How Not To Read The Bible - Week 4
Often, during the Christmas Season, we are surrounded by those we love the most. And there’s something beautiful about that. But. If love is the highest Christian ethic, and loving everyone is the way that CHrist loved, then that’s a good deal more difficult. Jay Kim speaks about two ends of the spectrum of people who are challenging to love: one because it’s easy to forget about them (namely, the global poor and those in need) and the other because we don’t WANT to love them (our enemies).
Some of the most difficult and confusing passages of the entire Bible are what are called the “Holy War” texts - where God commands His people to go into battle and kill people. This is deeply troubling because it makes God seem like a moral monster - ordering the killing of babies and innocent bystanders. How can we make sense of these texts? And how do these texts reconcile with the idea of God being loving and good, as expressed in Jesus?
