Chris Highland writes frequently for The Sentinel. Some time ago, his topic was “BSF: Bible Smuggling and Theology Trafficking.”
His negative view is disappointing. Thousands of men, women and children in Holland and millions around the world have matured in their Christian faith through the studies provided by BSF.
The words he chose for his title are current. Full of meaning and hard. We hear a lot about “smuggling” of pentenyl and illegal immigrants. The “trafficking” of women and children for prostitution and pornography is an alarming industry. The choice of these words indicates the direction of his evaluation.
Highland’s mention of Bible “smuggling” appears to be negative, but he does not discuss it. Jesus himself said that “the forgiveness of sins in his name will be preached in all nations.” (Luke 24:47) When the early Christians were arrested and ordered not to teach in His name (Acts 5:28), their response was: “We must obey God rather than humans. »
Their vocal testimony must involve written testimony. Faithful and heroic Christians have spread the words and writings of the Bible throughout the world, openly when possible and clandestinely when necessary. At least one was banished to solitary confinement on an island. (Revelation 1:9). Around the world, Christians living under hostile governments are meeting secretly to share their faith. Such obedience hardly deserves censure.
“Traffic” is not a pleasant word. Highland doesn’t give us its working definition. The dictionary describes it as “the act of carrying on commerce or business, especially of an illicit nature.” It lists “trafficking and… prostitution… for sexual purposes… of weapons… of controlled substances… of human beings.”
Is BSF “trafficking” because it is a “major ministry” serving “over 120 countries” with “assets” and a “budget”. Do these facts make BSF suspect? The local local Congregation has “assets” and operates on a “budget”. If he is faithful to Jesus’ vision, he is likely to support outreach activities in other countries. National and global outreach requires personnel and equipment and incurs expenses.
Or perhaps the term “trafficking” was used because of Highland’s discomfort with the idea that BSF was “treating ancient scriptures as an evangelistic ministry” with a “clear motive for conversion.” And what would Highland say about the Bible being “written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah…and have life in his name?” (John 20:31) When his disciples obeyed Jesus with “evident motive to convert” unbelievers, they “reasoned with them from the Scriptures.” (Acts 17:2)
He asks the question: “Did Jesus teach his students to “study the Bible”? As a Jewish child, Jesus most likely memorized the first five books of the Bible. His immediate biblical response to temptations and questions indicated his familiarity with them. During a theological debate, he said: “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures. » (Matthew 22:29) He charged his disciples to teach the whole world what he had taught them. (Matthew 28:19). Is it a real question to ask if Jesus taught his disciples to “study the Bible”?
And since the later part of the Bible had not yet been written, Highland asks which Bible would the early followers study? The same thing Jesus did. He spoke to his skeptics about the Old Testament: “These are the very Scriptures which testify of me. » (John 5:39) On the evening of his resurrection, Jesus walked with two of his disciples who did not understand what had happened. “And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them what was said about him in all the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:27) Every page of the Old Testament is watermarked with the image of Jesus. The later New Testament makes this clear.
Highland represents the message of BSF this way: “The world is lost in sin, separated from God, so it is we who are chosen to save the lost by giving them Bibles and explaining to them what they say and mean. » For him, this is “sectarian” and “narrow”. Really! The Bible is the source for all of them. “Lost.” (Luke 19:10); “Separated.” (Ephesians 2:12); “Choose to save” (I Peter 2:9)
And this same savior still welcomes everyone with open arms throughout the world: “Come to me, all you who struggle hard and carry heavy loads, and I will give you rest. » (Matthew 11:28)
— Ren Broekhuizen lives in the Netherlands.
