Personally Overboard

Today, my sister shared with me the existence of the Personal Promise Bible. Apparently, you can order a personalized Bible from them. They will go through and replace words or phrases in scripture with your name (and potentially a great number of things). Granted I have never actually seen one of these, but I have learned enough about them to understand it works to make scripture more focused on the individual. For instance, you might find “For God so loved John Smith, that He gave His only son...”. Or perhaps “By which He granted to John Smith....” etc. etc. In all honesty, this appears to be a great example of why we should never let marketing near the Word. For instance, they only replace positive things. Like how God saved us, or what he has done for us, or what he has revealed to us. This shifts the focus from our own sin and mortal failings to how awesome we are and how much God loves us. Which completely downplays one of the main messages of the Bible. Now, if we had some negative sentences in there, it might be more balanced and interesting. I personally think this Bible could be very greatly improved with the additions of such gems as “And to John Smith he will say 'depart from me, I never knew you'” or possibly “If John Smith looks at a woman with lust in his heart he has committed adultery with her” or, and this is my personal favorite, “Woe to you, John Smith! It would have been better for you if you had never been born!” But that's just me.

Now, some might praise this concept. After all, we want people to have a personal connection with God yes? And the Bible is a message to each of us yes? Well, yes and no. The Bible is a message, but it is a message to all of God's children. It is the word and law of God. The message of the Bible is not, and should not, be about us. It is not centered around us. It is not solely for us. The Bible serves the purpose of spreading the Good News and the word of God. The subject, and the focus, of the Bible is God. It works to direct our attention upwards to God, to focus on him and not ourselves. This kind of trinket is an extremely narcissistic way to make it about us. Instead of showing the crucifixion and the sacrifice of the Lamb as a selfless atonement for the sins of all, it becomes an action by which to save us specifically. Not the world, not our congregation, not the neighbor down the street, but us personally. It is a way to say, God did all this for ME. God gave his life for ME. God is always there for ME. ME. ME. ME. God is still there, his works and actions and words are still noted, but it has become self-focused. It has ceased to be solely about God. By merely inserting our own name, even in what might be seen as inconsequential places (i.e. you will not see “In the beginning, John Smith created the heavens and the earth” nor will it say John Smith died for our sins.), it still shifts our thoughts and attentions inward. It takes away for the impact and distance and span of the crucifixion. It takes away from the justice and power and love displayed by God. It takes away from his sacrifice and what he has done for us. Yes the Bible is a message to all of us, even the individual. And yes, we should not be detached from scripture when we are reading it. But there is also a limit to how focused on the individual it should be. There needs to be a balance, and quite frankly the Bible currently posses an effective one. It is very possible that God did die for John Smith, but he also died for a great many others as well. We have no place as the focal point. We are nothing special. We have done nothing to deserve such attention. We have no right to steal the focus from its rightful place. There is a reason the Bible is written as it is.

-BlackFox

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