Q. Why do both sides of an issue quote the Bible (God’s Word) to support their ideas? (Women clergy, gays, etc.) Does God want us to be confused?
Those on both sides of an issue quote the Bible to support their positions because as Christians we agree that the Bible is God’s Word and is the measuring stick against which we check everything we believe. Because we agree scripture is the rule and norm of our faith that is what we will appeal to. Now, because we have different ways of interpreting scripture and because it does not always deal explicitly with all the issues in a modern world, there is disagreement among Christians about what the Bible has to say about some issues.
Take the example of women pastors. In Paul’s letters there are some clear passages where he says that women should be quiet in church and that they should submit to the authority of men. However, Paul also addresses and acknowledges females in leadership positions in some of his other letters without a word of protest. Jesus himself is silent on the issue, although some point to the fact that he chose twelve men to be his disciples. What then does scripture say about women as pastors? Many denominations, after spending time looking at these passages and pondering their meanings, have decided that women can be called as pastors. Other denominations disagree. Both believe they are being faithful to scripture.
You ask whether God wants to confuse us. No, of course God doesn’t want to confuse us. However, what God desires of us is not always crystal clear either. You see this time and again in scripture, where people are not sure of the way God desires them to go. What seems to help them figure this out is spending time reading scripture and studying it, talking about it in community and praying over our conversations, and then trusting that the Holy Spirit is guiding our deliberations as we come to a decision. God wants us to use our brains and to work together to come to an understanding of His will in the world. As we disagree about the results of that process we should be careful to always assume that the other person is trying to faithfully live out their calling as a disciple of Christ and that they honestly believe they have found God’s answer.
We make our decisions and base our lives on understandings of God’s will that we trust are true. And as those decisions are not God’s will we pray that God would forgive our mistakes and guide us to the truth. Living a life of faith requires us to use our minds, study God’s word, pray for God’s guidance, and listen carefully to each other. Now that sounds like an exciting life to me!
