Is the Bible consistent?

Growing up, a close relative used to express his frustration with the Bible to me at times. "I am frustrated many times with the New Testament. It's all about forgiveness and love. We Protestants have forgotten about the God of the Old Testament- the punisher. You didn't mess around with Him. We need more of Him today. We need a flood!"

The exact opposite was what I usually heard from my friends. "The Old Testament is so judgmental. Why can't everyone be more loving and forgiving like Jesus?"

Then I met crusty, old Army guys who talked about "the commie threat" and that Jesus seemed "like a hippy" to them.

Then there were the collegiate folks who talked more of tolerance than anything else- and made the case that Jesus would have been more tolerant than Christians today (I guess they missed the part about the moneychangers and the part of Peter trying to get Jesus to fight back).

Lastly there were the folks that thought contemporary preachers ignored the "fire and brimstone" parts of the Bible in order to not turn-off people who were looking for hope. Joel Osteen and others seemed to be the anathema of God to them.

I, too, see a difference between what was stressed in the Old Testament and what seems to be the focus of the New. In the Old there was instruction, disobedience, and punishment. There were laws- tons of them.

In the New Testament there was one message: love. God loves us, so Jesus sacrificed Himself, so that we could be saved. And all we have to do is believe in Him and love one another.

How do we reconcile these differences? Some say that is how it was meant to be: Jesus came and changed things. Others see no difference- they talk of a consistency throughout the Bible.

I tend to think that Jesus did change things. What I think about a lot is why we don't add more books to the Bible. Surely we have learned things since Jesus was here. Things that could expand our knowledge of life, purpose, and the universe.

Complexity Theory would hold that things get more complex and complicated over time. Following that- that is why religions keep breaking off into different groups and sub-groups. Things won't get simpler- things will just get more complicated. And more diverse. And there will be more groups.

So- that's why I don't think books will be added to the Bible. No group would be able to sell their ideas of additions to the other groups. It wouldn't be accepted.

But that is too bad. I am reminded of the story of the guy who passed up all kinds of chances to be saved during a flood thinking that God would save him. In Heaven God tells him, "I sent you a boat, a helicopter, a...." I think God has given us many things since Jesus was here. We have discovered and understood so many more things about His creation. We have uncovered many more questions. I sometimes feel that God would want more added to the Bible. That He still inspires people to write about Him and His creation. Will he one day say to Christians- "Why did you stop adding to my book?"