Last Monday, the Colorado Supreme Court threw out a sentence fixed by the jury in a kidnap-rape-murder case because some of the jurors referred to the Bible for guidance! The murderer’s defense attorneys appealed when they heard that Bible verses had been copied down and shared between members of the jury who might have allowed this to influence them in imposing the death penalty. Barry Lynn, director of Americans United for separation of Church and State, and himself minister of a denomination, holds that it is clearly wrong for jurors to study materials brought in from outside the courtroom. Lynn says that this case demonstrates that “in the US, unlike Iran, we do not turn religious law into civil law and just apply it.” Needless to say, the denomination of which he is a leader does not hold Scripture in high regard and flouts its commands in many ways.
A technicality has been used as a means to raise objections to the Bible and its influence on mankind. When a juror brings into the jury room a book which forms the basis of his moral judgment, it is immaterial whether he brings it in printed form or carries it in his head. The minority opinion in the Colorado Supreme Court made the point that the Bible passages used by the jurors were part of their religious and moral training and were relevant to the decision they were charged with making. But, as Bill Owens the Governor of Colorado says, the ruling is “demeaning to people of faith and prevents justice from being served.”
What is our stand on the Bible? We believe in its plenary verbal inspiration and hold that it is God’s word. There are many reasons for this—the Bible repeatedly makes the claim that it records the commands of God by prefixing them with the statement: “Thus says the Lord.” Then the claim to inspiration is made in 2 Timothy 3:16 in the words: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” Peter tells us that the sufferings of Christ have been announced “through those who preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven — things into which angels long to look” (1 Peter 1:12). Inspiration again!
What should be our response to the Bible? Since it is God’s word, it is up to us to obey its precepts and commands, among which are those which tell us what to do to be saved. We need to believe because “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). We need to repent of our sins because “unless you repent, you will all ... perish (Luke 13:3). We need to be willing to make a confession of our belief in Jesus because He says, “Everyone therefore who shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32). We need to be baptized because that was the command given in response to the cry: “What shall we do?” The apostle’s reply to that call was “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).
Then, as we continue in our Christian lives we must “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering … and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:23-25) As we grow in Christ we’ll also want to be involved in a continuing process of sharing the good news of salvation with our neighbors, teaching them the way of salvation that is outlined above.
Let us, then, stimulate one another to love and good deeds using, without shame, the Book on which our moral codes have been founded.