The Bible and You - Part 3
15th October 2011
The Bible teaches us about vitally important subjects about which we would know nothing without it. What would we understand about justification, or sanctification, or the Trinity, or assurance of salvation, if we didn't have the Bible to teach us?
And if you look carefully into the Bible, you can find teaching on all sorts of things, including environmentalism, justice, economics, labour relations, marriage, child rearing, money and ethics. Some of these are not often taught in churches but the diligent can search them out.
And how can we be sure that the theological books that we read, and the sermons we hear are telling us the truth, if we don't read the Bible to check out what they're saying?
Acts 17:11
Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great
eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
The Bible is the only completely reliable guide we have.
2 Timothy 3:14-15
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from
whom you learned it,
and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through
faith in Christ Jesus.
Mathew 22:29
Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God...
It's said that the inside cover of John Bunyan's Bible contained a well-known saying:
This book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book
The Psalmist wrote:
Psalm 1:1-3
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in
the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not
wither. Whatever he does prospers.
It might seem that, in our day, the more common view would be "blessed is the person who works really hard, all hours he can, to make as much money as possible. Then he will have lots of foreign holidays and a big car". And there is some blessing in wealth, at least until we die and lose the lot. But the Bible says "Blessed is the person who stays up at night to read the Bible"! How are you going to invest your time? This passage says that the one who takes the Bible seriously (which involves doing what it says) "will prosper in all he does".
Psalm 119:9-11
How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word.
I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
And the Bible doesn't just tell us how to live - it builds us up, and gives us hope!
Romans 15:4
...everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the
encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
I thank God for my Bible. I thank Him that I live in a country where I'm free to buy the Bible and to study it without fear of persecution. And I pray for my brothers and sisters in other lands, that they may know the same freedom.