Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 10/27/2004

Question
My name is esther. I was broght up to be a christan by my family. i believe in god but i not nesseraily agree with what the bible says. i have noticed that christians are offen very narrow minded and don't except homosexualy etc. is it alright if i make up my own mind about things and not believe what the bible tell me completly?  

Answer
Hi Esther,

Thanks for this great question.  It is a free country!  You can believe or reject what you want to....but that will not make you correct.  It all depends upon your center of trust.  It seems greatly inconsistant to believe part of the Bible because of its divine source, but then reject other parts of the Bible.  What you do is elevate your own reasoning above a book that you claim is partly divine.  How can you tell what parts to believe and what parts to reject?  You then, are taking the place of ultimate authority.  Now let us examine what the Bible says about this concept.

1.  All Scripture is inspired, or "God- Breathed"

2 Timothy 3:16
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

2.  Scripture has been perfectly preserved.

Psalm 12:6-7
6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.  
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

3.  Human reasoning is flawed.

Proverbs 14:12
12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Jeremiah 17:9
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Colossians 2:8
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.   
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

1 Corinthians 2:14
14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

Isaiah 55:8-11
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
The King James Version, (Cambridge: Cambridge) 1769.

So you see.... it makes more logical sense to either accept all of the Bible as the perfect and infallible source of truth, or reject it completely.  

If you have trouble over certain things that the Bible teaches, I would be honored if you would ask questions...I may be able to clarify some things.

I hope this has been a help.

In Christ,
Pastor Don