The Bible is Authentic
For centuries many have been trying to get rid of the Bible, but without success.
Over and over mankind would burn Bibles trying to destroy them, but as Jesus said
in Matthew 5:18 “I assure you, until heaven and earth disappear, even the smallest
detail of God’s law will remain until its purpose is achieved”. Jesus also says in
John 10:35 “the scripture cannot be broken”.
When the burnings failed, they said that the Bible that we have now is not the
same as the original written, and also that the translations have changed the
original meaning, but in 1948 when they found in a cave, many strolls in clay pots
and compared it with today’s Bible, it was the same.
The Bible is God’s message for His people, it is made up of 66 books and is our
guidelines for godly living. The Bible is a tool for understanding God’s will for our
lives, if we will listen to what it has to say (Romans 15:4) says “for whatsoever
things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through
patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope”.
The Bible is a special revelation from God (II Timothy 3:16-17) “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 perfect,
thoroughly furnished to all good works”. It explains what God is like, how He
expects us to act, and the consequences of our either accepting or rejecting His
message.
God divinely assisted the writers of Scripture, He gave them the ability to
accurately pass along His revelations in written form. Scripture is completely
trustworthy because God was in control of its writing (II Peter 1:20-21) “knowing
this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the
prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as
they were moved by the Holy Spirit”.
The Bible is a map to guide us. The psalmist says that he is a foreigner here on
earth, and so he needed guidance. As we travel through life, the Bible should be
our road map, pointing out safe routes, obstacles to avoid, and our final
destination. We must recognize ourselves as pilgrims, travelers here on earth who
need to study God’s map to learn the way (Proverbs 4:20-5:2) “My son, attend to
my words; incline your ear to may sayings. Let them not depart from your eyes;
keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those that find them, and
health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the
issues of life. Put away from you a forward mouth, and perverse lips put far from
you. Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids look straight before you.
Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Turn not to the
right hand nor the left, remove your foot from evil. My son, attend to my wisdom,
and bow your ear to my understanding. That you may regard discretion, and that
your lips may keep knowledge”.
The Bible contains many, many answers to life’s big questions, and serves as an
excellent guidebook on who God is, what Christ has done for us, and how we
should live in order to reflect His wonderful work in us. We are told to “study to
show yourself approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15). We have to be careful not to take only
part of a scripture verse; people quote “the truth will make you free”, but you have
to go up a verse to get the real meaning (John 8:31-32) says “then said Jesus to
those Jews which believed on Him, if you continue in My word, them are you My
disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”.
You have to continue in His word first. The same is said in John 15:4-10, you can’t
ask what you will until you abide in Him and His words abides in you.
The word reveals who you really are! James calls it a mirror (James 1:22-25) and
shows us who we are, i.e. and we are warned not to be a hearer only; it says “but
be you doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving you own selves. For is
any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like to a man beholding his
natural face in a glass. For he beholds himself, and goes his way, and
immediately forgets what manner of man he was. But whoso looks into the perfect
law of liberty, and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of
the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed”. The Bible shows you who the
new man is. And we have to renew our mind to the word of God, so we can live the
way we are supposed to live. Our righteousness is not based on what we did or
do, it is based on what Jesus did. Remember we are the righteousness of God in
Christ. The more you think on that, the more you dwell on that, the more you will
be able to walk it out in your conduct.
As we begin to take in the fact that the Bible is the true word of God, and then
make it the final authority in our lives, the more you will live it out. The same thing
that God told Joshua still applies to us today “this book of the law, shall not depart
out of your mouth, but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may
observe to do according to all that is written therein, for then you shall make your
way prosperous and then you shall have good success” (Joshua 1:8). The book
of the law is the Bible, and we are told to meditate in it day and night; but people
will call you a legalist if you read your Bible. David writes in Psalms 19:7-12 “the
law of the Lord Yahweh is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord
Yahweh is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord Yahweh are
right rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord Yahweh is pure, and
enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord Yahweh is clean, enduring for ever,
the judgments of the Lord Yahweh are true and righteous altogether. More to be
desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold, sweeter also, than honey
and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is Your servant warned; and in keeping of
them there is a great reward. Who can understand his errors? Cleanse You me
from secret faults”.
Many Christians never read their Bibles, and God says “My people perish, for lack
of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). The Bible was given for God’s people, and it is our
road map to obtain the knowledge within it, the choose is ours to pick it up and
learn from it. Jesus came to show us the way, and He said “man shall not live by
bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” and also I
only speak what I have heard My Father speak”. Let us realize that we have to do
the same.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: October 30, 2009
For centuries many have been trying to get rid of the Bible, but without success.
Over and over mankind would burn Bibles trying to destroy them, but as Jesus said
in Matthew 5:18 “I assure you, until heaven and earth disappear, even the smallest
detail of God’s law will remain until its purpose is achieved”. Jesus also says in
John 10:35 “the scripture cannot be broken”.
When the burnings failed, they said that the Bible that we have now is not the
same as the original written, and also that the translations have changed the
original meaning, but in 1948 when they found in a cave, many strolls in clay pots
and compared it with today’s Bible, it was the same.
The Bible is God’s message for His people, it is made up of 66 books and is our
guidelines for godly living. The Bible is a tool for understanding God’s will for our
lives, if we will listen to what it has to say (Romans 15:4) says “for whatsoever
things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through
patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope”.
The Bible is a special revelation from God (II Timothy 3:16-17) “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 perfect,
thoroughly furnished to all good works”. It explains what God is like, how He
expects us to act, and the consequences of our either accepting or rejecting His
message.
God divinely assisted the writers of Scripture, He gave them the ability to
accurately pass along His revelations in written form. Scripture is completely
trustworthy because God was in control of its writing (II Peter 1:20-21) “knowing
this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the
prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as
they were moved by the Holy Spirit”.
The Bible is a map to guide us. The psalmist says that he is a foreigner here on
earth, and so he needed guidance. As we travel through life, the Bible should be
our road map, pointing out safe routes, obstacles to avoid, and our final
destination. We must recognize ourselves as pilgrims, travelers here on earth who
need to study God’s map to learn the way (Proverbs 4:20-5:2) “My son, attend to
my words; incline your ear to may sayings. Let them not depart from your eyes;
keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those that find them, and
health to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the
issues of life. Put away from you a forward mouth, and perverse lips put far from
you. Let your eyes look right on, and let your eyelids look straight before you.
Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Turn not to the
right hand nor the left, remove your foot from evil. My son, attend to my wisdom,
and bow your ear to my understanding. That you may regard discretion, and that
your lips may keep knowledge”.
The Bible contains many, many answers to life’s big questions, and serves as an
excellent guidebook on who God is, what Christ has done for us, and how we
should live in order to reflect His wonderful work in us. We are told to “study to
show yourself approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly
dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15). We have to be careful not to take only
part of a scripture verse; people quote “the truth will make you free”, but you have
to go up a verse to get the real meaning (John 8:31-32) says “then said Jesus to
those Jews which believed on Him, if you continue in My word, them are you My
disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free”.
You have to continue in His word first. The same is said in John 15:4-10, you can’t
ask what you will until you abide in Him and His words abides in you.
The word reveals who you really are! James calls it a mirror (James 1:22-25) and
shows us who we are, i.e. and we are warned not to be a hearer only; it says “but
be you doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving you own selves. For is
any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like to a man beholding his
natural face in a glass. For he beholds himself, and goes his way, and
immediately forgets what manner of man he was. But whoso looks into the perfect
law of liberty, and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of
the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed”. The Bible shows you who the
new man is. And we have to renew our mind to the word of God, so we can live the
way we are supposed to live. Our righteousness is not based on what we did or
do, it is based on what Jesus did. Remember we are the righteousness of God in
Christ. The more you think on that, the more you dwell on that, the more you will
be able to walk it out in your conduct.
As we begin to take in the fact that the Bible is the true word of God, and then
make it the final authority in our lives, the more you will live it out. The same thing
that God told Joshua still applies to us today “this book of the law, shall not depart
out of your mouth, but you shall meditate therein day and night, that you may
observe to do according to all that is written therein, for then you shall make your
way prosperous and then you shall have good success” (Joshua 1:8). The book
of the law is the Bible, and we are told to meditate in it day and night; but people
will call you a legalist if you read your Bible. David writes in Psalms 19:7-12 “the
law of the Lord Yahweh is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord
Yahweh is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord Yahweh are
right rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord Yahweh is pure, and
enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord Yahweh is clean, enduring for ever,
the judgments of the Lord Yahweh are true and righteous altogether. More to be
desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold, sweeter also, than honey
and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is Your servant warned; and in keeping of
them there is a great reward. Who can understand his errors? Cleanse You me
from secret faults”.
Many Christians never read their Bibles, and God says “My people perish, for lack
of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). The Bible was given for God’s people, and it is our
road map to obtain the knowledge within it, the choose is ours to pick it up and
learn from it. Jesus came to show us the way, and He said “man shall not live by
bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” and also I
only speak what I have heard My Father speak”. Let us realize that we have to do
the same.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: October 30, 2009
