by Satan. Satan does not get any credit for divine inspiration, but he is acknowledged in Scripture as a true player in history. The Bible also tells us that Satan will be a true player in the future when Christ will ultimately send him to eternal destruction (Revelation 20:10).

The Bible has accounts of Satan, sin, destruction, murder, etc. The Bible has lies as recorded in the account of Ananias and Sapphira when they lied about their giving (Acts 5:1–10). But these are all accurate records of what these people did and said. The Bible does not give us a sterilized history that has been changed for our listening ears, which is part of the testament of the Bible being trustworthy as the inspired Word of God. God has given us an account that can be trusted and makes sense in understanding the world we live in that has been ruined by sin. Yes, there really is bad stuff in God’s Word, but the bad stuff is an account of man’s actions in a fallen world—not a reflection of God’s perfect character. Despite any offence we may have with the full account of true history in the Bible, the Word of God remains good in that it is accurate, truthful, and reveals His awesome plan of salvation.   Is the Bad Stuff in the Bible Really God’s Word? Ham.  http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2010/06/07/bad-stuff-gods-word

Is an accurate account of what people said and did and endorsement of their behavior by God?  They say the Bible portrays people warts and all.  When we become aware of destroyed lives due to sin, does it give us pause in our own lives?  Do you study the Bible?  Are you getting to know God?  Do you have a sense of what to do and what not to do in your relationship with the Lord?  Do you have a healthy fear and reverence of him?  Would you say your relationship with him is: good, becoming distant, on the fritz? 

Response to comment [from a Christian]:  "My husband once said, long ago, that one of the reasons we...um...go to the bathroom...is so that we'd have no excuse in eternity to claim pride."

He can't be too far off.  There's even a Jewish prayer for the toilet. We are to be thankful for working body parts.  Let me reply to myself--TMI.

"It's God's gift, that daily dose of humility."

And don't we need it?

"It's funny now but, yeah, that really did rock my world a bit when I first heard him say that."

I hope TOLers will think of Jesus when they use the bathroom (I can hear the Brits here, "What you are going to do take a bath?" ).    Gratitude is a good thing.

"Try being proud on the toilet. Right. Not easy to do. Come to think of it I actually had occasion to attempt that once and, as I recall, I failed."

This topic deserves its own thread.  I get to talk about paint drying but maybe you could start one.

"And yet God calls us saints."

Isn't he good?  It's a good thing he does not give me the power of Elijah or I'd have called down fire to scorch and consume a few TOLers by now (2 Ki 1:12). He knows what he's doing (Heb 12:29).

"...[S]ainthood comes from God. It is of Him, from Him and we haven't any claim to it at all beyond it having been accounted to us. Green apple trots notwithstanding."

A good reminder (Mary C-holding-the-people-back). God bless you!

Is the Bad Stuff in the Bible Really God’s Word?