Why I Agree with Newsweek

   

     The first Newsweek cover of 2015 created quite a stir, and rightfully so. Their article "The Bible: So Misunderstood It's a Sin" was a poor attempt by a secular mind in painting the Bible as unreliable, and Christians as unreasonable. Al Mohler correctly labeled it a "hit piece" against Christians.

     However, one early comment in the Newsweek story resonated with me as an American Christian. The article accused "self-proclaimed biblical literalists" as illiterate when it comes to the Bible. He points to a 2010 Pew Research poll that showed evangelicals ranked only slightly higher than atheists when it came to knowledge of the Bible. It echoes former American Bible Society CEO Lamar Vest in 2012:

"There are probably five Bibles on every shelf in American homes. Americans buy the Bible, they debate the Bible, they love the Bible...they just don't read the Bible."

     We aren't lacking Bibles, but biblical values as a result of our biblical illiteracy. This leaves us with "Christians" who support same-sex marriage and universalism. Their theology is bumper sticker deep, touting phrases like "God helps those who help themselves" while rarely allowing God's actual words to penetrate their hearts.

2 Timothy 3:16 testifies to our critical need for biblical literacy:
"All Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." 

     As a minister, I've encountered many people who "don't have time to read the Bible", even though it's downloaded on their phone. If you have time to play Angry Birds

                        you have time to read a chapter of the Bible.
                             (Ok, maybe don't start with Psalm 119)

     We cannot know the will of God apart from the Word of God. I ask you:

• Are you reading the Bible on a daily basis? 
• Are you taking time to revisit what you read throughout the day and considering what its truth means for you? 

We don't need more people to talk about how great the Bible is, but instead to read and learn the greatness of the Bible for themselves.