Billy Bob the Bible Thumpin' Baptist

I'm very happy to be a Bible-believing, Bible-preaching pastor. Unfortunately, many people have stereotyped the Bible-believing, Bible-preaching pastor as the guy with the evangelist's hair; red-faced and spitting over three pews and opposed to everything. This pic of a Bible-believing, Bible-preaching pastor just isn't correct - it's funny, but not correct. I remember in college we were required to read a book. The book is considered an American classic and it's about a boy's passage into manhood. In it, the main character uses the Lord's name in vain multiple times. So, in typcial higher educational fashion, when we discussed the finer literary points of technique and style, this question arose: Do you think this character used !@#$$%^^ too much or not enough? All of the academic want-to-be's went at it. One said, "I think it was used wonderfully." Another said, "I think it was used too much." The professor replied, "I agree. When I smash my thumb with the hammer I want my !@#$%^^ to mean something." And on and on and on it went. When I raised my objection to the use of the Lord's name because of my faith conviction, the whole class turned on its heel and began assaulting me. One gal said, "You must be one of those Billy Bob, Bible-thumpin' Baptists." From that point forward the whole class proceeded to make fun of me and my faith.
Now it is possible that they could have made fun of me because I was a stereo-typcial red-faced, funny haired characiture of a Christian, but I wasn't. It's possible they could have made fun of me because I was less than academically standard, but I wasn't. I had a high A average at this point in the class. It could have been for many reasons, but the truth is this: I was singled out because I accepted (and still do) the Bible as my authority source for faith and practice. I distinctly remember saying to the class that I was a Christian and as such was offended at the use of the Lord's name in such a base fashion. Besides, I added, the Bible teaches us to never use the Lord's name in that way. That was the clincher! The Bible teaches us to never use the Lord's name in that way. It was that statement that elicited such harsh reaction.
I believe that the Bible is God's revelation to man and that apart from it we could not know what we need to know in order to be saved. Further, the Bible is God's revelation of His expectations for us. As such, it has authority to guide our lives as Christians. In Hebrews 4:12, we learn that the Bible is alive and active; sharper than any two-edged sword; piercing and able to discern the intentions of the heart. The Holy Spirit is the one who enlivens the Bible that it may speak to us about our relationship with Lord and our lifestyle for the Lord. When we come to the Bible or when we hear it taught, we always have one of two choices to make. 1. I will submit to its teaching and surrender my agenda for a biblical one. 2. I will not submit to its teaching and will do what I want.
The Bible has authority to instruct us and hold us accountable and it has power to transform our lives. The Bible does NOT have authority to transform us into the red-faced, funny haired distortion of what so many believe to be a Christian. We are called to walk worthy of our Christian calling. We are called to speak the truth in love. We are called to be distinct from the world. The Bible helps us to do all of this and it helps us to do it winsomely and compassionately when we willingly submit to it. By the way, I had a high A average in that class at the point I shared my conviction. I finished that class with a low C average. My work ethic didn't change and my writing ability / style didn't change. What changed was my professor's view of me. It cost me to live under the authority of what the Bible teaches. If you would live according to the Bible, it will cost you something, too!