I have a friend who for a time grew up in a strict and very judgmental Christian household. For that reason he is not very open to Christian ideas. This is a very common problem in modern society and one that I believe gives us all a duller understanding of life and religion.
In light of the modern scientific age, a lot of us now tend to view the Bible more in terms of its literal interpretation rather than the values and morals held within. This is certainly the atheistic argument – that the Bible must be wrong because such things like virgin births and resurrections don’t happen in real life according to modern science.
Unfortunately, this puts many of us in a state of disinterest for, if the Bible contains such ludicrous events, then the rest of it must not be worth studying.
Fortunately, you don’t have to believe in the Bible in a literal sense to gain wisdom from its teachings. Many quotes from the Bible are just common sense guidance anyone can benefit from, which in all likelihood is why the religion has been so successful and why so many people could benefit today from a more nuanced understanding of religion.
To be clear, I am in no way claiming to be any kind of theology expert or saying that by Christian philosophy is the only correct way to live. There is much to learn from all religions and philosophers from the past and present. However, there are only a handful of such with a 2,000+ year history of success. This writing is purely from my understanding of scripture as I have studied it so far.
Regardless, here are five Bible quotes anyone can use regardless of his or her view on biblical history.
Marriage
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her ~ Ephesians 5:25
In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ~ Ephesians 5:28
The new testament is filled with quotes about marriage, love, and relationship. It encourages couples to be loving and non-judgmental toward each other, whether or not the other spouse believes in God or not.
Money
“The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender.” ~ Proverbs 22:7
“Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it.” ~ Proverbs 12:11
The Bible has a lot to say about finances, especially in regard to money and debt. It teaches to build wealth over time and to stay out of debt. You can see how following these principles leads to a more prosperous life.
Humility
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom ~ Proverbs 11:2
It takes humility to admit when you’re wrong. It also takes humility to admit when you simply don’t have all the answers. Because there is no way that you could possibly learn everything there is to know about life by the time you need to start making big decisions, it is important to take wisdom from your ancestors who’ve been through that trial and error process to bring you to the place you’re at. Hence the theme of this article.
Love
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” ~ Corinthians 13:4-7
“Let all that you do be done in love.” ~ Corinthians 16:14
Friendship
“Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” ~ Thessalonians 5:11
Wisdom is sometimes referred to as the art of living well. Your beliefs define your actions and your actions define your life.
For example, if you were to start investing for retirement, how would you go about it? You could choose an array of time-tested mutual funds with a long history of success and growth, or you could choose a handful of new companies that you like, hoping that they work out. There is a correct answer to this question, by the way.
The same is true with life. You can, in whatever capacity you choose, accept wisdom from the past, or you can choose to live your life based solely on new “woke” progressive ideals. This too, has a right and wrong answer.
About the Author
Phillip Schneider is a staff writer for Waking Times and Blacklisted News. If you want to see more of his work, you can like his Facebook Page, follow him on the free speech social network Minds, or become a contributor via Patreon.
This article (5 Common Sense Bible Teachings Even Atheists Can Love) originally appeared at Phillip Schneider and may be re-posted freely with proper attribution, author credit, and this copyright statement.