Three Stories in One

In this series, Revelation Through Conversation, we are saying that we need to find a better way to relate to the Bible. Now maybe I should speak for myself but I think that many people, like me, were introduced to the Bible as a book with a collection of truths (doctrines) pertaining to every important topic, challenge, and decision that you will face in life. Furthermore, a compilation of texts could be found to support all of the essential truths necessary to be a Christian. So, I was taught that to become a Christian was to accept a system of beliefs, a systematic representation of Bible texts that supported the truth. This worked for me for a long time. My system of belief that I learned and accepted was a source of great security for me. Until I started to have questions that refused to have systematic answers!

Through the years of living in the faith that God has given me, not always a pretty picture I might add, I have come to the place where I am convinced Jesus did not come to give us a System of Belief. I believe that Jesus came to show us the way. He called it the Kingdom of God. He has always been showing people the way. In fact the Bible is best understood as a story of God continuously showing His people the way. People learn best by stories. That is why Jesus taught largely by stories. We should read the entire Bible as a story and we should understand that we are in that story.