The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: A Closer Look at the Weird and Wild Parts of the Bible预览

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

No book has sold more copies, been stolen more times, inspired more faith, changed more lives, and created more questions than the Bible. Some people will tell you the Bible is the greatest work of literature ever compiled. Others will tell you it’s nothing more than a work of fiction claiming to be fact. Some will tell you it changed their life. Others will tell you it’s the reason they stopped believing in God.

A. A. Milne, the guy who wrote the Winnie-the-Pooh books, said, “The Old Testament is responsible for more atheism, agnosticism, disbelief—call it what you will—than any book ever written …”

The king and poet David described the Bible this way: The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. … The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. … They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey …” (Psalm 19:7, 8, 10 NIV).

Ready for a couple of hot takes about the Bible? Here’s the first one:

Hot Take #1 — What we believe about the Bible is almost entirely based on what we believe about the God of the Bible.

For example, if you don’t believe the God of the Bible exists, then there’s no way you’re going to believe the Bible is His inspired Word, designed to teach us the truth about Him, what it means to be human, and how we’re meant to live as His creation.

Maybe you do believe God exists, but you’re not convinced He’s all that good or loving or kind. If that’s the case, then chances are pretty good that, for you, the more difficult and unsettling parts of the Bible will become evidence against His goodness.

But, if you actually believe that God is good, that He loves you, and that He wants you to have life and life to the full, then you will begin to see that even the difficult parts of the Bible, when read wisely, add greater depth and beauty to His character.

Which brings us to our second hot take. Are you ready for it?

Hot Take #2 — The Bible is hard to read because most people haven’t put in the work to learn how to read it.

Don’t misunderstand! We’re not saying the Bible is the easiest book to read, but at the same time, the difficulty level of reading the Bible is often hugely overstated.

Think about it like learning math. When all you’ve learned is addition and subtraction, multiplication and division can seem really confusing. But, once you’ve learned how it works, it starts to make sense. Then, algebra adds a whole new layer of complexity by throwing the alphabet into the equation. But, over time, with enough practice and diligence, you begin to master the basics of this type of math. Eventually, you move on to geometry, where shapes are thrown in for good measure. And while it can be difficult and confusing at first, after enough practice, the pieces start coming together and it all makes sense.

That’s exactly what reading the Bible is like. It’s a skill set that, without practice, is difficult. But, with practice and dedication, your ability to read, understand, and apply the truth of Scripture develops to the point that it starts to feel natural.

Our goal with this Bible Plan is to help you master the “math” of the Bible so that you can see for yourself the wisdom and beauty on every page. And what better way to do this than by diving headfirst into the weird and wild parts of the Bible—the parts that most often trip us up and leave us scratching our heads.

Don’t worry, though. We’re going to guide you every step of the way to help you see how every part of the Bible and every part of your life—the good parts, the bad parts, and the ugly parts—all work together to reveal the goodness of God and the brilliance of the story He is writing.

God, help me to take You and Your words seriously. I want to follow You more faithfully. Give me the wisdom to understand what You’re wanting to teach me and the discipline to keep making time with You a priority. In Jesus’ name, amen.