August-September 2008

Brethren in Christ Core Value #2

Believing the Bible

We value the Bible as God’s authoritative Word, study it together, and build our lives on its truth.

I clipped an unforgettable story from a Bible Society newsletter, likely a decade or more ago. The eye catching heading was “Smoking Thru the Bible”. “Even if you give me that New Testament, I will roll the pages and use them to make cigarettes!” the man told Gaylord Kambarami. “I understand,” Gaylord replied. “But promise me you will read each page before you smoke it”. When the man agreed, Gaylord gave him the Testament and that was the last he saw of him. It was some years later that Gaylord Kambarami, General Secretary of the Bible Society of Zimbabwe, was attending a church convention in Zimbabwe, when the speaker on the platform suddenly spotted him, pointed him out to the audience, and said, “This man doesn't remember me, but fifteen years ago he tried to sell me a New Testament. When I refused to buy, it he gave it to me, even though I told him I would use the pages to roll cigarettes. I smoked Matthew, I smoked Mark and I smoked Luke...but when I got to John 3, verse 16, I couldn't smoke anymore. My life was changed from that moment.” Now, his life transformed, he is devoted to showing others the way of salvation he found in the Bible.

The Bible is an absolutely unique book! More than 55,000 different books are published in the United States each year. But the Bible is different from any other book every published. About 40% of Americans say they read the Bible every week, 27% own five or more Bibles, and 77% say they are interested in studying the Bible. What is the explanation of this
unparalleled interest? Peter, writing to the church (II Peter 1:21), states that prophecy of the Scripture “...never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

The Bible is not a clever human invention, it is the revelation of God, and as such it is the only fully trustworthy authoritative standard of truth! It is God’s certain word in a very uncertain world. In our society of constant change, we must first determine that which will never change! “Your Word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens.” (Psalm 119: 89)

Because the Bible is God’s unique message to us, we study it personally and together with others. We value the Bible. So read the Bible for yourself, in its entirety, systematically, and regularly—Old Testament and New Testament. Begin with the New Testament, but don’t neglect the Old Testament. The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed; and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed. Another memorable description is The Old Testament is the New Testament contained; the New Testament is the Old Testament explained. The Old Testament is the beginning of God’s written revelation and the New Testament is His completed written revelation built upon the Old. Amazingly, as we study the Bible the ultimate discovery is Jesus! As He taught, “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me. (John 5:39) Or in Acts 17: 11 & 12, the seekers of truth at Berea heard Paul’s message and “...received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.”

Following one of our cross country moves, with boxes and packing material scattered everywhere, my wife, Connie, could not find the Bible that we used for our daily reading together. “Oh, well,” she said, “I guess we’ll have to share favorite verses.”

“Okay, you go first,” I replied.

So she promptly quoted, “Seek and you will find.” That is the key to Bible discovery leading to transforming belief in God.

Throughout our history, we have described ourselves as people of the Book, and we focus on obedience. Our conviction is true faith in Jesus Christ is obedient faith as our minds are renewed, our lifestyle is transformed, and God’s good will and plan is realized in us and through us. We believe the Bible reveals God’s high calling for life and there is nothing else like it. Nothing else even comes close! It is amazing to be involved in what God is doing—His plan for time and eternity as revealed in the Bible! “We value the Bible…”

In anticipation of God’s best in His Living Word, Jesus Christ,

Bishop John

 

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