"Bashing" with the Bible?

[Razorbuck]

I'm too lazy to quote them all here, but in perusing the different threads here at CF I often come across a phrase like "I never bash people over the head with the Bible", or "I don't like being hit over the head with the Bible".

I'm not such a dunce as to think that Christians are out there whappin' folks with their Old Scofields, but what exactly is meant by this phrase? Are we talking about more than just quoting Scripture here or what?

I'd love to hear what y'all think.

Oh, by the way, I hope y'all have a blessed Thanksgiving day!

Praise His mighty name!

Razorbuck

 

[MrJim]

Hey Razorbuck (does that mean you are sorta from Arkansas?),

Bible bashing is the result of using the scripture without love. If I go up to a stranger and say "Bible says you are going to hell if you don't repent" with an attitude of anger or condescention then I'm bashing. You can use the exact same words conversing with an unbeliever but with a Christ-like attitude and then you are speaking the truth in love.

Anyone else want to expand?

[I went back to check your profile and yup you are a razorback. I grew up in a little town about 30 miles west of Springfield MO. Ozarks are my very favorite part of the world. Wish I was there now but I'm sorta stuck here in the Cumberland Valley of Pennsylvania.]

 

[Razorbuck]

Menno,

You're sharp, Home-slice! The handle is indeed an Arkansas reference. I lived in Ohio for a while and became fond of OSU's football team so...Razorback + Buckeye = Razorbuck!

But on to the original topic. I think I understand you about speaking the truth in love. I have observed though that sometimes people think that an emphatic warning against the wages of sin can't be delivered in love. If I'm about to step off of a cliff, I'd just as soon hear "STOP!" as "Pardon me, Sir, but it may be that you are about to hurt yourself....Ooops! Too late!" Of course, that analogy only carries so far (and was kind of tongue-in-cheek) but you know what I mean.

Anyway, thanks for the clarification, and if you ever get back to the Ozarks look me up!

In His service,

Razorbuck

 

[pressingon]

[I went back to check your profile and yup you are a razorback. I grew up in a little town about 30 miles west of Springfield MO. Ozarks are my very favorite part of the world. Wish I was there now but I'm sorta stuck here in the Cumberland Valley of Pennsylvania.]

Totally off-topic, but would that little town happen to be Mount Vernon?

I just moved my family from the Springfield area last year (new job), and have been through Mount Vernon more than once. My wife was a counselor at Baptist Hill just outside Mount Vernon for the summer GA camp a few years ago, as a matter of fact.

Anyway... Bible thumping...

Not always a bad thing, for sure, but it's got to be done appropriately. When sharing the gospel, we've certainly got to be sensitive to a person's readiness to receive... Hearing Scripture is absolutely necessary for one to come to salvation in Christ, but overwhelm a non-believer who's not ready to receive it, and you may push them away from Christ, rather than drawing them to Him.

 

[MrJim]

Totally off-topic, but would that little town happen to be Mount Vernon?

I just moved my family from the Springfield area last year (new job), and have been through Mount Vernon more than once. My wife was a counselor at Baptist Hill just outside Mount Vernon for the summer GA camp a few years ago, as a matter of fact.

Anyway... Bible thumping...

Not always a bad thing, for sure, but it's got to be done appropriately. When sharing the gospel, we've certainly got to be sensitive to a person's readiness to receive... Hearing Scripture is absolutely necessary for one to come to salvation in Christ, but overwhelm a non-believer who's not ready to receive it, and you may push them away from Christ, rather than drawing them to Him.

Oh so close! Town's name is Aurora-same county though! Go Hound Dawgs!

 

[pressingon]

Oh so close! Town's name is Aurora-same county though! Go Hound Dawgs!

I guessed 30 miles west on I-44 rather than U.S. 60. Oh well...

Anyway, Aurora's a nice place, too... I really enjoyed golfing at Honey Creek (just outside of town), and I believe there's also a corn maze that I've visited down that way as well.

It's a small world, for sure...

 

[MrJim]

I guessed 30 miles west on I-44 rather than U.S. 60. Oh well...

Anyway, Aurora's a nice place, too... I really enjoyed golfing at Honey Creek (just outside of town), and I believe there's also a corn maze that I've visited down that way as well.

It's a small world, for sure...

Honey Creek! Haven't thought about that in a while. There really is a creek there we used to go fishing in. Remember the last time I went fishing there. My dad was pulling out a fish and a cottonmouth came up out of the water after him.

Never went back-when it came to venomous aggressive snakes my dad is a wuss.

Sorry about the hijacked thread--back to topic.

Often I think of "bible-bashing" folks are viewing themselves more like John the Baptist than as Jesus or Paul or Peter. And it could very well be that we have in our mind not the "what" but the "how" of John the Baptist's ministry, picturing him as the thundering prophet.

When I read Acts I don't sense the "thundering prophet" in Peter's or Paul's sermons. Oh, they are definitely strong but I sense they are not quite as harsh. Then when you read John the Evangelist's letters they have a different tone altogether-firm but gentle.

Now a lot of this is purely subjective. Jesus had harsh words with some and gentle with others, depending upon the audience. Guess you have to use some leading of the Spirit and your pastor/elder/spiritual mentor to measure your heart in sharing the scripture in evangelizing. And apart from love all the preaching in the world is but a tinkling cymbal (1Cor13).

 

[Joykins]

I'm too lazy to quote them all here, but in perusing the different threads here at CF I often come across a phrase like "I never bash people over the head with the Bible", or "I don't like being hit over the head with the Bible".

I'm not such a dunce as to think that Christians are out there whappin' folks with their Old Scofields, but what exactly is meant by this phrase? Are we talking about more than just quoting Scripture here or what?

I think they're talking about using Scripture as a tool of condemnation rather than a tool of salvation.

 

[daveleau]

I think both menno and Joykins are right. When we speak harshly without noting what Scripture tells us about how we are to deal with each other, I consider that "beating someone over the head with their Bible."

Some passages that tell us how to act:

James 1:26
1 Cor 13
2 Tim 4:2
Eph 4:32

 

[TwinCrier]

The phrase I usually hear is "shoving the bible down peoples' throats." All these phrases provide quick escape to those to feel personal condemnation when faced with verses of the bible dealing with their sin. It's simular to calling someone a bigot, a legalist or hater in that it shocks the other party momentarily leaving them speachless long enough to remove oneself from the conversation. It's not as effective on a meaage board as in real life.

 

[MrJim]

The phrase I usually hear is "shoving the bible down peoples' throats." All these phrases provide quick escape to those to feel personal condemnation when faced with verses of the bible dealing with their sin. It's simular to calling someone a bigot, a legalist or hater in that it shocks the other party momentarily leaving them speachless long enough to remove oneself from the conversation. It's not as effective on a meaage board as in real life.

Yup-I've heard that and even said it (back in Menno B.C.). Guess then that it's the time to move on--something about casting pearls before swine. It is an interesting expression to expand on-as in asking the person "What do you mean by that?". After all we go through this world and the world is alway shoving their stuff (I wanted to say something stronger ) "down our throats". Can't walk into a store or pick up a newspaper or turn on a tv without it getting shoved in-crass materialism/sexual immorality/greed/blasphemy.

So who's really doing the shoving here? Next time-turn the expression around in a gentle way, and maybe give someone something else to chew on.

 

[Gwenyfur]

Well, the Word of God can and does have an impact....
but the best impact is when His Word is shared in love and with respect...

NOT thumping them over the heads and brow beating them with all they are doing wrong.

 

[Hisbygrace]

I think it is trying to force the word of God on someone...

 

[ZiSunka]

I'm too lazy to quote them all here, but in perusing the different threads here at CF I often come across a phrase like "I never bash people over the head with the Bible", or "I don't like being hit over the head with the Bible".

I'm not such a dunce as to think that Christians are out there whappin' folks with their Old Scofields, but what exactly is meant by this phrase? Are we talking about more than just quoting Scripture here or what?

I'd love to hear what y'all think.

Oh, by the way, I hope y'all have a blessed Thanksgiving day!

Praise His mighty name!

Razorbuck

Some people think that any reference to the Bible as the foundation of our faith or our lives is "bashing them over the head with the Bible." It means the person resents having the Bible quoted to them in reference to their beliefs or lifestyle.

 

[agkitty]

This response of shoving it down one's throat, or bashing, or thumping, is due to the overwhelming turn in our country to get back to basic morals and "good" living. This is very threatening to non-believers, and those who are blatantly living in their sin happily, or they think happily.

I get this alot from my sister who is gay. She says "I choose to believe in a God who is loving and doesn't judge." My response is that she doesn't believe in the One True God, but an idle. The fact is God does Judge, He is Holy, but He is also loving in that judgement, I mean He gave us an easy out for crying outloud-JESUS!

I also hear this from, for lack of a better term, liberals, who need to justify their own choices by not daring to look down on another persons choice.

When it comes to presenting the gospel I try very hard to be like Paul who wrote 1Cor 9;22, all things to all men so that I might save some. I find this works best, because usually there is something that I have in common with another person, which stikes up conversation, and they can see I am a person just like them who was given something beautiful, Jesus Christ.

I think it is especially hard for peolple to swallow the message when there is no love with it, like somerone wrote earlier. Now my sister knows I love her, respect her, and want great things for her. She also does htis for me, she doesn't "practice" her lifestyle around my children, for instance. Through that love and respect, she is getting a picture of Christ, and that is what will save her, not all the verses about how bad she is, but all the verses of how much she is loved.

 

[Razorbuck]

Many thanks, beloved, for all the thoughtful responses.

After considering all the replies posted here, I think I have been occasionally guilty of "bashing" by some folks' definition, but I do not believe I have mishandled Scripture in any sense. OK, scratch that. To be honest there HAVE been a couple of times I can remember when my use of my precious Saviour's Word was done spitefully, and for that I am heartily ashamed.

Having said that, I agree with Menno, TwinCrier and others that the conviction produced by God's Holy Word is often unfairly characterized as "bashing" by the soul under that conviction. The preaching of the Word mashes my toes into pulp quite often, but thank God it does. Those are the messages that get my attention and change my life. The veil of flesh keeping us from entering into the most Holy place is made of tender stuff. Ripping it down is painful, but rip it down we must.

Y'all are a blessing to me. I'm glad I get a chance to visit now and then.

not worthy but His,

Razorbuck