Responding to an earlier editorial on capital punishment for the June 22nd issue of the Dallas Morning News was P.D. Sterling.
I find that the most important part of the Bible to me is the Gospels. Arcane texts pulled from prophets and epistles are clearly the work of human hands to me. In simplicity, I turn to Matthew 22:37-40, which says, in paraphrase, “Love God completely and love your neighbor as yourself.” This rule leaves little room for weighing the value of others in society (4J).
Obviously, the writer was more concerned about expressing his/her views concerning the Bible than responding to the discussion of capital punishment. Apparently, this individual considers his/her own views as inviably correct. Twice the phrase “to me” is used as though God somehow said, “Whatever opinions you have are acceptable to Me.”
In one of the parts of the Bible that the writer disdains may be found the words, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Tim. 3:16). Peter affirms that those old prophets (who penned “arcane texts”) “spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:21).
P.D. Sterling may reject the prophets and epistles, but Jesus endorsed them. He even likened his time in the tomb to that of Jonah in the belly of the great fish (Matt. 12:38-40). He declared that John was the messenger prophesied by Malachi (Matt. 11:10). He quoted from Isaiah when referring to the Israelites who honor God with their lips but not their hearts (Matt. 15:8-9). [Is that too “arcane” to understand?] Examples like these could be multiplied several times over.
But Jesus also endorsed what had yet to be written as New Testament epistles.
“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will tell you things to come.” (John 16:12).
What the Holy Spirit revealed to the apostles is what they wrote in the epistles. “If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord” (1 Cor. 14:37). Jesus Himself acknowledged that all New Testament teaching had not yet been revealed, but the the Holy Spirit would guide the apostles into all Truth. They confirm that what Jesus foretold did in fact happen. Peter wrote: “As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). Peter also affirmed that what the apostle Paul wrote was Scripture (2 Peter 3:16). Neither the prophets’ writings nor the epistles are the work of human hands. Their words were inspired of God.
Since the letter writer is so fond of “the Gospels,” may we point out some things Jesus taught besides the three things people are usually aware of (“love your neighbor,” “Don’t judge,” and “let him that is without sin cast the first stone.”).
Jesus taught that the majority of people will be lost (Matt. 7:13-14). Most people would not agree with that. The account of the rich man and Lazarus gives a concrete illustration of the torment which Jesus mentioned in His warnings about hell (Luke 16:19-31). Hell is a doctrine most people have rejected.
Unlike some who say everyone is a brother who calls God “Father” (regardless of whether one obeys Him or not), Jesus likewise taught that it won’t do any good to call Him “Lord” unless we do the will of the Father in heaven (Matt. 7:21).
Jesus said that if we continue in His word, we shall know the truth (John 8:31-32). Does P.D. Sterling believe in Truth? Jesus preached, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (Matt. 7:15). Does the letter writer know any false teachers?
Jesus asked, “But why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). Has the letter-writer striven to do everything that Jesus says? Examples of the teachings of Jesus which most people ignore could be extended, but the point is simply this: When people say they just like “the Gospels” and quote “Love thy neighbor,” perhaps it is the case that they would like the Bible to be reduced to a few moral sayings like that one.
If they knew “the Gospels” well, they would know that the message presented in them is the fulfillment of the prophets and is consistent with the message of the entire Bible. If the Scriptures could be summed up by a few sentences, God wasted about 1500 pages of material when a 3 x 5 index card advising “Be kind” on one side and “Have a nice day” on the other would have sufficed.
*Send comments or questions concerning this article to Gary Summers. Please refer to this article as: “THROWING OUT PAUL (7/7/97).”