[BenL]

Hey, Austin (I know that's not your name, but it's all I've got),

Welcome to the Soulforce forums.

The trick with the Bible is that God didn't/doesn't make any mistakes. God's message remains inerrant. It's human beings who have made the mistakes ... many of them over the centuries. So, as Labguy has suggested, it's the Spirit of Scripture that we need to heed.

Near as I can tell, that Spirit is Love, and it permeates the Bible. That Spirit is one of inclusion, not exclusion. Over and over again, the prophets reminded Israel that God is the God of the whole of creation, not just of the chosen people. And time and time again, we have all at times set ourselves apart from "them." That's always a mistake, and it's one of the biggest mistakes that the Bible gets misused for.

No one has to give up his or her reverance for the inerrant Word of God. Instead, we have to start listening more carefully, more prayerfully, keeping in mind that we're just as capable of making mistakes in our understanding of it as anyone. You seem well on your way to hearing God's Word afresh, with new understanding. What an exciting time it must be for you.

Welcome.