17 Nov, 2009
Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiip
Details.com recently had a Q&A session with Lord of the Rings star, Sir Ian McKellen. A portion of that interview included the following question and answer with the openly homosexual actor:
Details: Is it true that when you stay at hotels you tear out the Bible page that condemns homosexuality?
Ian McKellen: I do, absolutely. I'm not proudly defacing the book, but it's a choice between removing that page and throwing away the whole Bible.
In another article from August 28, 2007, on contactmusic.com, it is noted that McKellen, a longtime campaigner for gay rights, accepts he shouldn't vandalize the Bible, but finds it difficult to contain his outrage at the contents of Leviticus 20:13 when he spots the holy book in hotels. MCKellen says, "It's the one thing I find difficult to defend but do go on doing." The Leviticus 20:13 passage reads: "If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination..."
Revelation 22:18-19 [NIV]
I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
II Timothy 4:2-4
Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
What does God's Story have to say about ignoring parts of His Word?
Sir Ian McKellen is not alone in his struggle with the words that God has placed in His authoritative Word. Mark Twain once said, "It's not the things in the Bible that I don't understand that worry me, it's the things that I do."
God's word is clear. It has been written by God and we are not to add to it or take anything away from it. We are to live by all of it...not just by the parts that comfortably fit our lives.
This world is getting increasingly further from God's design for our lives. There are more and more people who are "turning aside to myths". Most are not bold enough to actually physically rip out the parts of the Bible they don't like, but many are doing so by the way they live...by simply obeying the parts they like and ignoring the parts they don't.
We, as Christ-followers, need to stand (lovingly and gently) for the Truth in His Word. This is needed from us now more than ever!
Connecting today's story and God's Story with my story
Though the Bible offers a lot of encouragement, direction, wisdom, peace, advice and many other wonderful benefits...there are definitely parts that are difficult. The reason they are difficult is because we simply don't want to obey them! We eventually arrive at the point where we run into a verse that goes against either how we have been living or how we want to live.
At that point we need to decide...do we submit and shape our lives to what the Bible says...or do we shape the Bible to our lives...maybe even by ripping out the pages we don't like?!?
The answer is simple. If something needs to change, it is us...not His eternal and perfect Word.
So how about us? Are there parts of the Bible we have been ignoring? Have we found ways to justify lying to our parents, gossiping about our friends or looking at impure images? (And that is just to name a few.)
Spend time today asking God to show you what parts of His Word you have been "ripping out" through your lifestyle. It won't be easy at all, but it's always worth it to get our lives lined up with the Truth.
Connecting today's story, God's Story and my story with their story
- PLEASE remember that though we are to "correct, rebuke and encourage" others with the Word of God, we are to do this with great patience and careful instruction. If you feel like God wants you to share a bit of truth with a friend, ask Him to help you do so with great respect and gentleness.
- One of the best ways we can communicate Truth is by living it...all of it! When we consistently live it out, others will be drawn to the Truth...even the hard parts.
- May 2012 [14]
- April 2012 [19]
- March 2012 [21]
- February 2012 [19]
- January 2012 [18]
- December 2011 [20]
- November 2011 [15]
- October 2011 [15]
- September 2011 [14]
- August 2011 [22]
- July 2011 [19]
- June 2011 [21]
- May 2011 [20]
- April 2011 [20]
- March 2011 [21]
- February 2011 [20]
- January 2011 [21]
- December 2010 [21]
- November 2010 [21]
- October 2010 [21]
- September 2010 [22]
- August 2010 [21]
- July 2010 [22]
- June 2010 [20]
- May 2010 [18]
- April 2010 [20]
- March 2010 [23]
- February 2010 [19]
- January 2010 [22]
- December 2009 [22]
- November 2009 [21]
- October 2009 [22]
- September 2009 [21]
- August 2009 [20]
- July 2009 [21]
- June 2009 [22]
- May 2009 [18]
- April 2009 [15]
- March 2009 [7]
- February 2009 [17]
- January 2009 [20]
- December 2008 [23]
- November 2008 [19]
- October 2008 [22]
- September 2008 [22]
- August 2008 [19]
- July 2008 [22]
- June 2008 [11]
- May 2008 [19]
- April 2008 [22]
- March 2008 [21]
- February 2008 [18]
- January 2008 [20]
- December 2007 [18]
- November 2007 [15]
- October 2007 [19]
- September 2007 [18]
- August 2007 [12]
- July 2007 [12]
- June 2007 [9]
- May 2007 [11]
- April 2007 [10]
- March 2007 [11]
- February 2007 [14]
- January 2007 [7]
- December 2006 [4]
- November 2006 [13]
- October 2006 [17]
- September 2006 [11]
- August 2006 [16]
- July 2006 [10]
- June 2006 [3]
