Chalke Talk 52: Is the Bible the Word of God, or does it point to the Word of God?

God seems to have a change of heart between the Old Testament and the New Testament. At least that’s what most of us tend to think.

But Steve argues it’s more complicated than that; it’s not black or white.  There are parts of the Old Testament, like in the Psalms, where God is pictured as the epitome of love.  And then there are parts of the New Testament, like the story of Ananias and Sapphira, in Acts, where God’s response to their deceitfulness is extremely angry and wrath-filled.  The response to this is not to ignore these stories which contradict are neat categories of God in the New Testament and God of the Old Testament.

Instead, Steve urges everyone to remember that the Bible points to the Word of God, but it’s not THE Word of God.  As he puts it, “the Bible contains various violent or excluding texts but it ultimately points to the non-violent, non-exclusionary God revealed, as he really is, for the first and last time in Jesus.”

So what do you think?  What did happen to Ananias and Sapphira?  Did the God of love really kill them?  What really went on?  What do you think?  And, what kind of pastoral issues do you think the church continues to get it wrong about today?