If you’ve been keeping up with the History Channel’s The Bible miniseries, you’ve probably noticed that everybody seems to have an opinion about it. I’ve been watching the series, live chatting it on my Facebook page, and reading reviews and comments about it from viewers, bloggers, and Christian leaders. At the risk of over-saturating the blogosphere, here are a few of my thoughts on what people are saying about The Bible*. (You can find Part 2 of this series here, and Part 3 here.)
1. “The Bible” will get people to read their Bibles.
I hope so. I really do, but I’m concerned.
Have you ever watched the movie Braveheart? The Patriot? Gone with the Wind? (Ha. You thought I had a little Mel Gibson thing going there, didn’t you?) Upon finishing any of those movies, did you pick up a thick tome on William Wallace, the Revolutionary War, or the Civil War and give it a thorough reading from beginning to end? Or did you just take for granted that those movies accurately portrayed the way things transpired? I’ve seen all of those movies several times, and I’ll admit none of them have inspired me to read up on the historical events on which they’re based.
I’m guessing that while there may be some who will be inspired by The Bible to pick up the Bible and read it, those numbers will be far more minuscule than we might hope.
2. “The Bible” will lead people to a saving knowledge of Christ.
Nothing would make me happier. Really! However, consider the Christ this movie is presenting. If The Bible doesn’t present the true Christ of God’s word, then people will not be saved. They will be putting their faith (if it is even made clear to them from the movie that they must repent and put their faith in Christ and His payment for their sin) in a false Christ—an idol that is powerless to save anyone. Worse, for a person who puts his faith in a false Christ, it may inoculate him against hearing and accepting the truth of the gospel in the future.
3. “The Bible” can be used by Christians as a “conversation starter” for presenting the gospel to their unsaved friends.
This is the best impact The Bible could possibly have. I truly hope it gets many lost people thinking about God and that God will put a Christian in their lives to tell them about Jesus. I would love to see Christians use this movie as an open door for sharing the gospel with the lost. May many who need Jesus come to Him for salvation as a result of seeing The Bible.
…To be continued…
*Just a note for future readers: This article was written during the week between episodes 3 and 4 of the miniseries. Episode 3 wrapped up the Old Testament and introduced the New Testament, covering Jesus’ birth through the calling of Peter. As I write, I have not seen episode 4 or 5.
Michelle Lesley 
Reblogged this on Michelle Lesley and commented:
With the movie Son of God releasing in theaters on February 28, for the next three Thursdays I’ll be rerunning a three part series I wrote on last year’s History Channel miniseries, The Bible. Son of God is Roma Downey’s and Mark Burnett’s movie about Jesus that is drawn from The Bible’s scenes pertaining to His life and ministry, as well as deleted scenes that did not make it into the miniseries.
Also see: “Should Christians Boycott ‘Son of God’? Three Things to Consider”
http://michellelesleybooks.com/2014/02/10/should-christians-boycott-son-of-god-three-things-to-consider/
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