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The Online Personal Bible
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ATTITUDES TOWARD THE BIBLE
I. Introduction
A. What good is the Bible?
1. Talking to many people, you see several who get good out of
the Bible, but not like you'd think
a) One lady uses it as a place to keep favorite recipes
b) Lots of folks use it as a paperweight
c) Many use it as a safe deposit box for all their impor-
tant papers
d) Many people still use it as a family record book
e) The sad thing is that a lot of people have never used it
as a book to read, much less study, for any value at all
2. What answer would you give to this question?
a) What good is the Bible to you?
b) If we went by how you used it this week,how would we
describe the Bible's purpose?
c) As we ponder this question and our honest answer to it,
we want to think about some good and bad attitudes toward
the Bible , and their consequences
B. What attitudes do men express toward the Bible?
1. It is of some limited value...
a) It is a good thing to have to read at weddings to lend
solemnity to the proceedings
b) It is a good thing to have to read at funerals, when
people desperately need a ray of hope they otherwise have
shown little concern for
c) It is good to find moral standards there, as long as one
doesn't go overboard in applying them to human conduct
d) It contains some interesting quotes that help to spice
up a good speech or discussion
e) Some of its precepts are useful to make up part of our
legal code and the charters of most religious bodies, but
again, its use can be overdone...
2. It is of little or no value...
a) Its precepts are applicable only to a simpler, less en-
lightened time than ours, and it is not relevant to
modern situations and problems
b) Such concepts as miraculous events and "sin" are no
longer believed or accepted by men and should be
discarded
c) It is so ambiguous that anything can be proved by it, as
evidenced by the division among religious bodies pro-
fessing to follow it.
d) It contains interesting stories and tales, but these are
myths written by men seeking to impose their ideas on
others and give them sanction of Divine law.
3. It is the most valuable book in the world
a) It is a book written by God through men to reveal His
mind to us so that we could know His will for us.
b) It is a book that is unlike any other ever written be-
cause its author is the Creator of the universe
c) It is a completely practical book because it contains
instruction and guidance which will, if followed, result
in a personal relationship with God and hope through
Him of an eternal life in His presence.
C. How do men use the Bible, since their attitudes are so varied
D. What should our attitude be, and how do we answer the question,
"What good is the Bible to you?"
II. Is the Bible different from any other book?
A. Few books have had so many authors, some 40 in all
1. These authors were not contemporaries of each other, but
lived at various times over a span of over 1500 years,from
perhaps 1400 BC or so to almost 100 AD.
2. There was no way they could have collaborated or conspired
to make the book have a unifying theme or idea
3. They came from varied walks of life
--Moses was an heir in an Egyptian royal family who became a
sheepherder for 40 years
--Jeremiah was a priest (Jer 1:1)
--David was a shepherd who became a king
--Peter, Andrew, James and John were fishermen
--Matthew was a tax collector
--Amos was a shepherd (Amos 1:1)
4. Some, like Moses or Paul the apostle, were educated
Others, like Peter or John, were noted for their lack of
education.
B. And yet no book written by any author contains so unifying a theme
that develops and unfolds in each book and section, making a
thread that runs through every writing of every time period
1. Every part of the Old Testament contains prophecies of the
coming of Christ and His death (Luk 24:44)
2. Prophecies concerning future events about nations, kings,
and battles made long before their occurrence were found to
be astonishingly accurate.(II Kings 20:12-19) Babylon
3. The theme of God's love for mankind and His unfolding of a
plan for redeeming him from sin by a blood sacrifice is
found in every writing in some way--there is no contradiction
in this book, no disagreement between writers.
C. Few books lay claim to having been written by God in the same way
the Bible makes that claim, and backs it up by records of miraculous
events which confirmed the word of those who wrote it
l. (II Tim. 3:16-17) By inspiration of God
2. (II Pet. 1:19-21) Spoke as moved by Holy Spirit
3. (Gal. 1:11-12) Certified as revelation
4. (Acts 2:29-31) The Psalms are inspired of God, prophecy
proved it
5. (I Cor. 2:12-13) The very words to write were taught them
D. No book can lay claim to so good a record of its accuracy through
thousands of years of existance in human hands, nor is there any
ancient book whose text is so well documented by written witnesses
as this one.
III. Some mistakes men make in looking at the Bible with the wrong attitude
A. They take it too lightly
1. Some believe it is a book written by men, and thus no
more useful than other books of human origin
2. This position has problems it cannot answer
a) How then could it contain accurate prophecies?
b) How do you account for so universal a theme?
c) How did it manage to survive all these years?
d) Why were its writers willing to die for its message?
3. This is not the wisest way to view the Bible
B. They consider it worthwhile in only a limited sense
1. Such people want it read at weddings and funerals and in
church, but are not interested in living by all that it says
2. They also may love to have it on their coffee tables in their
homes, but it must be dusted because it is never read
3. Some members of the church, sadly enough, are so lacking in
Bible knowledge that this seems to be their attitude
4. Their attitude is condemned by the Bible they say they respect
a) (Hos 4:6) Lack of Bible knowledge results in destruction
b) (John 5:39) Search the scriptures...Few do!
c) (Matt. 4:4) Man shall live by every word that proceeds
out of the mouth of God--Does anyone wish to die?
C. Some go there to "prove" their point or contention regardless of the
violence they must do to texts to accomplish this task
1. Such folks recognize that some people are better convinced if
they seem to have "Bible teaching" for their opinions
2. In order to obtain this sanction, they must seek to find some
Bible passage which seems to teach what they already want to
accept.
3. One would not accept this approach to seek to discover the
message found in any other writing, from the textbook to the
scholar's notes to the newspaper
4. Such people do not respect God or His word, for if they did
they would go there humbly seeking to find instead of itching
to prove
5. This position stands self-condemned.
D. Some open its pages only out of guilt.
1. After hearing a lesson like this, a few may say "I need to
study more" and thus begin a haphazard study of the Bible for
a few days.
2. The problems with this are many:
a) Guilt is a poor motive and soon plays out--we won't study
for long or very diligently if this is our prime motive
b) Disorganized study is generally limited in its benefit
and completely uninspiring in its result--we often can
get frustrated or bored and give up.
c) If the only reason we study is because we feel guilty,
our spiritual attitude is very poor--we need to learn to
love the Lord more and seek Him by faith and obedience
--(The illustration of a man reading a book, and commenting
to a lady who asked him about it, "I don't think much of
it, do you?" She replied, "I thought it was fascinating"
Why? The author was her husband. By being in love with
the author, it made his words far more interesting.)
--The book will be far more interesting to us when we learn
to love the author (God).
E. Some seldom study it because they are sure they already know what
it says.
1. Some think they know what the Bible says because they go to
church, and their church leaders have told them something with
which they are satisfied.
2. Others think they know what the Bible says because they have
studied it some, even if they studied it with a closed mind
--(Some people's minds are like concrete--all mixed up and then
completely set until hard)
3. Some don't really know much about the Bible but are afraid to
investigate because they are afraid they might become confused
--(Don't confuse me with the facts, my mind is made up).
4. Some already know that what it says doesn't suit them, so they
aren't interested in studying it because it is unpleasant to
them (John 3:19-21) Loving darkness because it conceals their
evil deeds
F. Some fail to take time to study because they are always "too busy"
1. This is probably a common problem among Christians
2. There is no question that fruitful Bible study takes time
and effort
3. The Lord recognizes this problem and has told us about it
a)(Matt.13:22) Jesus says this attitude will make us to be
fruitless Christians, worthless to God as if we had never
heard the Gospel.
b) (I Cor. 6:19-20) We are not our own...
c) (II Cor. 5:15) We should live for Him from here on be-
cause He died for us that we might live at all.
d) II Pet. 1:10) Diligence is required of us, we ought to
be eager to grow and learn
4. This is the primary reason why some Christians who have been
in the Body of Christ only a few years have far surpassed in
understanding some who have been members for 20+ years. The
eager attitude they have to know and understand has compelled
them to diligent study which has produced growth and strength
IV. What should we do?
A. Take time to study.
1. We should read the Bible some each day--many do much more than
this, but it is a start if this is all we get done
2. Learn the difference between reading and study--learn to study
3. Include time in each day to meditate, think about, the things
we have heard or read, so that they become part of us
(Psalm 1:2) Delight, meditation in God's law
B. Provide yourself with good tools
1. (II Tim. 4:13) Good copies of the scriptures are helpful in
making reading and study easier--Paul had them and used them
2. A good concordance is a helpful tool to finding remembered
passages
3. Reference bibles, if not done to teach error, are very helpful
in study.
4. Don't buy tools and then look at them on a shelf--Use them and
they become a part of you (Did you ever see a slick, polished
handle on the axe of a woodsman? How did it get polished and
smooth like that? Not by being waxed, but by being used.)
C. Respect the word
1. Go to the Bible with the understanding that it is God speaking
to you (I Sam.3:9) "Speak, Lord, for your servant heareth"
2. Plan to obey what you find there, and study to find out what
to obey (Acts 22:10) "What shall I do, Lord"?
3. Be humble and respect God's message--don't assume you know
more than God does.
4. Be diligent to search out all that God says on the subject
so that you will not be misled or deceived
5. Do what you learn to do--many have missed the Bible's point
on things because they failed to obey what they learned, then
were ill equipped to grow further to learn more.
V. Conclusion
A. What is you attitude toward the Bible?
B. Does your use of the Bible really reflect the attitude you know you
should have?
C. Do you believe the Bible contains God's message to us today, by
which we can be saved if we hear and obey?
D. Why not obey God's commands now?
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