The Bible is the most popular book in the world. It’s also the oldest book that’s been in circulation for millennia. However, that doesn’t mean that everything in the Bible is good. Here are 10 things the Bible says are good, and 10 that are bad.
Love and Compassion
Compassion writes, “The Bible is filled with stories of compassion. Many compassionate Bible characters inhabit the pages of the Old Testament, and examples of the compassion of Jesus Christ are plentiful in the Gospels.” Examples of this can be seen in John 3:16, where God showed love to the world by giving His son.
Faith and Trust in God
The Bible believes in faith and wants you to have trust in God. We can see this in Proverbs 3:5–6 where it’s written that you should trust God with all your heart and acknowledge Him in all ways. It’s also shown in Matthew 6:25–34 when Jesus taught us to trust rather than worry, as he assured us that God cares.
Wisdom and Guidance
Wisdom and guidance are considered more valuable than gold and silver in Proverbs 2:1–8. Also in James 1:5, God makes a promise to give wisdom to all those who ask. It shows that wisdom is considered to be a good thing in the Bible and something we should strive for instead of material things.
Righteousness and Justice
The Bible called for righteousness and justice, as in Matthew 5:1–12 when the Beatitudes described the blessings on those who pursue righteousness. There’s also an example of King David administering justice and righteousness in 2 Samuel 8:15. Even in today’s society, we still believe in justice, which is seen in our laws.
Salvation and Eternal Life
The idea of eternal life is a positive theme in the Bible. Eternal life is seen as a gift if you have faith in Jesus, which is found in Romans 6:23. Also in Romans 10:9–10, there’s the promise of salvation to those who believe and confess Jesus as Lord.
Forgiveness and Repentance
Tabletalk writes, “A key passage to consider is found in Luke’s gospel: ‘Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, “I repent,” you must forgive him.’” It shows just how important forgiveness is in the Bible.
The Power of Prayer
Prayer is seen as a good thing in the Bible and is continuously encouraged. Examples of this are in Matthew 6:9–13, where the Lord’s Prayer is shown as a model for how to pray. People are also encouraged to pray without ceasing in 1 Thessalonians 5:17.
Stewardship and Generosity
Generosity is seen as a good thing to do in the Bible. In 2 Corinthians 9:6–7, a person is encouraged to give generously and cheerfully. Also in Matthew 25:14–30, the reader is shown how important it is to have a sense of responsibility and stewardship.
Humility
The Bible shows us that it’s good to be humble through its characters, such as Moses. In Numbers 12:3, Moses is described as being very humble, which is something we can all look to as a way to make ourselves into better people.
Hope
Hope is a strong theme throughout the Bible. For example, World Vision writes, “The Bible tells us there is hope, and to find it, we usually have to look up to God, rather than down at ourselves or own community.” A main example of hope is the resurrection of Jesus.
Sorcery and Witchcraft
First on the list of things that are bad in the Bible are sorcery and witchcraft. The Bible explicitly condemns it in Exodus 22:18. Associating with witchcraft is seen as going against God, and any practices are forbidden. This is why witchcraft was so detested in the 15th and 16th centuries.
Slavery
The Bible has many verses about slavery and how slaves should always abide by their masters, regardless of how they’re treated. The Bible has passages that regulate slavery, and this isn’t something that’s good. It raises ethical questions about the book.
Sexual Immorality
The Bible frequently addresses sexual sins, including adultery, fornication, and lust. These can be found in passages such as 1 Corinthians 6:18–20. Jesus taught that even looking at another person is considered adultery and sexual purity is greatly emphasized, with strong warnings of going against God.
Divorce and Remarriage
In Mark 10:11–12, Jesus speaks about the seriousness of divorce and how remarriage after it is adultery. Divorce is only permitted in certain scenarios, but it’s generally discouraged in the Bible. This can be seen as a bad part of the Bible, as it encourages people to stay in unhappy marriages.
Disrespecting Parents
In the Old Testament, there are severe punishments for disrespecting parents, with some cases even punishable by death. These commands show how important the Bible views obeying your parents, especially from a societal perspective. The harshness showed just how important family is in the Bible.
Pride and Arrogance
Gods Plan Guided Steps writes, “Pride and arrogance in the Bible are prevalent because of the wickedness in the world.” Humility is valued so highly in the Bible that going against it is seen as exceptionally bad. Stories such as the Tower of Babel show the dangers that come with human pride.
Greed and Materialism
There are many warnings about greed and the love of money in the Bible. 1 Timothy 6:10 shows readers the dangers of materialism. The Bible also tells us that we shouldn’t put wealth above spiritual well-being, which is something to adhere to in modern times, but it can be harder for some people compared to others.
Lying and Deceit
The Bible condemns any form of lying and deceit, and in Proverbs 12:22, truthfulness is encouraged in all situations. There is also Ananias and Sapphira’s story, which warns us about the consequences of lying to God and our community. Honesty is seen as one of the most important means of living.
Hypocrisy
In Matthew 23:27–28, Jesus criticized the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. The Bible teaches that true faith is shown in sincere actions where you have a heart that’s aligned with God’s will. People are told that they should practice their faith genuinely and avoid following the Pharisees.
Wrath and Anger
Church of the Great God quotes Ephesians 4:26, which goes, “‘Be angry, and do not sin’: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil.” This is still something that we try to follow and live by today.
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