Found an article by Stephen Mattson contrasting being ‘biblical’ with ‘the most Christlike way.” Bob and I have been sensing this for years. Yes, to be more Christlike is my goal in life. Here is one paragraph.

In a complex society increasingly skeptical about claims related to absolute truth and indisputable facts, it’s increasingly hard to use the Bible to support anything without coming across as biased and prejudiced. But there is a simple solution: start replacing the term ‘biblical’ with the term ‘Christlike,’ because while the Bible can be manipulated to say and mean almost anything, the words, actions, and life of Jesus aren’t as pliable.

Stephen Mattson

Yes, Stephen, I agree I want my life and my church to be more Christlike.

Jesus — not the Bible — heals, forgives, saves, and loves. This doesn’t mean we should avoid studying scripture or disregard it as a useless religious icon, but the Bible should never get in the way of following Jesus. Our passion for scripture should never come at the expense of our passion for Christ, and the purpose of the Bible should always be to help us become more Christlike, to love Jesus more – not as a way to circumvent Christ.

Stephen Mattson

Here is the link if you want to read the entire article. https://sojo.net/articles/not-everything-biblical-christlike

Truly made me sit back and think. I do not have to agree with everything anyone writes or says. I do need to think about the ideas of others and if they ring true in my heart, see what I can do to amend where I am falling short. I like this photo he uses.

The semantics are important because the different terms present two completely contrasting paradigms. One is base don textual interpretations and opinions, while the other is founded upon the words and actions of the living savior of the world. If you’re a Christian, you should always err on the side of Jesus. But if we’re not careful, it’s easy to idolize the Bible while simultaneously ignoring the very message of Christ.

Stephen Mattson