--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Many who are convinced that God is…" description: "\"Many who are convinced that God is non-violent simply dismiss the Old Testament accounts of God commanding or engaging in violence. I don't consider th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/006/gregory-a-boyd-9424_affirming_many-who-are-convinced-that-god-is-non-v_2838984.jpg" --- # Many who are convinced that God is non-violent simply… ![“Many who are convinced that God is non-violent simply dismiss the Old Testament accounts of God commanding or engaging in violence. I don't consider this to be a viable option, for Jesus treats the whole Old Testament as the inspired Word of God. My cross-centered interpretation of these violent…” quote by Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/006/gregory-a-boyd-9424_affirming_many-who-are-convinced-that-god-is-non-v_2838984.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/006/gregory-a-boyd-9424_affirming_many-who-are-convinced-that-god-is-non-v_2838984.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/006/gregory-a-boyd-9424_affirming_many-who-are-convinced-that-god-is-non-v_2838984.jpg) > “Many who are convinced that God is non-violent simply dismiss the Old Testament accounts of God commanding or engaging in violence. I don't consider this to be a viable option, for Jesus treats the whole Old Testament as the inspired Word of God. My cross-centered interpretation of these violent portraits allows believers to affirm that God is non-violent while also affirming that all Scripture is "God-breathed.".” [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author argues that God can be non‑violent despite violent biblical passages, interpreting them through a Christ‑centered lens. **In simple terms:** God is non‑violent even with violent scripture. Key Takeaway Interpret scripture through Christ’s teachings. Themes theology interpretation violence Mood thoughtful serious Type theological explanatory When to use this quote - sermons - study groups - academic papers Key Concepts Christocentric reading biblical hermeneutics Questions to Reflect On - How does a Christ‑centered view change violent passages? - What challenges arise from this interpretation? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affirming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affirming/) [Believer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believer/) [God Commanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-commanding-2405699/) [Inspired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspired/) [Interpretation Violent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interpretation-violent-3710575/) [Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus/) [Old testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-testament/) [Scripture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scripture/) [Scripture God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scripture-god-383246/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) [Violent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violent/) [Violent Affirming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violent-affirming-3710576/) [Word God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/word-god/) [Word of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/word-of-god/) ## Related quotes > [“Second, we are to discover this purpose of God in Scripture. The will of God for the people is in the Word of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-w-stott/second-we-are-to-discover-this-purpose-of-god-in-scripture-the-will/) [John R.W. Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-w-stott/) > [There is no inconsistency in God's commanding us not to take upon ourselves what belongs to Him alone. For to execute vengeance belongs to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anselm-of-canterbury/there-is-no-inconsistency-in-god-s-commanding-us-not-to-take-upon/) [Anselm of Canterbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anselm-of-canterbury/) > [If you reject God's commanding word, you will not receive God's gracious word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/if-you-reject-god-s-commanding-word-you-will-not-receive-god-s/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“This Does Not Imply Dictation From God as the Sole Means of Communication. The entire preceding part of this chapter has argued that all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-a-grudem/this-does-not-imply-dictation-from-god-as-the-sole-means-of/) [Wayne A. Grudem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-a-grudem/) > [Let this point therefore stand: that those whom the Holy Spirit has inwardly taught truly rest upon Scripture, and that Scripture itself is self-authenticated.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/let-this-point-therefore-stand-that-those-whom-the-holy-spirit-has/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [Scripture is something God had ‘let be,’ and so it is at once God’s creation and the creation of the dozens of people and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-d-mclaren/scripture-is-something-god-had-let-be-and-so-it-is-at-once-god-s/) [Brian D. McLaren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-d-mclaren/) > [Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-scripture-is-god-breathed-and-profitable-for-teaching-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/all-scripture-is-god-breathed-and-is-useful-for-teaching-rebuking/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [The scripture that God used to save me was Isaiah 7.14, which today is still my favourite verse in the Bible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-gaynor/the-scripture-that-god-used-to-save-me-was-isaiah-7-14-which-today-is/) [Gloria Gaynor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-gaynor/) > [The Bible is not a book of magic. It's a book of mystery. You can't just quote verses that support your prejudices or guarantee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-white/the-bible-is-not-a-book-of-magic-it-s-a-book-of-mystery-you-can-t/) [Mel White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-white/) > [In scripture God brings the animals to the human for naming. In that simple act the human is brought to recognize the particular personality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/in-scripture-god-brings-the-animals-to-the-human-for-naming-in-that/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [“OPENING VERSES by PASTOR THIEME HEB 4:12 The word of God is alive and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-b-thieme/opening-verses-by-pastor-thieme-heb-4-12-the-word-of-god-is-alive-and/) [R.B.Thieme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-b-thieme/) > [All Scripture is God-breathed... but what we have to understand also is that the Canon of Scripture still is coming from a place of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-franklin/all-scripture-is-god-breathed-but-what-we-have-to-understand-also-is/) [Kirk Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-franklin/) > [“Some people's theologies come across as blatantly wrong when weighed against what is revealed in Scripture. However God has mercy on those who may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/some-people-s-theologies-come-across-as-blatantly-wrong-when-weighed/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [“If your expectation of God’s Word in your life has been small, I ask you to consider giving it far more credit. Second Timothy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/if-your-expectation-of-god-s-word-in-your-life-has-been-small-i-ask/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) ## More by Gregory A. Boyd > [“Consider these questions: Did Jesus ever suggest by word of example that we should aspire to acquire, let alone take over, the power of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/consider-these-questions-did-jesus-ever-suggest-by-word-of-example/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [Jesus came to establish the kingdom of God as a radical alternative to all versions of the kingdom of the world, whether they declare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/jesus-came-to-establish-the-kingdom-of-god-as-a-radical-alternative/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [“God took on our humanity, our sin, and the just punishment that sin deserves, dying a God-forsaken, hellish death on the cross, because only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/god-took-on-our-humanity-our-sin-and-the-just-punishment-that-sin/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [The holiness of the kingdom of God must be preserved. If Jesus refused to acknowledge and fight for Israel as God's favored nation- even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/the-holiness-of-the-kingdom-of-god-must-be-preserved-if-jesus-refused/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [“Coming under others has a power to do what laws and bullets and bombs can never do—namely, bring about transformation in an enemy’s heart.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/coming-under-others-has-a-power-to-do-what-laws-and-bullets-and-bombs/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [“Jesus’ life and ministry consistently reveal the humble character of a servant. Though he rightfully owned the entire cosmos, he, by choice, had no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/jesus-life-and-ministry-consistently-reveal-the-humble-character-of-a/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [“Why would these people do this for us?” This is the question the church ought to be continually raising in people’s minds by its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/why-would-these-people-do-this-for-us-this-is-the-question-the-church/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [“The question that wins the world is not, how can we get our “morally superior” way enforced in the world? The question that wins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/the-question-that-wins-the-world-is-not-how-can-we-get-our-morally/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [Accommodation is a central aspect of the cross-centered interpretation of violent portraits of God that I'm advocating. Like everything else in Cross Vision, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/accommodation-is-a-central-aspect-of-the-cross-centered/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [Second, if you disbelieve in the reality of good and evil spirit agents, you fundamentally change the narrative of Scripture. The motif of spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/second-if-you-disbelieve-in-the-reality-of-good-and-evil-spirit/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [“many people have trouble passionately loving and living for God because they have a mental picture of him that inspires anything but passion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/many-people-have-trouble-passionately-loving-and-living-for-god/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [“I believe a significant segment of American evangelicalism is guilty of nationalistic and political idolatry. To a frightful degree, I think, evangelicals fuse the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/i-believe-a-significant-segment-of-american-evangelicalism-is-guilty/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [Our central job is not to solve the world’s problems. Our job is to draw our entire life from Christ and manifest that life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/our-central-job-is-not-to-solve-the-world-s-problems-our-job-is-to/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [“So too, since Christ has in principle defeated the fallen "gods" (principalities and powers) who have for ages inspired injustice, cruelty and apathy toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/so-too-since-christ-has-in-principle-defeated-the-fallen-gods/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [“the reason God now calls kingdom people to remain separate from the ways of the kingdom-of-the-world is not to isolate them from their culture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/the-reason-god-now-calls-kingdom-people-to-remain-separate-from-the/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) [Explore all 73 Gregory A. Boyd quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) ## More Affirming quotes > [I don't think that writing, real writing, has much to do with affirming belief--if anything it causes rifts and gaps in belief which make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-evenson/i-don-t-think-that-writing-real-writing-has-much-to-do-with-affirming/) [Brian Evenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-evenson/) > [Change your thoughts, change your life. —LAO TZU When I was fighting depression, I remember hearing this expression and not understanding it at first.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/change-your-thoughts-change-your-life-lao-tzu-when-i-was-fighting/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [Where a generation ago people felt entitled to a chance at education, they now feel entitled to the credential affirming that they have completed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-a-henry-iii/where-a-generation-ago-people-felt-entitled-to-a-chance-at-education/) [William A. Henry III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-a-henry-iii/) > [To create something beautiful about despair or out of a feeling of despair is for me the most hopeful life affirming thing a person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-kane/to-create-something-beautiful-about-despair-or-out-of-a-feeling-of/) [Sarah Kane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-kane/) > [“By affirming that all 'meaning,' every assertion about the significance of life and reality, must be judged by reference to a brief succession of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/by-affirming-that-all-meaning-every-assertion-about-the-significance/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [It feels intimate and life affirming to me when someone tweets things that appear to just be insane thoughts they had and typed out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-gonzalez/it-feels-intimate-and-life-affirming-to-me-when-someone-tweets-things/) [Mira Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-gonzalez/) > [ \[F\]or academic men to be happy, the universe would have to take shape. All of philosophy has no other goal: it is a matter… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-bataille/f-or-academic-men-to-be-happy-the-universe-would-have-to-take-shape/) [Georges Bataille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-bataille/) > [It is so inspiring to see a new group coming together not to focus on a particular war or weapons system, but on all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/medea-benjamin/it-is-so-inspiring-to-see-a-new-group-coming-together-not-to-focus-on/) [Medea Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/medea-benjamin/) > [I think we're in a new era where the advancing tide is towards human unity, where people all around the world want to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-kucinich/i-think-we-re-in-a-new-era-where-the-advancing-tide-is-towards-human/) [Dennis Kucinich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-kucinich/) > [Despite two decisions, in 2008 and 2010, by the U.S. Supreme Court unequivocally affirming that the Second Amendment to the Constitution guarantees an individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-barr/despite-two-decisions-in-2008-and-2010-by-the-u-s-supreme-court/) [Bob Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-barr/) > [To be honest, I am not theatre-trained and though I am confident in my skill set, to do theatre requires a better-tuned set of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamlyn-tomita/to-be-honest-i-am-not-theatre-trained-and-though-i-am-confident-in-my/) [Tamlyn Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamlyn-tomita/) > [The fact that you have a policy of such consequence directly affecting millions of people and you have a legal question of great consequence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-verrilli-jr/the-fact-that-you-have-a-policy-of-such-consequence-directly/) [Donald Verrilli Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-verrilli-jr/) > [Action eradicates fear. No matter what you fear,--- positive, self-affirming action can diminish or completely cancel that which you are fearful of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-victor-hansen/action-eradicates-fear-no-matter-what-you-fear-positive-self/) [Mark Victor Hansen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-victor-hansen/) > [Coming out to gays is a way of affirming sanity and self-worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-weinberg/coming-out-to-gays-is-a-way-of-affirming-sanity-and-self-worth/) [George Weinberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-weinberg/) > [“we are affirming our trust that creation means well within us all, and that whatever painful growth and change may lie ahead, it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-silf/we-are-affirming-our-trust-that-creation-means-well-within-us-all-and/) [Margaret Silf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-silf/) [Browse all 167 Affirming quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affirming/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Many who are convinced that God is non-violent simply dismiss the Old Testament accounts of God commanding or engaging in violence. I don't consider this to be a viable option, for Jesus treats the whole Old Testament as the inspired Word of God. My cross-centered interpretation of these violent portraits allows believers to affirm that God is non-violent while also affirming that all Scripture is \"God-breathed.\".", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gregory A. Boyd" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/many-who-are-convinced-that-god-is-non-violent-simply-dismiss-the-old/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Affirming" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/many-who-are-convinced-that-god-is-non-violent-simply-dismiss-the-old/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/006/gregory-a-boyd-9424_affirming_many-who-are-convinced-that-god-is-non-v_2838984.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/006/gregory-a-boyd-9424_affirming_many-who-are-convinced-that-god-is-non-v_2838984.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/006/gregory-a-boyd-9424_affirming_many-who-are-convinced-that-god-is-non-v_2838984.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Many who are convinced that God is non-violent simply dismiss the Old Testament accounts of God commanding…” — Gregory A. Boyd", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Gregory A. Boyd", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Many who are convinced that God...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/many-who-are-convinced-that-god-is-non-violent-simply-dismiss-the-old/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/many-who-are-convinced-that-god-is-non-violent-simply-dismiss-the-old/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```