"How can you believe the offensive Old Testament stories of God's prophets are true? Lot's daughters getting him drunk and having sex with him, Jacob tricking his father, and David committing adultery and then having the woman's husband killed? We reject these stories."
It was a good question, and I hope I answered well.
Diane and I had a wonderful lunch with a Muslim family today. We enjoyed Iraqi dishes and courteous hospitality. The four of us also asked each other questions about Christianity and Islam.
You probably know that many of the prophets and principal figures that are highly regarded in the Bible are also highly regarded in Islam. But Muslims believe the Bible has been altered in many places, and one way they believe it has been altered is where the Bible reports unflattering stories of the key figures. They believe no one used by God would succumb to such unseemliness.
As I said, I hope I answered well. I suggested the couple consider three things.
One: We believe the reported behavior is unseemly as well. In fact, the Bible presents it as tragic. The stories aren't like modern-day racy "romance" novels, told with a sort of breathless excitement while pretending to be scandalized. No, right is right and wrong is wrong, and the Bible often includes the serious consequences to the horrid choices.
Two: We believe that the Bible is the story of God, not the story of men. In other words, the story we find in the Bible is a story of a God who is so great and good that he can even use not-so-great and not-so-good people to accomplish his purposes. For that matter, if he refused the flawed tools in his toolshed, what else would he have to work with? We're all flawed. Jesus said that lust in the heart was as bad as adultery (David's sin). And Jesus said hatred in the heart was as bad as murder (Moses' sin). God is great and gracious, and seeing David's restoration following the sin of adultery gives hope that God's grace can cover the "lesser" sin of lust.
Three: Speaking of grace, that's what these stories ultimately point to. They show us that we need another one greater than Moses, more consistent than David, and more honorable than even Abraham. "All we like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53). "All...each one." That includes David and Noah and you and me. So, what did the Lord do? He "laid on him the iniquity of us all." On whom? On Jesus, the one who lived more righteously than all but bore--so that he might bear away--the sins of all who would trust in him.
The conversation wasn't a monologue like this. But in the give and take of the visit, I wanted to make these three things famous. Any day I get to do that is a good day.
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