Think You Follow the Bible? Here’s Why You Probably Don’t
Ancient Laws, Modern Lives: The Hidden Complexity of ‘Living Biblically’
“I just live by the Bible, plain and simple,” said Mark, leaning back in his chair during our small group Bible Study. His words hung in the room, and people nodded as if he’d cracked the code to life itself.
I’d heard Mark say this before, but something about it felt different today. So I asked him, “All of it? You follow everything in the Bible?”
He laughed. “That’s what being a true Christian is all about.”
Curious, I leaned in. “So, you don’t work at all on Saturdays, right? And no shrimp or bacon? And if someone, say, curses at their parents…?”
Mark looked a little uncomfortable, glancing around as if searching for an escape. “Well, you know, I follow the important parts…”
It was pretty clear to me that the Bible he claimed to follow was more like a selection of the verses that he wanted to follow. The conversation ended quickly, but it made me wonder: “What does it really mean to live by the Bible? And can anyone truly claim to follow all of it?”
