Is questioning the Bible wrong?

Answer

Honest questions are rarely incorrect, but the tone and timing can be. God welcomed sincere inquiries from His servants when they arose from a desire to please Him (Luke 1:34-38;Judges 6:12-18). Therefore, the response to this query depends on what is meant by “questioning the Bible.”

If “questioning the Bible” means that when we encounter something that appears implausible or contradictory, we begin to ask questions, then that can be a healthy reaction. When we approach the Bible as God’s infallible Word, conveyed through the hands of His trusted servants «For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.», (2 Peter 1:21), we are compelled to grapple with those questions out of a desire to deepen our understanding of God. God’s nature and ways surpass human comprehension. The Bible serves as God’s revelation to us about Himself and His interactions with humanity. However, a book cannot encapsulate all that He is. The Bible reveals to us as much of God as we are capable of grasping. Therefore, when students of the Bible encounter passages or words that raise questions, we either persist until we find the answers or we ultimately acknowledge, “Lord, this doesn’t seem right to me, but you are God. I am not. I trust you to always act rightly, and if I fail to comprehend this, it is my shortcoming, not yours.” In this sense, “questioning the Bible” is not inappropriate. On the contrary, it aids in our learning and growth. Many Christians have discovered that when they cease demanding an immediate answer, God eventually unveils it to them.

However, typically “questioning the Bible” implies that we believe we have identified an irreconcilable error and, as a result, we refuse to accord the Bible the respect it merits. When questioning the Bible places us inJudgment of the Bible is incorrect. For centuries, Satan has worked to undermine the Bible’s precision, dependability, and authority. He employs the same strategies he used on Eve in the Garden of Eden by whispering, “Did God really say . . . ?” «Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? », (Genesis 3:1). This challenge is most evident today with the rise of the LGBTQ agenda. There is a strong push to justify homosexuality, but this is impossible when the Bible is in its rightful place of authority. Therefore, people devise ways to circumvent God’s explicit prohibition of homosexual behavior (Genesis 19:1-13;Leviticus 18:22;Leviticus 20:13;Romans 1:26-27;1 Corinthians 6:9). They question the Bible’s authorship, particularly that of the apostle Paul, suggesting that people did not comprehend homosexuality at that time. They argue that ancient civilizations were not as knowledgeable or enlightened as we are today, and thus the Bible’s ethical standards are outdated. Churches and denominations are collapsing under this assault because, like the Jews in Jesus’ time, they “loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” «for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. », (John 12:43).

Another area where people question the Bible is its relevance. Many professing Christians affirm their belief in the Bible as God’s Word, but aside from some comforting psalms, they consider it no longer applicable to our culture. Some profess to read and cherish the Bible, yet their lifestyles suggest otherwise. “Times have changed,” they say. “God uUnderstands that the 21st century is more advanced, and some of those commandments just don’t apply to us now.” It is true that certain select portions of Scripture were for the Jews only during a specific era, but God Himself has not changed (Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8). His moral law has not changed (Ecclesiastes 3:14; Isaiah 46:9-11). God judged nations for the sins that some professing Christians now champion (Numbers 25:1-3; Deuteronomy 20:17-18; 1 Kings 14:24). It is not difficult for a sincere student of the Bible to differentiate between the ceremonial laws God gave to the Israelites and the moral law that He gave to everyone (Genesis 9:5-6). So the Bible is completely relevant for us and for every other culture and time period.

Questioning the Bible to learn more and deepen our understanding can be healthy. But questioning the Bible in defiance of God is rebellion that leads to eternal darkness. “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8). The Bible is God’s instruction book for His human creations. When we reject or challenge its authority or relevance, we are closing the door on the only sure source of wisdom (James 1:5; John 17:17).