The Bible: The Word of God - 3/30/08am

The Bible: The Word of God

Let us take a few minutes to consider the Bible. It is a book that we refer back to for answers from God. It is a book that we believe contains the words of life, and the teaching of salvation. It is the book that we believe is the only book that does so. So I think it is worth our time to consider it, and to look at what it really should mean to us.

~Written so that we might believe~

John 20:30-31 -These things were written…
The Bible was written so that we would have something base our faith on. It exists so that we can believe that Christ came to earth, lived a sinless life, died on the cross, was buried, rose from the dead, ascended to heaven, and that through Him we can have access to eternal life.
Romans 10:17 -Faith comes by hearing

II Peter 1:3 -Given us everything
The Bible contains everything we need to know about how to serve God. Everything we need to believe and everything we need to obey is included in its pages.

~Written to be our source of authority~

Jude 1:3 -The word is complete
We don’t need to look outside of the Bible to find what we need to do to serve God. The message has been delivered, once and for all.
Deuteronomy 4:2 -Do not add or subtract
Revelation 22:18-19 -Do not add or subtract
Any additions or removals from God’s word attempts to make man’s authority equal to that of the Bible. The complete message was given, and as we saw earlier, contains everything we need. If we add or subtract, we try to negate that authority.

II Timothy 3:16-17 -The word of God is God-breathed
The Bible comes from God. If God says something is so, then it is so. And since the Bible is God’s word, then it is so.
II Peter 3:16 -”other scriptures” - Paul’s letters, and the NT, are scripture as much as the ones that Paul himself referred to.
II Peter 1:20-21 -Prophecy came about by God, not man
If it came about by God, we must be sure to use it wisely, and as God wants it used, not twisting it to serve our own wants.

~The Bible is still relevant today~

Some people make the claim that the Bible is simply an old book. Yes, an interesting book, but not really binding after 2000 years! The Bible, and reason, tells us otherwise.

II John 1:1-3 -The truth is in us forever
I Peter 1:23-25 -The word of the Lord stands forever
The word of God will always be true, and will always be accurate. It is just as valid today as it was centuries ago. The truth of how to live a godly life, of salvation, and of God is all as true today as it was when it was written.

I Corinthians 10:1-11 -These things are an example
1500 years after these events took place, Paul writes that they are an example and should be studied. Much had changed in1500 years, but that did not negate the truth and necessity of studying those same things. Do we expect it to be any different for us?
II Timothy 3:1-5 -Types of people Timothy will encounter
Are these people, described here, any different than the people we encounter today?

~It is written to lead us to salvation~

Romans 1:16-17 -The gospel is the power of God that leads to salvation
The only way to salvation, the path to spending eternity with God, is through the gospel of Christ. Not the Qur’an, not the various catechisms, and not the Book of Mormon. The gospel.

Luke 11:28 -Blessed is the one who hears and keeps the word
What greater blessing is there than to spend eternity with Christ?

John 12:47-50 -The words of God will judge us in the last day
Listening to, believing, and obeying the word of God leads to salvation. Not doing so leads to condemnation. And we will face the final judgment, and we will be judged by the word.
II Timothy 4:1 -Christ who will judge
But I thought Christ was going to do the judging? Just so. The Word and Christ cannot be separated.

~Christ is the Word~

John 1:1-18 -Christ is the word
Jesus is the Word. The written word is also the Word. How can this be? It is easiest to think of it as Christ being the perfect example of what the Bible is talking about. He fulfilled the Old Testament, and his life and teachings were exactly what the New Testament encourages us to be. More over, as He is God, He gave the word.

Matthew 5:17 -The fulfillment of the law and prophets
Christ was the fulfillment of the Old Testament. He was the completion and pinnacle of the old covenant, and the creator of the new.

I Peter 2:21-22 -Follow Christ’s example
I Timothy 6:11 -Follow after righteousness, Godliness, etc.
We have already read that the words in the Bible contain the way to righteousness and godliness, and we are told to follow after it. We are also told to follow after Christ. These are not two separate things we are to chase after, but one solidified truth. You cannot follow the Bible without following Christ, and you cannot follow Christ without the Bible. We must strive to follow the word.

Matthew 3:13-17 -Baptism of Christ and fulfilling all righteousness


Luke 8:4-8 -The parable of the sower
Luke 8:11-15 -The parable of the sower is explained
What will we do with the Word of God? Will we reject it outright? Will we follow it for a little while? Or will we let it govern our lives and bring forth good fruits? The choice is ours: follow the word and receive the gift of eternal life, or reject it and stand condemned by the word.