by Rev. Rich Braaksma
Statement Against Heterosexual Marriages Only
Statement
Rev. Braaksma takes the position that the Bible is not a rule book. Rather, it’s purpose is to teach us who God is.
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Response
It is certainly possible for us to get caught up in all kinds of rules and lists of do’s and don’ts. The Pharisees were noted for this, and the term to be a Pharisee is well-known today. Legalism is a serious threat.
Jeremiah 9:23-24 reads, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.’”
However, we must ask ourselves, is this an either/or matter? Is the Bible only one or the other? A very quick search of the Bible for rules or commands yields the following results.
King David, a man after God’s own heart, wrote in Psalm 19:7-9 (bold added):
The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the Lord is clean,
enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether.
This Psalm speaks very highly of God’s rules, commandments, precepts and law. In other passages we read the following:
Matthew 19:17 If you would enter life, keep the commandments.
John 14:21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”
John 15:10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.
Romans 7:12 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.
I Corinthians 14:37 If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord.
I Timothy 4:11Command and teach these things.
I John 2:3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.
I John 2:4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him . . .
I John 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.
I John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.
Revelation 14:12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.
These twelve passages, and there are many more, teach that there is a very close connection between knowing God and keeping His commandments. How can it be said, in the light of these passages direct from the Bible, that the Bible is not a book that contains rules? Isn’t that precisely what these passages teach us?
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