Timeless Truths: What Christians believe about… #1-The Bible (Part 1)
7. What Christians believe about… #1-The Bible (Part 1)
February 25, 2016
All Scripture quotations are from the NIV.
14) But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15) and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
16) All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,17) so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:14-17
If you grew up attending church, you probably have more than one Bible. You’ve also more than likely heard the Bible described as:
- rules to follow
- an/the Answer book
- encyclopedia or history book
- science book
- roadmap for life
- owner’s manual
While some of these descriptive terms work well at times, they often lead to the Christian defending God’s Word in ways that alienate the listener.
So, what’s the answer? What’s the real description of the Bible?
The Bible is a conversation between God and humanity.
The Bible describes itself in several places. Some include a mental picture.
- Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. Psalms 119:105
- Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:17
- For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged [a]sword, penetrating as far as the division of the [b]soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 [The Amplified Bible]
Footnotes:
a. In addition to “sword,” the word in Greek was used for the knife used by the priests to slit the throats of the sacrificial lambs and for the knife (scalpel) used by a surgeon.
b. “soul and spirit” used here to emphasize the whole person, not two separate entities as in other passages.
The Bible is alive because of what it does in our lives. The power comes from the authority we give it. It is life-changing for all generations.
Other descriptions don’t require a mental picture.
Jesus prays for His disciples in John 17, that God would Sanctify them by the truth; your Word is truth. (v15). You can’t have a true relationship with God without truth—the Scriptures.
Next week we’ll look deeper into this topic.
Thanks to Rev. Scott Peterson for the central teachings used in this blog.
Next Thursday's Timeless Truths Series: What Christians believe about… #2-The Church
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