| What do you think of the Bible?
The bestselling book of all time, it has been consistently harassed
and disputed since its composition. Why does it have such loyal
followers and such ardent opponents? Why should we bother reading
it today? First, the Bible claims to be God's word. The Bible tells us of a God who "created man in His own image"(Gen 1:27) yet who yearns for His creation to "seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him"(Acts 17:27). Because God wants His creation to seek Him, He has left His word, the Bible, to guide us to Him. Doesn't that interest you? Aren't you intrigued to know what God has to say to you? Paul tells us that "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God…that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work(2 Tim 3:16-17). God has "inspired" His word through men-He has spoken. Why not read His words? Scientists tell us that the origin of the universe and man is a complete accident. Yet this is somehow unsatisfying-is this all there is to life? The Bible answers an emphatic "No!" There is meaning to life, and we are part of a divine plan! Solomon tells us that God has "put eternity in their hearts"(Eccl 3:11) so that we yearn for something more than the death and devastation we see here. Aren't you curious? Isn't it thrilling to think on life after death here on earth? The Bible promises us more than any other book-knowledge of this life and the one to come. As for the Bible itself, its amazing consistency must intrigue us. How can one book, written over thousands of years by dozens of different authors living in different places, blend together as a single unit? How can the words of a shepherd (Amos 7:14), a cupbearer (Nehemiah 1:11), and a fisherman (Luke 5:10) who lived centuries apart all agree? This must be the work of God! Many today are turned off from the Bible because men use it to make money or advance their political agenda. While these things may be true (Phil 1:15), we can't blame the Bible for the mistakes men make! Rather than condemning the Bible, God tells us to "test all things; hold fast what is good"(1 Thess 5:21). We must read our Bible so we can discern the fakers-the false doctrine and evil motives-from what is true! Before throwing out the baby with the bathwater, consider: the Bible will still continue long after the liars and frauds are gone (1 Pet 1:24-25)! Don't let others' mistakes cause you to err with them! Most of all, the Bible promises salvation from sin. This is wonderful news! All of us have done wrong, and our guilt is always with us. We can't argue with the statement that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"(Rom 3:23). But in the Bible we find remedy from that sin in the blood of Jesus! "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord"(Rom 6:23). What an incredible claim! Don't you want to investigate it? Don't you want to learn more about freedom from your sins and God's will for you? Paul says the gospel is "the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes"(Rom 1:16). So bring the Bible down off the shelf. Dust off the cover. Take some time with the most important book in the world-God's book. ___Jacob Hudgins |