17-God, Not the Bible

            NOTE – This is an essay about Christianity. Obviously, you don’t have to be a Christian to read it. Just giving a heads-up.

            We as Christians worship God not the bible. 

            What does that mean? It means that guided by the spirit in reading the bible, we are responsible for our actions. The book by itself isn’t enough. We need the spirit, the living God in our hearts when we read the words, and we need to take responsibility for what we do because of how we interpret those words. We have free will.

            I’m going to mention politics, not about Trump really, but about some things I read that Christians made their voting decision in 2024 based on.

            I read that some Christians looked to the model of Cyrus the Great in the bible, a nonbeliever heathen who in his path of conquests ended up liberating the Israelites at one point. Some voted for Trump as another Cyrus.

            I also read a Christian reason to vote against Trump based on a passage in Revelations that speaks of Christians following a false prophet and wearing his mark on their foreheads. Get it? The MAGA hats.

Maybe one or the other is right, but the bible doesn’t tell us how to vote. The bible informed by the spirit can guide us to our best decisions, but we choose.

            “The devil made me do it”, or “God told me to do it”, or “the bible says I should”—these are all copouts. We chose and are responsible for our choices.

            As told in Luke, when the angel Gabriel came to Mary to tell her that she would be the mother of God, Gabriel spoke to her respectfully, she questioned him, he answered her, and she accepted. God knows (as does any experienced manager) that nothing that isn’t done willingly will be done well, and in any list of the things that need doing well, being mother to God is likely to be near the top. 

            Mary had a choice. Christians exist because Mary said yes.

            The devil doesn’t make us do anything. The devil tempts us, makes bad things look very attractive, but we act.

            God doesn’t tell us do anything either. God lives in our hearts and points the way, and gives us strength for the journey, but we have to say yes. 

            It would be easier sometimes if God did make us do things. I have a song called “Hard to Be Human”, the chorus is:

                        God, but it’s hard to be human

                        And know that I really am free

                        I know I will get what I want, Lord

                        I just hope that I want what I need

            (by Hugh Moffatt © 1988 Gray Mouser Music/Atlantic Music Corp  BMI)

            The bible is full of the wisdom of God, but humans read, interpret, and act on that wisdom. We are responsible for the consequences of our actions whatever they are.

            It’s often a terrible responsibility, free will.

            Hugh Moffatt
            Nashville, Tennessee
            August 6, 2025