The Bible
Earlene Davis
How important is the Bible to the Christian’s daily life?
II Timothy 3:16-17: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” God speaks to us by His Word, that we might know His purposes, His will for us and His plans for the whole world. He tell us in Proverbs 8, “my voice is to the sons of man, I will speak of excellent things. My mouth shall speak truth. All my words are in righteousness. Receive my instruction… rather than choice gold. I love them that love me.” As children of God we have a responsibility to read what He has to say to us. “Till I come, give attendance to reading the holy Writings” – I Tim. 4:13.
John 5:39, Jesus said, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” In doing so, we learn about our Lord Jesus Christ and the more we learn of Him, our love for Him deepens. To know Him is to love Him. I always liked reading Lk. 24:32, those disciples hearts burned within them by the words Jesus spoke to them from the written Word. Thank God for the written Word. By it the Holy Spirit convicts hearts of sin, revealing our need of the Savior. When we receive Jesus, we have someone who is real to us and more so, for He dwells within us. Jesus is not visible to our natural eyes, but by feeding on God’s Word our spiritual life is nourished and we are growing in the Lord.
The Apostle Paul preached the gospel in many cities and he gave special commendation to the Bible students at Berea. Acts 17:11, “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” They were “more noble” meaning of superior excellent quality. They were receptive, receiving the Word of God with eagerness, “With all readiness of mind.” Searching the scriptures daily to know if what they were hearing was the truth.
Today, there is so much error preached in Christendom. How do we test their words? By checking them out, do they ring true with the Word of God. We don’t want to be fooled with cleaver words that entertain us intellectually, we want the truth. As we read in I Thess. 3:13, that “he may establish our hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.” As we follow the Berean example and search the scriptures daily, it may also be said of us that we are “more noble.” That is not a bad testimony. I remember a dear brother, Bill McDaniel, and his wife telling us when we visited her in the hospital, “Old Bill reads his Bible everyday.” It impressed her, but she didn’t follow his example.
As we explore God’s Word, something happens, we grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ – II Peter 3:18. We wont remain a baby spiritually, ignorant of God’s Word. As newborn babes in Christ, we desire the pure milk of God’s Word that we may grow up, a spiritual man in Christ (Eph. 4:11-16). God would have us to grow up into Christ. He has given godly teachers to give forth His edifying Word that it may be worked in our lives by the Holy Spirit unto perfection. So we wont be deceived by false teachers.
It is a sad thing in the natural if a baby never grows, God wants to bring us to spiritual maturity. Even in the natural, we need food to grow. Spiritually we need spiritual food, to grow, God’s Word. Heb. 5:12-14, We need the milk of the Word as babes, but then we need to go on to solid nourishment, the strong meat of God’s Word. I Jn. 2:12-14 speaks of the different stages of growth in Christ: little children, young men and fathers. God has spread a great feast before us, His Word, in which thousands never venture. Not desiring to know the Word or else wanting it sugar coated.
The Bible is the most fascinating book in all the world if you take it in and let the Holy Spirit reveal Christ to you on every page. The Word of God covers every experience of life. Let us consider a few citations from Psalm 119, the longest psalm or chapter in the Bible, 176 verses using different descriptions for His Word in every verse: such as His law, His judgments, His commandments, His statutes, His testimonies, His precepts, His words, His ordinances, His ways. V. 11 – may we hide His Word in our hearts. V. 89 – thy word is settled in heaven, founded for ever. V. 103 – we find his Word sweeter than honey to our taste (taste and see). V. 105 – His Word is a light unto our path, guiding us. V. 130 – The Word of God gives us understanding, enlightenment. V. 140 – we love the pure words of our God.
Isa. 40:8 – “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.” It endures, as we read in Mt. 24:35, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” God sanctifies us through His truth – Jn. 17:17. We are admonished in Col. 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” It is profitable for you and for me, for God’s word is powerful, living and active. Heb. 4:12, “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
We are comforted by God’s Word that gives us hope in Him, when we receive it by faith (Rom. 15:4). If we have His Word in our hearts, the Holy Spirit will bring it to our remembrance to sustain us at different times (Jn. 14:26). It also cleanses us (Eph: 5:26), being washed in the laver of His Word, that we may be wholly separated from every defiling thing that would mar our fellowship with Christ. We desire that our lives be a sweet smell to the Father of His Son.
Let us see ourselves in Christ, that He is walking in us and that others will see Jesus and be drawn to Him. The Spirit will actually work in us God’s prefect will, as we are separated wholly unto Him. I am so glad I know Him, but even more important, I am so glad He knows me. He speaks to me by His Word and sets my heart aflame. The presence of His Holy Spirit is so powerful, that sometimes I feel like I hear an audible voice.
