It has been in the news in recent days that Taylor Swift, who claims to be a Christian, said that the Bible is outdated. I have not been able to verify that she actually said that, but that claim has been a perennial complaint made by many critics of the Scriptures.
It is not the age of a document or a statement that makes it outdated. The question that should be asked is the document or statement true? Heraclitus was a Greek philosopher born more than five hundred years before Christ.
He said, “No man ever steps into the same river twice.” By stepping into a river the river is changed, however imperceptible that change may be, so that, if one steps into it again it is not the same river. It is a simple way of saying everything is in a constant state of flux, or, the only constant is change. What Heraclitus said circa 2700 years ago was true then and is still true now. Its age has not altered its truth.
The same is true regarding the Christian Scriptures. The Ninth Commandment of the Decalogue says, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor,” Exodus 20:16. I think most people would agree telling the truth is not outdated, although the lack of telling the truth makes it seem the practice is outdated. This is just one example from the Scriptures of the Bible’s eternal truth.
I agree with the Baptist Faith and Message of 2000, “The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God’s revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation (emphasis is mine).
To be a Christian means to be like Christ, and regarding God’s Word, Jesus said, “Your word is truth,” John 17:17. If Christ does not think the Scriptures are obsolete a Christian should not believe them to be obsolete because truth does not have an expiration date.
“All the paths of the LORD are lovingkindness and truth to those who keep His covenant and His testimonies,” Psalm 25:10.
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