Let It Be

As a self-proclaimed Bible geek, I read a lot of theological non-fiction from Old and New Testament scholars. Recently, I came across this great piece of advice from one of my favorite writers, Dr. Michael Heiser: “Let the Bible be what it is.” That’s a simple sentence, but it packs a powerful punch, clearing a path through so many of the difficulties we bring to the text of Scripture. And it strikes me as exactly what Jesus did.

When asked about the future resurrection of the saints, Jesus took the Old Testament at face value, “But about the resurrection of the dead—have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living” (Matthew 22:31-32).

Jesus knew the Bible and used it to defend against false doctrine. While you and I might not be confronted by questions about the resurrection, the Bible speaks plainly on many hot-button topics. For example, when it comes to evolution, the Bible says God created human beings with special care (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:7). Regarding abortion, God’s Word says the Lord cares for babies in the womb (Psalm 139:13). And when it comes to the most important issue at all, the Bible plainly teaches that God loves us and sent His Son to die for us so that we might have life (John 3:16).

The Bible “is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). We just have to let it be what it is: God’s Word.