FAITH : God’s word for living
God’s word, the Bible, is the road map or guide for coming to faith in the lord Jesus Christ and for living a fully functional life.
Appropriate Bible use is critical. It is most essential for knowing and gaining faith in God our Father in heaven, the Son, Jesus Christ, our mediator and saviour, and the Holy Spirit our Counsellor, baptiser, energiser and helper.
The Bible is, the source and final authority on Christian belief. The boundaries of what we believe are determined by what the Bible says, this is because what the Bible say, God says.
There are several Bible verses that point to the critical importance of God’s word for living. The Lord Jesus says, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”. John 8:31-32 NLT.
We can know the truth about the nature and power of God the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, His life and works, the person of the Holy Spirit and His works only through the Bible. We learn about God’s redemption plan and salvation only through the Bible.
We also come to know about the true nature and real need of human kind, male and female, made in the image of God through the Bible. In fact, it is from the Bible that we learn about Satan and his fall from Heaven, other fallen angels and demons and spiritual warfare.
“Put on all of God’s armour so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh and blood, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places”. Ephesians 6:11-12
We learn the basics about law and other ecosystem and care for the environment, all from the Bible. A sinful person is a lost person, heading to get back home. The Bible affirms that to be the condition of every person, without exception.
“All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all”. Isaiah 53:6 NLT
“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard”. Romans 3:23 NLT.
Thankfully, the lost sinner can find his/her way back home to God and this is carefully stated in the Bible, God’s word.
The Apostle Paul summarises the critical importance of God’s word in our lives as follows:
“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.
It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work”. 2 Timothy 3:16 & 17 NLT
Here are six primary characteristics of the Bible – God’s word: its origin, its teaching, its reproof, its correction, its training, its equipment.
The wisdom literature of Proverbs says about God’s word, the Bible:
“Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair.
These proverbs will give insight to the simple,
knowledge and discernment to the young. Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser.
Let those with understanding receive guidance. Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge.” (Proverbs 1:3-5, 7a NLT)
The Bible is not a magical book, no! Take the Book of Proverbs for example: A Bible teacher comments, “Proverbs offers principles that are generally true. For example, a person who works hard and has integrity is likely to have more material resources than a lazy and shiftless person.
However, the lazy person might inherit wealth, and a hard worker might lose wealth when exploited by corrupt government officials. (This disjunction between righteousness and material reward is a major theme of Ecclesiastes and Job).
Rather than guaranteeing a favourable outcome, wisdom gives us generally true principles for life’s decision.
The message of Proverbs is that, real wisdom is based on relationship with God, the true source of all wisdom”.
We experience true wisdom only through a living relationship with God. Indeed, God wants to interact with us in a meaningful way.
The key way He does this is through His word, the Bible. All are invited to explore this relationship through a careful reading and study of the Bible.
(The author is a Leadership Development and Cross-cultural Ministries Consultant.
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