For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. Romans 1:16-17
The Bible is plain in making the point that God intends to communicate His will to man by the inspired Word. The faith we require is supplied through our Bibles. Romans 10:17 states, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”. The Bible not only contains within it the statues that God has given but also innumerable passages of encouragement. Psalm 23 quickly comes to mind. God’s Word supplies all our spiritual needs, provides direction for us in every aspect of life (Psalm 119).
Humans are spiritually dependent beings. We must rely on what has been revealed. Jeremiah 10:23 says, “O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps”. The responsibility we have is to recognize and accept this fact. In Romans 10, the apostle Paul lamented the fact that the Isrealites’ zeal was not based in knowledge. Seeing as the Bible was in God’s plan all along, it is only rational to notice how we are implored to study throughout. Passages like 2 Timothy 2:15 and 3:16 assure us a right relationship with God is achieved by study and application in our lives of what has been revealed for us to follow.
Sadly, many don’t believe the Bible to be God’s Word. Last week our family attended a gospel meeting in which the speaker invested his entire lesson on teaching some facts obvious in our world today that show the Bible to be inspired. Facts of the precise function of our bodies to evidence of the flood of Genesis were presented. The truth is, the more mankind learns about himself and the earth we live in, the more we see the truth and undeniable evidence of God.
God not only planned to provide direction of our lives and evidence of Himself through the inspired Word, He intended that we not alter it in any way (Rev 22:18-19). God always intended to lead us and His roadmap is in His Word (Matt 7:24-27).
By Jason Barger