I learned about Thomas Jefferson in school. I know he’s on the nickel, which is better than old Abraham Lincoln, who had the misfortune to get stuck on the penny. I also know Jefferson had some crazy weird theology.

Jefferson was a deist. He took his Bible and if he found any passage about the supernatural or the miraculous, he’d cut it out. Literally, he’d take scissors and snip that section out. The result was a very hole-y Bible. And yep, I just went there with that terrible pun.

But before we cast stones (or nickels) at the man, let’s examine how you or I might do the same.

Those Old Testament passages on the wrath of God? You know, the ones where He orders the Israelites to wipe out their enemy completely, including women and children? Nope, don’t like that. It doesn’t fit my image of a loving God. Snip, snip.

The passages that talk about how God is completely sovereign over His creation, including salvation? Definitely don’t like the way that messes with my free will. Snip, snip.

The verses that talk about how Jesus will say to the ones with the impressive religious resume, “Depart from me. I never knew you”? Nope. Snip, snip.

All the verses that speak to how Jesus is not after religion or performance or a better morality? The ones where we find out that we get to God only through grace and not through doing the right things and saying all the right words? Those are much too scandalous. Rules are safe, freedom is not. Snip, snip.

Personally, if I had written the Bible, I would have left out several parts, particularly the one about how Lot’s daughters got him drunk and seduced him. That’s just creepy. And the one about putting out your eye or cutting off your han rather than your whole body going to hell. I would not have put that in there.

Those and many other parts of the Bible would not have been in my version of the Bible (which would have been called the GJV). My Bible would have been much shorter and had better pictures in it. And lots more maps, ’cause who doesn’t like lots of maps?

In the end, the Bible is above what I or you or anybody else thinks about it. Every word of it is inspired, even the words that aren’t as comforting and cuddly as the ones that begin with words like “Come to me, all who labor . . .” Our job isn’t to decide what we will read and believe and apply and obey. We don’t get to choose which parts were only kinda inspired and which parts were really, really inspired (like those words in red).

God has given us Letters from Home and we get to see His heart in those Letters. We see that He is not like us, only bigger, better, faster, and stronger. He is totally Other and His thoughts and ways are completely beyond and above our thoughts and ways.

Still He has chosen to reveal Himself to us and make Himself known through Scripture. All of it. Next time you read a passage that doesn’t seem to gel with your idea of God, keep it in context and keep the big picture in mind. God is good and His promises are sure and in the end, we win.

I should know. I’ve read the ending. I hope you have, too.