The Deleted 1963 BFM Sentence

In the 1963 Baptist Faith and Message is this sentence: "The criterion by which the Bible is to be interpreted is Jesus Christ." This sentence was deleted from the 2000 BFM. At first glance this seems a bad thing to do. How could anyone go wrong with Jesus as the measuring stick for all laws?

Here was the problem. Liberals sometimes used this sentence to nullify Bible laws. They said if Jesus did not speak directly to an issue, we are free to agree or disagree with other Bible passages on a given subject.

For instance, Jesus did not discuss abortion or euthanasia. Though the overwhelming verdict of Scripture is pro-life, from womb to tomb, some say this does not matter since Jesus did not deem it important enough to talk about.

Unbelievers thus twist the very intent of Jesus. We are not to let our silly notions of love nullify obedience to laws. Rather, we are to obey God's laws in a spirit of love. Jesus came not to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it.

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