Why does the Bible contain accounts of immorality and violence?

Jesus Christ said that we should live by every word of God (Matt. 4:4). In doing so, we were given examples of both how to live and how NOT to live. The Bible contains many accounts of different situations and circumstances. This helps you to frame God’s way into your life and experiences, in turn, helping you apply its lessons in your life.

The Bible also shows that there are penalties for breaking those same laws. But it also shows that God will forgive those who repent and turn back to His way. All men are subject to weaknesses and mistakes (Rom. 3:23). And the Bible shows that even His most righteous servants committed grievous errors. Why would God do this?

As our Instruction Book, God wanted the Bible to show that even in our modern, complicated world, His laws still apply. The mistakes of others are recorded as examples, allowing us to avoid those same mistakes in our lives. You can either learn by making mistakes yourself, or by reading about, and learning from, the mistakes of others. I Corinthians 10:6 further expounds on this point.

To properly help people understand what is right and wrong in God’s sight, the Bible must give many examples. This includes immorality and violence. While the Bible does give enough information to understand the circumstances of the acts, it never dwells on them, or gives details that would be considered either graphic or “pornographic.”

The important facts are recorded, allowing the reader to learn from these mistakes. Once again, learning by the examples of others is far better than having to suffer the consequences of breaking God’s Law.

At the final judgment, everyone will have to concede that God warned and cared about us enough to give us these examples in His Word. God and His Law are perfect love and His Word is a light for our feet—a lamp to guide us—on the narrow path that leads to perfection and everlasting life.