Bible Question: Your forcing me into a corner I didn't want to go into, but that's okay. Let's take the Book of First and Second Corinthians, we know Paul was trying to correct problems within the church of Corinth. In some cases it is clear there was a unique problem with a specific solution. In other cases the specific problem, is not spelled out yet there is a specific precept or statute given. Many men rationalize what the problem or custom was and then say this precept or statute applies only in that situation. Should this be done? Should we look as some parts of the Bible as merely history and unless we are repeating that history they do not apply to us? |
Bible Answer: I'm not trying to put you into a corner, but it is a broad question that you ask. The Bible is always authoratative, and always literally true. I think that we always have to ask those questions, but we must be careful what we are willing to fall on our swords about. If you are thinking about tongues or the role of women in the church then those are good questions. How we interpret them has to be done in the light of history and the broader, overarching concepts in scripture. None of it is "merely" history. All of it has purpose. Sometimes it is not so much doictrinal as it is illustrative. The church in Corinth serves as a blatant example of a church in chaos, a church lacking in discipline and order. God is a God of order and love. From that we can deduce good interpretations and applications which hopefully lead to good, fruitful practice. All of it applies to us, but some of it more specifically that others! |