The BIBLE, God's Amazing Book

“The BIBLE, God’s Amazing Book” 

 

INTRODUCTION:

            God has chosen to reveal Himself to men in multiple ways. We have Five (5) Sources of Revealed Truth About God:

·         Through God’s Creation (Psalm 19)

·         In history (Especially in God’s Covenant dealings with Israel, though not exclusively)

·         Through Jesus, The Living Word of God in Flesh

·         Through our own person experiences with God (admittedly subjective)

·         Through the Scriptures, the Bible, The Living Word of God in Print

 

TRANSITION:

Today I want to talk about this last source of revelation, God’s amazing book, the Bible. The following statement is a fitting tribute to the Holy Bible. I am sorry I cannot tell you who wrote it. But I can tell you that it has for many years graced the introduction of every Bible produced by the remarkable Gideons International.

“This book contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be saved, and practice is to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveller’s map, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s charter. Here paradise is restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of Hell disclosed. Christ is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labour, and condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents. It is the Book of books—God’s Book—the revelation of God to man.”

 

MAIN BODY:

I. TITLES Used for the Scriptures:

A. “The Law of the Lord” – Psalm 1:1-2 – “How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scoffers! ² But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in His Law, he meditates day and night.”

B. “The Book of the Lord” – Isaiah 34:16 – “Seek from the Book of the Lord and read: Not one of these will be missing; none will lack its mate. For His mouth has commanded, and His Spirit has gathered them.”

C. “The Holy Scriptures” – Romans 1:1-2 – “Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the Gospel of God, ² which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures.”

D. “The Word of God” – Ephesians 6:17 – “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

E. “The Word of Life” – Philippians 2:16 – “…holding fast the Word of Life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.”

F. “The Bible” comes from the Greek word, βιβλίον (biblion), meaning “book, document, tablet, or scroll”

 

II. “The SWORD of the Spirit” (My favourite term)

A. Ephesians 6:17 – “And take the helmet of salvation, and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

1. The Sword of the Spirit is an OFFENSIVE WEAPON = Used to advance the cause of Christ and of truth.

2. The Sword of the Spirit is a DEVENSIVE WEAPON = Used to ward off temptation and other attacks of the enemy.

B. Hebrews 4:12 – “For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

 

III. God’s Divinely Inspired Book

A. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 – “All Scripture is inspired by God [literally “God breathed”] and [therefore] profitable for (1) teaching, for (2) reproof, for (3) correction, and for (4) training in righteousness; ¹⁷ so that [i.e. in order that, to the end that] the [person] of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

·         Taking the four profitable purposes listed here we could explain it this way. The Word of God…

1.       Teaches us to take the right path. (Teaching)

2.      Shows what we did wrong, where we go off the path. (Reproof)

3.      Reveals how to get back to God’s path. (Correction)

4.      Instructs us on how to lead a life of peaceful path-walking. (Training)

B. 2 Peter 1:20-21 – “But know this first of all (i.e. of 1^st importance, priority), that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke [wrote] from God.” In other words, Scripture originates from God. But He channels it through prepared men. He sovereignly and miraculously moves in them and through them. A metaphor is that the Holy Spirit is the wind in their sails, that moves them along, and empowers them to write was God wants communicated. God uses them as a writing instrument. The writer’s words, thoughts, and experiences show through, but the content is superintended by God. Examples:

·         The prophet Daniel did not understand some of what he was writing. When he asked God about it the Lord told him to just keep writing, it was not intended for him to know because it was not going to happen in his lifetime. Daniel 12:8-9 – “As for me, I heard but could not understand; so I said, ‘My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?’ ⁹ He said, ‘Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time.’”

·         Likewise, John the Apostle was commanded to continue writing, despite not understanding the meaning of what he was recording. Revelation 1:11, 19 – He said, “Write in a book what you see, and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea… ¹⁹ Therefore write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after these things.”

 

IV. God’s Book Leads Us to Salvation

A. 2 Timothy 3:15 – “And that from childhood you have known the sacred writings (the Scriptures), which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus.”

B. 1 Corinthians 1:21 – “For since in the wisdom of God the world through its ‘wisdom’ did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.”

 

V. It Needs to Be Intelligently Examined

A. Acts 17:10-12 – “The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. ¹¹ Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. ¹² Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men.”

B. 2 Timothy 2:15 – “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”

 

VI. The Attitude We Should Demonstrate Toward God’s Word

A. Psalm 1:2 – “But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in His Law, he meditates day and night.”

B. Psalm 119:72, 97, 103 – “⁷² The Law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces… ⁹⁷ O how I love Your Law! It is my meditation all the day… ¹⁰³ How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

 

VII. The Bible IS NOT Subject to Change

A. Matthew 5:17-18 – “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfil. ¹⁸ For truly I say to you, until Heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”

B. Mark 13:31 – “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”

C. Revelation 22:18-19 – “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; ¹⁹ and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.”

 

VIII. The Word of God Will Be the Basis of Judgment

A. John 12:48 – “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the Word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.”

 

CONCLUSION:

            One of the groups that I have respected and supported for many years is the Wycliffe Bible Translators who have as their goal, to provide God’s Word in all of the languages and dialects of every tribe, tongue, and nation on earth. But you might ask, why are groups like the Gideons and Wycliffe so “gung-ho” about getting Bibles to everyone? What is the big deal about having a Bible? That is a fair question.

Of course, I am not looking at this subject from a purely objective standpoint because the Bible has already made a profound impact on my life. I love the Bible and I believe that it is God’s Book, His revelation of Himself and of His plans for time and eternity. His Word has been my comfort and my guide. The Bible has been my friend and companion. I am incapable of being objective about it because I am a fanatical Bible-lover, Bible-believer, and Bible-thumper. And I will never apologize for it.

Let me tell you why. The words of Jeremiah 15:16 come to my mind, “Your words were found, and I ate them [absorbed them, digested them], and Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart.” That is the testimony of countless millions who, like me, have learned to love the Word of God. It is the same thing David was feeling when he wrote Psalm 19:7-10, “The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. ⁸ The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. ⁹ The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. ¹⁰ They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.”

In September of 1832 Sir Walter Scott, the famous Scottish historical novelist, playwright, and poet lay dying. Sir Walter, a great Christian, said to his secretary, “Please bring me the book.” His secretary stood there looking at the thousands of books in Scott’s library and she came back in and said, “Dr. Scott, which book?” He said, “The book, the Bible, the only book for a dying man.” And I would have to add that the Bible is not just the only book for a dying man, but it is also the only book for a living man, because it is the Word of Life as well as our Hope in Death.