Where would we be without the Bible? The answer is, “Nowhere good!” Without the Bible, we would have no direction from our Creator. We would have no idea how to live a life pleasing to Him. We would not know how to prepare ourselves for life after death.
But, with the Bible, we have God’s all-authoritative Word (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 1 Cor. 14:37; 2 Pet. 1:20-21; 1 Cor. 2:10-13), which provides us with “all things” that are necessary to serve God (2 Tim. 3:17; 2 Pet. 1:3; Jude 3). In the last article, we began to consider what our responsibility is to this ALL-inspired, ALL-sufficient, for ALL-time delivered Word, and we first observed what we are NOT to do with it. Now, in conclusion, let us note what God would have us to DO with His all-authoritative Word.
God wants us to BELIEVE His Word. The Word of God produces “faith” (Rom. 10:17). This is not a blind faith, but it is based upon solid, knowable evidence within the Bible (cf. Acts 26:26-27). Do you believe the Bible?
God wants us to RESPECT His Word. Scripture is filled with examples of people who did not respect God’s Word (Gen. 4:3-5; Lev. 10:1-3; Num. 20:7-12; 2 Sam. 6:3-7). Yet it deserves the same level of respect that God Himself deserves (see Psalm 119:1-176). Do you respect the Bible?
God wants us to OBEY His Word. James wrote, “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only” (1:22). Those who obey His Word are the “wise” ones (Matt. 7:24-25), who will “enter the kingdom of heaven” (7:21). Do you obey the Bible?
God wants us to TEACH His Word. We have no right to teach anything else (1 Pet. 4:11). We must teach the lost (Mark 16:15) and the saved (2 Tim. 2:2). If I am not teaching, that is evidence of spiritual immaturity (Heb. 5:12-14). Do you teach the Bible?
God wants us to STUDY His Word. We must be diligent and faithful students of the Scripture (2 Tim. 2:15; 2 Pet. 1:5-8). Do you study the Bible?
God wants us to DEMAND His Word. We must not accept anything short of or anything more than His Word (2 John 9-11; Gal. 1:6-9). We must ensure that all that is taught is true to His Word (Acts 17:11). Do you demand the Bible?
God has made this simple by giving us the 66 inspired books in the Bible to have, to know, to understand and to obey. It is man who has made things complicated by deviating from God’s Word and elevating other persons and doctrines in the place of Christ. May God help us to respect Christ’s all-authoritative Word, submit to it, love it and obey it.