Reading the Bible for All It's Worth

When I was a kid, I fell in love with the Bible. 

I loved reading Bible stories from the comic book version I wore into tatters (I eventually replaced it about ten years ago).  

By the age of 11, I  had read the Bible through cover to cover at least once.  I was on a Bible Quiz team in the 8th grade that won state and national competitions.  If there was a Bible trivia contest in my youth group or Christian school, no one wanted to go against me. 

However, when I entered my high school years, I began to notice some problems with the Scripture — contradictions, stories that seemed too fantastic to be literally true, and various interpretations of God from different eras of history, among other issues.  

By the time I graduated from high school, I had walked away from not only the Bible, but my faith in God as well.  It would take me a couple of decades before I would truly find my way back, and begin to understand the Bible differently.  

What I've learned is that the Bible is far more than a rulebook or a static set of instructions. It is a living, breathing collection of stories, poems, letters, and teachings that invite us into a deeper, more authentic journey with God. 

Too often, we have approached Scripture as though it were meant to answer every question in black-and-white terms, but when we do that, we risk missing its true beauty. The Bible is not designed to reduce mystery but to lead us into it.

Peter Rollins captures this well when he writes: 

"The sheer amount of ideological conflicts playing out within the text hints at the fact that the writers were writing about a reality that could not be reduced to one description, a reality that was testified to better in the clash of perspectives than in the development of a single, finely honed one. The text was written not to be approached as an academic document detailing facts about the life of faith but rather as an invitation into the life of faith."

This perspective helps us see that the tensions and differences within Scripture are not problems to be solved but rather invitations to think, wrestle, and trust God in the gray areas of life. The Bible does not shy away from questions or contradictions because faith itself is not about certainty but about relationship.

Peter Enns, in "How the Bible Actually Works," echoes this when he says: 

“God’s purpose isn’t simply to give us a rulebook but to shape us into wise and discerning people who reflect the image of God in the world.” 

Scripture is less concerned with giving us a list of answers and more interested in forming our hearts, expanding our vision, and pointing us toward the love and justice of God.

When we read the Bible this way, we discover that it’s not about being “right” all the time—it’s about being open to God’s ongoing work in us. The stories of faith invite us to step into the unknown, to embrace the journey, and to seek God’s presence in every moment.

Today, approach the Bible as an invitation rather than a checklist. Read it with curiosity, with questions, and with a willingness to be changed. God doesn’t call us to a rigid, dogmatic belief system but to a living, growing relationship built on trust, love, and faith.

Prayer: 

Lord, thank You for the gift of Scripture—not as a rigid set of rules, but as a living invitation to know You more deeply. Teach me to read Your Word with curiosity and an open heart. Help me to embrace the questions, the tensions, and the mystery, trusting that they lead me closer to Your truth and love. Shape me into a person of wisdom, compassion, and faith as I walk this journey with You. Amen.