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What does the Bible say about writing?
- Thread starter Guido
- Start date
What sort of writing? Are you talking about children's stories, fiction, non-fiction, Bible commentary? Some verses come to mind but, I would like some more context before answering this one.
I probably should not attempt to add to Salty's post as it nailed the topic.
But the Bible does address the thread topic to a degree.
Psalms 71:15 NASB
My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness
And of Your salvation all day long;
For I do not know the art of writing.
Here it is clearly indicated if we able to write, our writings should tell of God's righteousness,
And of God's salvation all day long. Our communications should edify.
2 Corinthians 13:10 NASB
For this reason I am writing these things while absent, so that when present I need not use severity, in accordance with the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.
But the Bible does address the thread topic to a degree.
Psalms 71:15 NASB
My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness
And of Your salvation all day long;
For I do not know the art of writing.
Here it is clearly indicated if we able to write, our writings should tell of God's righteousness,
And of God's salvation all day long. Our communications should edify.
2 Corinthians 13:10 NASB
For this reason I am writing these things while absent, so that when present I need not use severity, in accordance with the authority which the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down.
1 Corinthians 14:26
How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
While the context is not writing, there is application in “all things.”
Everything that we do should be done with the goal of our words making ourselves and others better people.
Ephesians 4:29
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
The same applies to what we put in text.
2 Timothy 2:14
Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
Paul warns that our words be profitable. Properly read, “but to the subverting of the hearers” is in contrast with the word “profit” and not the words “no profit.”
We are not to strive about words that are not profitable and corrupt or destabilize the hearers. There should be a definite goal to our work and everything we say/write should not minister questions. It should build up and stabilize the reader.
1 Corinthians 14:40
Let all things be done decently and in order.
It should be done well. It should be organized and planned properly.
1 Corinthians 16:14
Let all your things be done with charity.
1 Cor. 13:1-3
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
If our words are not given with the intention of loving your neighbor we are not doing what we need to do as Christians.
James 5:12
But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
Truth is important. We are instructed that our words should be spoken honestly with clear intent. We should not have to promise on anyone’s Bible or anything else that we are telling the truth.
1 Peter 4:11
If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
If you are talking about here on the BB…
Proverbs 26:4
Answer not a fool according to his folly,
lest thou also be like unto him.
Proverbs 26:5
Answer a fool according to his folly,
lest he be wise in his own conceit.
How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
While the context is not writing, there is application in “all things.”
Everything that we do should be done with the goal of our words making ourselves and others better people.
Ephesians 4:29
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
The same applies to what we put in text.
2 Timothy 2:14
Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.
Paul warns that our words be profitable. Properly read, “but to the subverting of the hearers” is in contrast with the word “profit” and not the words “no profit.”
We are not to strive about words that are not profitable and corrupt or destabilize the hearers. There should be a definite goal to our work and everything we say/write should not minister questions. It should build up and stabilize the reader.
1 Corinthians 14:40
Let all things be done decently and in order.
It should be done well. It should be organized and planned properly.
1 Corinthians 16:14
Let all your things be done with charity.
1 Cor. 13:1-3
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
If our words are not given with the intention of loving your neighbor we are not doing what we need to do as Christians.
James 5:12
But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
Truth is important. We are instructed that our words should be spoken honestly with clear intent. We should not have to promise on anyone’s Bible or anything else that we are telling the truth.
1 Peter 4:11
If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
If you are talking about here on the BB…
Proverbs 26:4
Answer not a fool according to his folly,
lest thou also be like unto him.
Proverbs 26:5
Answer a fool according to his folly,
lest he be wise in his own conceit.
fiction, non-fiction, poetry, etc
God created language. God created emotions and feeling. These are, in and of themselves not sin. Arguably, the Psalms contain lyrical prose. Song of Solomon is without doubt lyrical prose. Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon are considered/ classified as books of poetry.
How much of Scripture is fiction? Remember the parable of the trees, Judges 9? This is not the recording of a true story. It is a fable. A story meant to teach a lesson.
Two works that are extremely good to read, and are both fiction, are Pilgrim's Progress and The Holy War. If you have not read them, I strongly recommend them. they are great examples of how fiction can be beneficial to a Christian.
Scripture is packed with non-fiction. not everything that is recorded is good (that it happened). It is not recorded in Scripture for us to repeat. It is there to learn from others mistakes and not repeat.
Principle 1
Ro 14:14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
While this talks about meat, if we think something is wrong to do and we decide to do it, we are deciding to do wrong. This is what makes the doing of doubtful things sin.
Principle 2
Ro 1:19 ¶ Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Ro 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Ro 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Ro 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Ro 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Ro 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Ro 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Ro 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
Ro 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
Ro 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Ro 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Ro 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Ro 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Ro 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
If I were to undertake any writing, I would want to be sure that the things I were writing did not fall into the category of giving pleasure in reading the sins of others.(Romance novels are the major culprit in my opinion. the fact that some are called Christian doesn't sanitize them).
Edifying the hearers and helping people to understand attributes of God can be done without ever mentioning God. The book of Esther never mentions God. There is still a clear right and wrong. There is still the teaching of the providence of God in it and, while not crediting Him by name, it does not rob Him of credit either.
How much of Scripture is fiction? Remember the parable of the trees, Judges 9? This is not the recording of a true story. It is a fable. A story meant to teach a lesson.
Two works that are extremely good to read, and are both fiction, are Pilgrim's Progress and The Holy War. If you have not read them, I strongly recommend them. they are great examples of how fiction can be beneficial to a Christian.
Scripture is packed with non-fiction. not everything that is recorded is good (that it happened). It is not recorded in Scripture for us to repeat. It is there to learn from others mistakes and not repeat.
Principle 1
Ro 14:14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
While this talks about meat, if we think something is wrong to do and we decide to do it, we are deciding to do wrong. This is what makes the doing of doubtful things sin.
Principle 2
Ro 1:19 ¶ Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Ro 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Ro 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Ro 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Ro 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Ro 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Ro 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Ro 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
Ro 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
Ro 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Ro 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Ro 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Ro 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Ro 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
If I were to undertake any writing, I would want to be sure that the things I were writing did not fall into the category of giving pleasure in reading the sins of others.(Romance novels are the major culprit in my opinion. the fact that some are called Christian doesn't sanitize them).
Edifying the hearers and helping people to understand attributes of God can be done without ever mentioning God. The book of Esther never mentions God. There is still a clear right and wrong. There is still the teaching of the providence of God in it and, while not crediting Him by name, it does not rob Him of credit either.
"Is writing lyrical prose a sin?"
Since the Bible contains, according to scholars, many "forms" of writing, I doubt that any form of writing would be judged a sin on that basis alone. Rather any form of writing that conveys Truth, and helps to evangelize and edify would seem to be in the will of God. Now we know not to use coarse or offensive language, but we must stand firm and not be silenced by the professed biases of others.
Since the Bible contains, according to scholars, many "forms" of writing, I doubt that any form of writing would be judged a sin on that basis alone. Rather any form of writing that conveys Truth, and helps to evangelize and edify would seem to be in the will of God. Now we know not to use coarse or offensive language, but we must stand firm and not be silenced by the professed biases of others.