Baptists have spent a lot of time and energy fighting over the Bible. In fact, some of us experienced enough of that over the past quarter-century to last a lifetime.

Therefore, we simply ignore the futile debates when they arise. However, I could not ignore the coffeehouse conversation between two men at the next table. Though busy with my own work, I lent an ear to their conversation for a few moments.

“You’re a pastor at that non-denominational church, aren’t you?” the older man asked.

“We’re a Bible church,” the other one quickly responded.

Then the 40-something pastor explained further that his congregation was not to be identified as non-denominational, inter-denominational or with any tag other than a Bible church because “We take the Bible literally.”

At that point I had to glance up and see one so naïve, if not foolish. I smiled and turned back to my writing but couldn’t keep my mind from revisiting the pastor’s affirmation.

Had he and his congregation freed themselves from the challenges the rest of face in interpreting scripture and properly applying it to our daily living? Did he have the unique ability to view the Holy Bible free of cultural lens, presuppositions and prejudices?

If he really takes the Bible literally, as he claims, will snakes and poison be passed around next Sunday? Will the wealthy be giving away their goods? Does Jesus really look like a sheep or a door?

That same day a lay leader from a nearby Baptist church, whose pastor recently resigned, called looking for someone to fill the pulpit. He had been given my name.

The next evening I met with him and others charged with filling the interim needs. They were gracious and sincere, but looking for someone with more available time than I can give.

One of the early questions to me was: “What do you believe about the Bible?”

Sensing an honest inquiry, I affirmed Paul’s statement that “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). Then I added my preference for not using extra-biblical terminology to speak of biblical authority since it often carries more political than theological connotations. 

I admit to being a little impatience with such questioning. It has nothing do with whether or not I affirm biblical authority. It just seems somewhat irrelevant and a bit insulting to those of us who have spent so much of our lives studying, teaching and preaching the Bible —and trying to live out the biblical faith.

Here is the problem with easy affirmations and code words about biblical authority: Some of the most dishonest, deceitful, unloving, hate-filled, judgmental persons I have ever encountered are among those who so easily and boldly claim to believe the Bible more than the rest of us.

Verbal affirmations about scripture carry little weight unless they are accompanied by the loving, humble way of life called for in the Bible. It is easy to speak loudly about biblical inerrancy or infallibility or taking the whole thing literally, but the true test of allegiance must come from how we live as followers of Jesus.

It is one thing to affirm the Bible with words and yet another to try to live out its teachings — including the really hard stuff Jesus spoke about like loving our enemies, forgiving repeatedly, and putting the needs of others ahead of self interests.

The Bible — though a complex and eclectic collection of divinely inspired writings — really only addresses two subjects: How we relate to God, and how we relate to one another. Jesus seems to affirm that in what we call the Great Commandment.

Surely all of us who look to the biblical revelation for guidance and inspiration have work to do in those vital areas of Christian living. Perhaps the test of our commitment to the biblical revelation is not found so much in our words as in our deeds.