What Is the Bible?
What makes the Bible so different from other books? At first glance it looks
like any other book [although you may be intimidated by its size]. You also
might wonder if it's of any use to us today, since it mostly tells about events
that happened thousands of years ago. And yet people in every generation have
found its message indispensable, and its influence on individuals and society
over the centuries has been enormous. Why? What is the Bible?
For one thing, the Bible is a collection of books, written by dozens of authors
over many hundreds of years. Some are very brief--less than a page--while others
are much longer. But in spite of their diversity, when you examine them, you
discover they all have a common theme: God's relationship with the human race.
This is one reason why the books of the Bible are just as relevant today as
when they were written. The Bible deals with timeless questions: Who are we?
Where did we come from? Why are we here? Where are going? How should we live?
Can you think of any questions more important than these? How can we ignore
them?
The Word of God
But the Bible is important for a much greater reason: The Bible is the Word
of God. Yes, various human authors wrote it--but behind them was another Author:
the Spirit of God. Even when they weren't fully aware of it, God was guiding
them so that what they wrote wasn't just their own words, but God's Word. The
apostle Peter wrote, "No prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's
own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but
men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" [2 Peter
1:20-21]. God wanted to speak to us in words we could understand--and the Bible
contains those words.
The Bible isn't just a collection of men's ideas about God, nor is it a guidebook
for living that people developed over the centuries. It is the Word of God--and
that makes all the difference. This means the Bible is our authority in everything
it touches. This means the Bible is our guide to show us how to live. Most of
all, this means the Bible is our instructor, teaching us about God and His plan
of salvation in Christ. The Old Testament points toward Christ's coming; the
New Testament tells of His arrival. From Genesis to Revelation we see God's
great plan unfold--His plan to win a lost humanity back to Himself. The central
theme of the Bible is salvation, and the central personality of the Bible is
Christ.
The Bible is God's gift to us. It came from God, and it points us to God. The
Bible says of itself, "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and
is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for
every good work" [2 Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV].
Can We Trust It?
Since the Bible is God's Word, we shouldn't be surprised if Satan tries to convince
us otherwise. The very first question in the Bible came from Satan's lips, casting
doubt on what God had told Adam and Eve: "Did God really say...?"
[Genesis 3:1]. Then he became bolder, flatly denying what God had said: "You
will not surely die" [Genesis 3:4]. Ever since that dark day in the Garden
of Eden, one of Satan's most persistent strategies has been to make us doubt
the truthfulness and authority of God's Word.
Especially significant to me, however, was Jesus' own view of Scripture. He
not only quoted it frequently, but also accepted it as the Word of God. While
praying for His disciples, He said, "Sanctify them by the truth; your word
is truth" [John 17:17]. He also told them, "I tell you the truth,
until heaven and earth will by any means disappear from the Law" [Matthew
5:18]. Shouldn't I have the same view of Scripture as my Lord?
Finally I went for a walk in the private place. I knelt down with my Bible in
front of me and began praying, I don't recall my exact words, but my prayer
went something like this: "O Lord, there are many things in this book I
don't understand. There are many problems in it for which I have no solution....But,
Father, by faith I am going to accept this as Thy Word. From this moment on
I am going to trust the Bible as the Word of God."
When I got up from my knees, I sensed God's presence in a way I hadn't felt
before. Not all my questions were answered, but I knew a major spiritual battle
had been fought--and won. I never doubted the Bible's divine inspiration again,
and immediately my preaching took on a new confidence.
Don't let anyone shake your confidence in the Bible as God's Word. If you have
questions about it, don't use them as an excuse to turn your back on God. Instead,
face your doubts and seeks answers; you aren't the first person to ask them.
Your local Church of Christ can help you. In addition, read the Bible for yourself
with an open heart and mind. Ask God to show you if it truly is His Word--and
He will.
Your life will never be the same once you trust the Bible as God's Word. God
will begin to use it to change your life.
Submitted by Roland Tolentino
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