Bible Question:
I thank Prayon for his response to my question as I first stated it. However after rereading what I wrote I feel I need to restate my orignal question in way that will lead to a more open discussion. I have heard many men explain that a particular Biblical doctrine or teaching doesn’t apply today because the writer was responding to “thus and such”. Or "this" isn’t for today because it is addressing a custom of the time that is no longer in effect. In light of the above statement will someone explain to me why God, would allow the inclusion, into the Bible, of doctrine, precepts, statutes, ordinances, or commandments that would become invalid or outmoded because of changing customs or social trends? Or why God would allow the human writer’s bias or prejudices to contaminate the writing? |
Bible Answer: Dear EdB: Thank you for your question. I will do my best to answer it. You ask: ". . . explain to me why God, would allow the inclusion, into the Bible, of doctrine, precepts, statutes, ordinances, or commandments that would become invalid or outmoded because of changing customs or social trends?" My answer: God had the authority to add or even change in one era what He had given in another. What God revealed as binding in one period may be rescinded in another, not by man but by God Himself. There are but few basic principles of Bible interpretation. What follows is one of those principles. "Recognize the progress of revelation. Remember that the Bible was not handed down all at once as a complete book but that it came from God through many different writers over a period of about 1,600 years. This means that in the progress of revealing His message to man, God may add or even change in one era what He had given in another. "The New Testament adds much that was not revealed in the Old. Furthermore, what God revealed as binding in one period may be rescinded in another (as the prohibition of eating pork, once binding on God's people, has been lifted today, 1 Tim 4:3). This is most important; otherwise, the Bible would contain apparently unresolvable contradictions (as Matt 10:5-7 compared with 28:18-20)" (pp. 1959-1960, Ryrie Study Bible, Moody, 1976, 1978). |