How can we take the Bible at its word when it seems to condone slavery and other acts?

Continuing my posts on the recent protests against Chik-fil-A...

In discussing what the Bible says on homosexuality, I've come across many who have a misconception of what the Bible does and does not approve of. Let me lay a few summarized things out, then, for clarification.

Polygamy was never condoned by God, and the Bible states that God created man and woman, not man and woman and woman and woman. That doesn't mean people didn't practice it, though. But God used the weaknesses of man to bring about His will in spite of man's rebellion.

The Bible does not condone slavery, either. The New Testament does give advice to those in slavery to help them find some happiness and contentment within their obviously evil circumstances. But slavery is never said to be good, right, or permissible.

Similarly, bestiality, incest and rape are things that happen the the Biblical accounts, but the Bible and God never support them. Quite the opposite.

1 Cor 6 - "8 No, you yourselves do wrong and cheat, and you do these things to your brethren! 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals,[a] nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God." Also check out Leviticus 18: 6-18 and 1 Timothy 1:9-10.

I’ve done my research, as have many atheists who have become Christians. I’m not going to base my political position on the gay marriage issue on my Christian beliefs alone. But when it comes to the Bible, the research has led me to believe it is all true. And if it is all true, I cannot go against it moral truths/statements, no matter how much I want to.

Searching out God's truth

Salvation is simple. But once you are saved, you should not and cannot stay in one place. We are meant for better things. That's why I stay away from feel-good pastors like Joel Osteen and search for teachers who will lead me deep into God's word, which I also read regularly, expecting that the Holy Spirit will lead me to God's truth through these efforts.

I guess I have a hard time understanding why a Christian would not be concerned with spiritual growth. Or, like a friend of mine, how someone can be concerned with only the feel good spiritual discussions. People seem too content with where they are - content to follow their leaders blindly, content to search out only what is beneficial to them. But we aren't called to live perfect, comfortable lives.

I was talking to a friend today, and somehow the subject of charismatic beliefs came up. I wanted to discuss speaking of tongues, which I believe no longer exist. She grew agitated and made it clear she did not even want to discuss it. I was not judging her or her beliefs. I stated that speaking of tongues is not an essential doctrine - that it plays no role in whether or not we are truly saved, and I asked her why she believed in the speaking of tongues in modern day context. Throwing me aside, she replied that it was the way she was brought up and that she had experienced speaking of tongues. She also said that there were some verses in the Bible that mentioned it, but gave no specifics, nor was she willing to discuss the context of those verses. And she knew from past discussions that I was open to the idea of speaking of tongues.

My friend is a very "spiritual" person, in the Christian sense of the word, so it surprised me that she was so unwilling to merely discuss. In this case, she depended on what she's been taught and what she has experienced rather on the Word of God - rather than seeking answers herself.

Now, I know others who believe in the speaking of tongues who have done their research. Of course, those who believe doctrines more clearly disagreeing with the Bible have also done their homework (you can convince yourself of anything if all that matters is justifying yourself). But in this post, in the simpler part of the issue, I ask, why wouldn't you test things according to Scripture? Why wouldn't you seek to grow in your relationship with Christ?

How much do you hunger for God's truth? How deep do you go in your studies? Are you willing to read the Bible for yourself? And are you willing to test life's experiences and teachers' claims with Scripture?

Simplicity in faith is important, but how important are the steps we take afterward? Is our willingness to learn and our study of the Scripture just as important?

Does Absolute Truth Exist?

What is the point of believing in an absolute truth if there is no way of knowing it?

I recently got into a debate on Facebook over sexual identity that led to a short discussion (short because the facilitator decided she did not want to discuss it) on absolute truth. I want to repeat here what I told her, and what I hope she read rather than brushing it off in disgust and arrogance. (Please note, this post's focus is on absolute truth, not on whether or not LGBT lifestyle is right or wrong or part of a gene or not.)

Basically, she said, "It is true nobody chooses their sexuality, and as a teacher, I have observed this, I know that I have, that kids are who they are. Period."

In response I wrote, "Truth is not always something that can be observed or concluded based on feelings - based on what we want for ourselves. If an absolute truth exists, and as a Christian I believe that it does exist, then that absolute truth is true regardless of what we desire, feel, want, or observe."

Her response: "If any of us decides what is absolute truth, then we are in essence making ourselves God."

Now we get to the meat of this post. What follows is my final response to what she wrote about absolute truth I've changed some of it (and the quotes above, as well) to protect her identity.

If you believe an absolute truth exists, and if you believe in the Bible and call yourself Christian, then you must be willing to stand up for the absolute truth presented in the Bible. I do recognize that there are plenty of people out there with arguments that say the Bible is OK with homosexuality, transgender, etc. Regardless, the Bible still exists as God's Word and our basis for moral absolutes.

I am not deciding for myself what is absolute truth, and I am not making myself God. As a Christian, I am restating God's absolute truths, which I believe in. By definition, a Christian is someone who believes that Jesus died for their sins to save them, that He is the only way to salvation, and that His absolute truth, which is presented in the Bible, is the absolute truth.

To say that we cannot take a stance on what is absolute truth without making ourselves to be God is basically to say that there is no way of knowing absolute truth, that absolute truth may not exist. And if we cannot know what absolute truth is, shouldn't we live our lives according to our own subjective morals (which, consequently, does lead to making up our own absolute truths and living by them).

So what is absolute truth? Can it exist? And can we believe in it and take a stance on what it is without making ourselves gods? As I stated above, I believe absolute truth does exist. I base my moral convictions on the absolute truth that the Bible presents. And I really don't see how one can believe in an absolute truth without taking a position on how that truth should apply to our own lives. I don't see how one can believe an absolute truth exists, but throw it aside in favor of what seems right to the individual just because that absolute truth does not make complete sense - just because that truth is not 100% evident to us or does not agree with the way we want things to be.