The Bible We Hold
Read the Text: Hebrews 4
Memorize the Text:
Watch out, brothers and sisters, so that there won’t be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception
(Hebrews 3:12-13, CSB)
Consider the Text: Hebrews 4:12
The Bible is critical for constructing a solid doctrinal foundation. Without the Word of God, we would be left to opinion and relative truth. The Bible provides us with God's instruction for life, the truth about the Lord, and the avenue by which we become reconciled with God. Therefore, we must hold the Bible dear and trust the Truth completely. We must handle the Bible with the understanding that it is the Word of God revealed to us and that it is without error or fallacy. We must know that God's Word penetrates our lives' depths and promotes transformation.
WHAT WE MUST BELIEVE ABOUT THE BIBLE
The Bible is Divinely Inspired. This means that the Lord wrote the Bible through the use of faithful servants who received divine inspiration and penned the words. As a result, the Bible is God revealing himself to us.
The Bible is Without Error. The Bible does not contain any errors within it. The Word of God is perfect and pure in its message, history, and content. As a result, the Word of God exists as absolute Truth.
The Bible is Not False. The truths and revelations within the Bible come from the Lord. As a result, we understand them to be true and contain no fallacy because one of the essential character traits of the Lord is that he is Truth.
The Bible is Truth. Since a character trait of the Lord is Truth, we need to accept His Word as the only truth. As a result, we need to recognize that you and I may have differing views from our perspective on an issue, but the Lord has THE VIEW on the issue.
The Bible Must Be Trusted. Since the Word of God comes from the Lord, we need to trust it completely. Our trust in the Word of the Lord extends from our trust in the Lord. As a result, we need to trust that the Lord has provided us with the truth to live life according to His ways.
BASIC ABOUT THE BIBLE
The Bible is a Road Map. The Bible provides the needed guidance and encouragement to navigate life. In addition, the Bible offers examples and commands of how to journey through life in a manner that glorifies the Lord.
The Bible is the Metric for Judgment. The Bible allows people to understand the Lord's expectations and grasp the metric by which humanity faces judgment. This truth means that the Lord has revealed how one will face the last judgment based on what each does in responding to Jesus.
The Bible is the Guard Rails for Life. The believer's life needs to mirror the truth of God's Word. As a result, the Bible provides ethical and moral guidelines for living life. It provides the truth necessary to live in a manner that glorifies the Lord.
The Bible is Lasting. The Bible was true when it was written and remains true today. The Bible is eternal because it is the revelation of the eternal God. Thus the truth is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
THE CONTENT OF THE BIBLE
The Story of Salvation. The Bible unfolds the story of redemption. It declares the reality of the sinful nature within humanity and the deserved punishment. At the same time, the Bible tells of how humanity can be reconciled to the Lord through a relationship with Jesus.
The Work of Christ. The Bible tells of the coming of Christ and his work on the cross. It declares victory over death in the resurrection and the offering of the gospel to humanity. The sharing of the work of Christ reveals the love of God and the exclusive nature of reconciliation coming through Christ alone.
The Engagement of the Lord. The Lord has worked in the lives of his followers throughout history. The Bible shares these engagements and serves as a reminder and promise that he continues to work in the lives of his children today. Thus, the Bible encourages believers to trust in the engagement of the Lord.
How do you handle the Word of God? When we correctly understand the fundamental truths about the Word, we comprehend the necessity of engaging the Word faithfully. The Bible provides us with content that reveals the nature of God, the gift of salvation, and the necessary guidance for life.
This blog is part of the Coffee and Quiet Time with Jesus Devotional Series found at equippingfaith.com. Join the journey of reading through the New Testament this year. More information can be found at equippingfaith.com.
