"The Chosen" Fiction
For those who nevertheless are enamored with The Chosen yet claim they know and love the Scriptures, The Chosen television series begins with background information about Mary Magdalene nowhere found in the Bible, as noted, but is produced out of the imagination of all the creative movie people, from the screenwriters to the director, and on down the production line. What then of additions to the final episode of season two (although examples are found throughout the entire series)? We’re shown that the disciples are in charge of producing the speaking events of Jesus (e.g., crowd control, distributing flyers for his events, setting up a stage complete with curtains for his presentation of the Sermon on the Mount). Do the Scriptures tell us that the wardrobe of Jesus for his stage appearance was decided upon by four women? Did Jesus, along with his mother, pine for his stepfather Joseph before his preaching on the Mount…or anywhere else in Scripture? Was Matthew, as seen throughout the series, the continual script advisor regarding the content of the sermons and teachings of Jesus? Did Jesus anxiously have to rehearse his preaching before delivering his teachings to the crowd? All those things are found in The Chosen. They are not only missing from God’s Word, their inclusion amounts to blasphemy—that is, a blatant mischaracterization of God manifested in the flesh.
This is excellent and brought up points I had not even considered. When I've had this discussion with supporters of The Chosen, one of the arguments they used is "if it brings one person to accept Jesus then it's worth it." First, is it bringing them to the right Jesus or the Jesus of someone's imagination? Second, since God is the one who draws us to Him, are they saying God can only use The Chosen to draw that person? Is He limited in His ability to save? NO! NEVER! However, here is a point brought up by Jill Martin-Rische - What if one person accepts the WRONG Jesus by watching this movie? Now that's a tragedy! And finally, I must say I need to repent for watching the movies I've watched about the Bible and vow to never watch another one!! I don't need to - I have God's inerrant word and that's all I need!
ReplyDeleteLet us consider Romans 3:8 - Paul finally gets to the heart of one reason for the question-and-answer format he has been using. He is answering the slanderous charges of some of his accusers. Because Paul teaches that human sinfulness demonstrates God to be completely righteous—because He remains faithful even when we do not—they have been saying that Paul is telling people to keep sinning. Paul calls this for what it is: slander, a deliberate, dishonest lie meant to damage his reputation and his efforts.
ReplyDeleteThese critics go so far as to say that the logical outcome of Paul's teaching is to provoke people to sin more to make more good: "Why not do evil that good may come?" Paul has described this as a human argument (Romans 3:5). It clearly does not make any sense. It sounds like the twisted logic of a condemned man trying to talk himself out of punishment he has earned.
In fact, this is such a foolish idea that Paul doesn't even bother to debate it, at least not now. The fact that God remains righteous and faithful in the face of human sinfulness does not mean that God wants humans to sin more. It means that He is being consistent to His own nature.
Instead of arguing the point further, Paul simply says this of those who are accusing him of telling people to go on sinning: "Their condemnation is just." In other words, they have earned God's wrath. He will return to a more detailed look at this challenge, later in this letter (Romans 6:1).
Context Summary
Romans 3:1–8 contains a series of questions which might have come from someone opposed to Paul's teaching in Romans 2. Using this challenge-response structure, Paul clarifies that being Jewish and circumcised still comes with great advantages. He also points out that God remains faithful to the Jewish people in spite of their sin. In fact, His faithfulness in the face of unfaithfulness increases His glory. That does not mean, however, that God wants human beings to continue to sin, as some were accusing Paul of teaching.