I tried to read the Bible—but got discouraged with the Old Testament God
17 March 2025 |
Dear Aunt Sevvy,
Recently, because I wanted to know God better, I started reading the Bible from cover to cover starting with Genesis. Very soon I found myself feeling conflicted. I believe God is good—but I can’t help but think that God seems petty and even cruel in the Old Testament.
I don’t like seeing God this way—but it’s hard not to.
Signed, A Conflicted Reader
Dear Conflicted,
Many Christians think that the key to deepening faith is to read straight through the Bible from page one—and find themselves discouraged with the Old Testament’s picture of God.
This is probably the least helpful way to study the Bible. The Bible has stories in it, but it isn’t a simple narrative, like reading a novel from beginning to end: it is a mishmash of bits and pieces that extend back 3000 years, and the oral sources even earlier. They are set in an ancient culture that we don’t understand. The words were copied and recopied multiple times, and translated into other languages, and then interpretations imposed on them by the cultures they landed in.
Most importantly, God is seen through the eyes of human beings, who sometimes attributed to God motives that were theirs, not God’s.
The reason Jesus came was to set the record straight. This time it wasn’t human beings writing about God, but Godself as a human being. By example and teaching, Jesus showed what God was really like.
Aunty suggests you start reading through the gospels, then the epistles. Only when you’ve thoroughly absorbed the New Testament should you read the “background information” in the Old Testament.
Aunt Sevvy
Aunt Sevvy has collected her answers into a book! You can get it from Amazon by clicking here.
You can write to Aunt Sevvy at DearAuntSevvy@gmail.com. Your real identity will never be revealed.
