I believe in the Bible

What do I believe about the bible? I believe it is the inspired word of God. Not the dictated word of God. I believe it consists of different kinds of writings - history, poetry, motivational talks, theological debate etc- and should not always be taken literally in the same way that the decorative trim on a bridge is not meant to take the full load. I like the analogy that Nicky Gumble gives. God inspired the bible, but he didn't write it. Sir Christopher Wren designed St Paul's Cathedral. It took him a very long time. Nothing was done in the building process that was not part of his plan. Yet in all those many years, he never laid hands on one stone or lifted one beam. Other people did that. He was the designer. I believe that God is the designer of the bible but people wrote it. In their humanness they might have inserted something of themselves in it. For instance the writings of Luke show more of a scientific mind while John goes for deeper meanings and symbolism.

I believe that the choosing of the Canon (the books that were to be included in the bible) was under the guidance of the Holy Spirit even though comittees and councils did the actual work and recording. Comittees never wrote books of the bible - they decided from all the writings available what would be included in the bible and what would be left out.

I don't see a conflict between the bible and science. The bible teaches that God made everything (very few scientist really believe that everything came about by chance) and that he set up the laws and rules of the universe. Man has broken his rules. The Old Testament is an account of how God made a Covenant with His people but they always broke the terms of the contract. I have an open mind as to whether the world was created in seven days or seven periods of time. It does not matter. The world was created. It is. That is the important thing.

The New Testament is much easier to read but it has more meaning in the light of the Old Testament. I believe the accounts of Jesus on earth are historically correct and I believe in the miracles as they are set down. The parables on the other hand were just that - illustrative stories from every day life to impart a spiritual truth. The letters were just that - letters from a Spirit-guided church leader/founder to various churches relevant to the times and situations they found themselves in. Revelation is a deep symbolic book and different people have different ideas about the various symbols. The basic thrust however is that God is on the throne, this world as we know it is going to end traumatically (that's what scientists and environmentalists tell us too) and that Christ will come again and gather his people into a new world/life where there will be no more death, disease, sadness or evil.

I believe in the words of Paul to Timothy, "All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the woman of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." I also believe that the bible is a very powerful way in which God communicates with us. How often hasn't a verse come alive to me, speaking straight into the situation in which I found myself even though it was written to somebody else nearly two thousand or more years ago. It is not the only way God communicates with us, but other forms of communication, especially dreams, visions, prophesies, words of knowledge, should always be checked against scripture because God will not contradict Himself and it is so easy for us humans to get it wrong or to misinterpret what God is trying to get through to us.
I believe the bible is God's written communication with us, like love letters, instruction manuals, inspirational thoughts, and that if we want to get to know God better, we need to get to know the bible better.