The Bible0
BIBLE
The ÿBible is the most popular book in the World. ÿEach year ÿit tops ÿthe “best sellers” ÿlist (even though they won’t list ÿit). It ÿhas been estimated that billions of Bibles have been produced in ÿthe ÿpast 375 ÿyears. ÿSome say that the ÿnumber ÿof ÿBibles printed ÿover ÿtime would provide one for each man, ÿwoman, ÿÿand child ÿthat lives on the earth. ÿWhat is the one ÿcharacteristic about the Bible that makes it so popular? Simply answered, “It is the Word of God!”
The ÿBible ÿis ÿGod’s message to mankind. ÿSome ÿcall ÿit ÿGod’s “loveletter” to the human race. Christians say it is infallible, without ÿerror in the original text. ÿIts critics, ÿÿof ÿcourse, don’t ÿagree ÿsaying the Bible was written by men, ÿthat ÿit ÿhas errors, ÿand it is not completely true. ÿBut let me give you some thoughts ÿon why I believe the Bible to be the “very ÿwords ÿfrom the mouth of God.”
I. There Must Be A Bible.
God has declared the that those who obey Him will go into Heaven, but ÿthose ÿwho ÿchoose not to obey will ÿbe ÿthrown ÿinto ÿHell; therefore, ÿÿthere must be a Bible. ÿSince God has declared that those ÿwho keep His righteous standard will be blessed, ÿthen ÿHe must provide man with the “Standard.” ÿBecause God has a burning Hell for those who disobey, ÿthen He must provide the Book of the Law, ÿÿdeclaring when man has wronged God. ÿThe Bible must ÿexist because God holds man accountable.
II. The Bible Must Be Without Error.
Since ÿGod ÿis ÿresponsible ÿto provide ÿman ÿwith ÿthe ÿ”perfect standard,” by which to live, He must be sure it is without error. A ÿstandard that has errors in it is not a standard at all. ÿCan you ÿimagine trying to measure with a ruler that is less than ÿor greater than 12 inches? ÿIf the Bible has errors then how is man supposed ÿto ÿknow ÿwhat God truly wants him to ÿdo? ÿÿNo, ÿÿthe expected ÿstandard ÿfrom God must also be perfect in order to ÿbe effective.
III. The Bible Must Be Easy to Understand.
Can ÿyou imagine your boss giving you an order to carry out, ÿbut he tells you in Russian or Chinese? How could you be expected to obey him? ÿIt wouldn’t make any difference if it was a 100% true statement; if you can’t understand it, ÿthen it is meaningless as a directive. No, the Bible has to be readily understood in order for ÿGod to hold us accountable. ÿNow this doesn’t mean that ÿwe must ÿÿunderstand ÿevery ÿlittle ÿdetail ÿabout ÿthe ÿBattle ÿÿof Armageddon, ÿor know the exact meaning of the number “666.” ÿBut it ÿdoes mean that in the areas essential to daily living and the fundamental ÿtruths ÿof the Christian Faith, ÿthe Bible ÿmust ÿbe readily understood by all who seek truth in their hearts. ÿThere is ÿonly ÿone interpretation of every passage of Scripture, ÿÿbut often times many applications.
A ÿBible that is open for various interpretations is no ÿstandard at all, and again God would not expect man to obey it. ÿThe Word of God is clearly written and simple to understand. ÿI ÿuse one basic ÿassumption ÿwhenever I read the Bible, ÿÿ”If ÿthe ÿliteral meaning ÿof ÿthe ÿverse makes sense, ÿÿthen ÿstop ÿright ÿthere.” However, ÿif the literal meaning does not appear to match up with what we can understand, then I assume God is using a “picture” of something else to make it more clear to me.
The ÿgreatest ÿproof of the truth of the Bible in my life is ÿthe simple fact that “it works!” I ÿremember back to the days before my ÿsalvation ÿand realize that the new life I now live has ÿbeen the ÿdirect result of reading the Bible and trying to do what ÿit says to by God’s strength. ÿMy life is completely changed and it has been transformed by the Living Word of God–The Bible.
Tony Capoccia ÿBible ÿBulletin ÿBoard Box 115 Galveston, IN 46932 Modem (317) 452-1535 June 12, 1986