Pete Enns: Christians are not to trust in the Bible?

After writing “Analysis of Rachel Held Evan’s Book “Inspired” Part 1: Introduction” yesterday I noticed that Rachel Held Evans sees Peter Enns as a mentor.  I have written on Peter Enns before on our blog (see the link in the analysis to Evans’ book) but seeing his name again led me to look up Enns and I found he wrote a recent piece on his blog titled “How Can I Trust the Bible?” (You Might Be Asking)”

It is strange in a piece titled “How Can I trust the Bible?” his essay doesn’t answer that question but instead does the opposite.  Liberals need to quit the click bait inaccurate titles.

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Analysis of Rachel Held Evan’s Book “Inspired” Part 1: Introduction

I was asked by brother Alf to consider reading and offering my thoughts on liberal Rachel Held Evans’ book titled Inspired.  Usually I take a long time reading books I disagree with and posting about it on my blog since I want my critique to be accurate of their view, logically sound in my arguments and that what I say is true.

In an interview Rachel Held Evans said this about her male critics who are pastors and seminarians:

Actually they don’t criticize my hermeneutics or my exegesis. They just say, “This woman has no authority to write about the Bible.” They don’t even attempt to engage the arguments that I make, and that’s what irritates me.

(Source)

Note here she said they didn’t handle her hermenuetics, her exegesis nor her arguments but attack her as a woman.  In this post and future posts I won’t be attacking her as a woman.  I also think Rachel Held Evans’ statements about her detractors thus far shouldn’t be attributed to all those who disagree with her; that would not be fair.  I think thoughtful reviews of any books takes time, even responses to terrible books because it takes time to be fair and offer sound arguments against a book’s perspective.  Her book was released on June 12th, 2018 and her statement in that interview was on July 6th.  Sometimes in academia it takes months or even over a year before there’s a critique from the other side.  So for her to say no one who is a pastor and in seminary has critiqued her hermeneutics, exegesis and arguments is rather premature.  It’s also strikes me as a bit narcissistic for someone who is professing to write a book admitting she’s not a Bible scholar to think meaningful responses from pastors and those in seminary should be served right away (3 weeks) when others who are more serious scholars get their response much slower.

In this post I will offer my thoughts on the “Introduction” for the book.

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Bible Contradiction? Who sent the Holy Ghost?

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: Who sent the Holy Ghost?

Here are the two answers which the skeptic believes they indicate a Bible contradiction:

Jesus

“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me,” (John 15:26)

The Father

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;” (John 14:16)

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” (John 14:26)

(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)

Here’s a closer look at whether or not there is a contradiction:

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Review: Messiah in the Passover

Darrell Bock and Mitch Glaser. Messiah in the Passover.  Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, May 12th 2017. 384 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Kregel | Amazon

Have you ever wondered about how the Jewish Passover anticipate the Messiah?  Or perhaps you might wonder what is the connection between the Passover and the Lord’s Supper?  Or maybe you realized you simply don’t know anything about the Jewish Passover and you want to learn more about it and wonder what might be an available resource to learn more?  If so this is the book for you.

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Apologetics Sermon Illustration #47: Refuting Contradictions and Martial Arts Punch

GO TO PART 46

Point: When someone comes to you with an attack on the Bible where they say there is a Bible contradiction and they provide you with an example sometimes Christians can respond in a knee-jerk fashion of giving a haphazard answer where they are “winging it” in order to quickly defend the faith.  But sometimes the solution might not be adequate in that both the Christian defender and the skeptic attacker haven’t dealt with the passage properly.  How can you illustrate the importance of refuting an alleged Bible contradiction in a way that motivate Christians to go deeper?

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Good Christian Blogging in Apologetics and Theology is Hard Work

I believe good (biblical, clear to understand, logical and edifying) Christian Blogging in Apologetics and Theology is hard work.  Sometimes a daily post goes beyond the self-set deadline.  I have been spending a long time last night and this morning working on a post.  I will have to finish it later and schedule it for another time.

Yet I believe it is worth it; for God’s people desiring to grow.  For those who are not Christians using search engines looking for answers.  For those on social media to click on something that is sound and edifying to read in a world that is amusing itself to death.  And of course for the fellowship and friendship on here.

Got to run to my off line responsibilities for now!

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Bible Contradiction? Should we believe in unseen things?

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: Should we believe in unseen things?  This is an alleged contradiction which their website claim has no Christian answer yet.

Here are the two answers which the skeptic believes shows a Bible contradiction (skeptics’ comments included):

Yes.

That is the definition of faith.

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

Unseen things are the object of faith.

“while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)

Believers walk by faith, not by sight.

“for we walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7)

And they are saved by an unseen hope.

“For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?” (Romans 8:24)

Paul says that we should believe “all things,” which would include things that are not seen.

“bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:7)

To believe in God, you must believe that he exists, even though you’ve never seen him.

“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

Jesus praised people who believe in unseen things, calling them “blessed.”

“Jesus *said to him, ‘Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.’” (John 20:29)

No.

“Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind,” (Colossians 2:18)

(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)

Here’s a closer look at whether or not there is a contradiction:

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