Ten Reasons to Receive and Appropriate the Bible, the Word of God

The Apostle Paul commended the church of the Thessalonians for their reception and appropriation of the Apostolic team’s presentation of God’s message, the Gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Thess 2:13). It has always been the work of the Holy Spirit to ensure the delivery and to ensure the receipt of God’s Word. The Spirit-filled preacher heralds the Gospel of God through the called man of God, and by implanting the Word of life in the good soil of the cultivated heart (Mt 13:8; Jas 1:21), the life-giving Spirit causes the born again to be made alive in Christ (Jn 6:63; Eph 2:5; Col 2:13; 1 Pet 1:3). The result is a believer in the Word of God, the Bible.

If you believe God’s message, it is the grace of God imparting the truth of God to you (Rom 10:17; Eph 2:8–9). The mystery of faith is that God has granted for you to trust in the Person and Work of Christ (Phil 1:29). We learn Christ Jesus from one reliable source…the Holy Spirit of truth teaching us the written Word of God (Jn 14:26; 16:13). No amount or quality of logic can or will ever convince the non-elect unbeliever to trust the Bible. The regenerate redeemed, however, have every right to be comforted by the reasons they believe the Bible. Let us consider some of these.

First, the true and living God exists (Jer 10:10; 1 Thess 1:9); and He communicates with His beloved, chosen people (Heb 1:2). Jesus expressed this when He stated, “My sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow Me (Jn 10:27).” Jesus Himself affirmed the Old Testament canon of Scripture, often asking something like, “Have you not heard and is it not written?” Approximately, one-third of the New Testament text is either alluding to, quoting, or interpreting the Old Testament in light of the coming of Jesus Messiah.

Second, God spoke to Israel through the prophets and then culminated His Word to be written down with the Apostles or their close associates (Mark, Luke, James, Jude, and the writer of Hebrews). It was the Spirit speaking through the prophets and apostles in their preaching ministries. It was also the Spirit who moved along the writers of the “God-breathed” text. This informs us that the Bible is inspired by God (2 Tim 3:16).

Third, because the words of the Bible are God’s words, we have our standard for right and wrong, true and false. God is true (and truth) and so His Word is true (Ps 119:142; Jn 17:17; Rom 3:4). This is the test for inerrancy; and the Bible, in its original manuscripts, is true. For this reason, the Word makes the simple to be wise (Ps 19:7; 119:30). The blessed man is the one who meditates on God’s Word, day and night (Ps 1:2).

Fourth, the Bible assures us that we are dealing with the sovereign God, the Almighty (Ps 115:3; 135:6). All wise and all-powerful is our God who is merciful and gracious to whom He chooses (Rom 9:15–16; 11:5). The revealed truth of God is what sets us free from false ideas about God, about humanity, and even angels and demons (Jn 8:32). What God intends for us to know from Him is exactly what is stated in the Bible.

Fifth, what God has superintended is for everyone to understand. God has employed 40+ human writers over 1500 years to illumine the clear message of salvation. Even the children of believers are to be instructed at home, by their parents (Dt 4:10; Ps 34:11; 78:5).

Sixth, without the Bible, salvation cannot be understood. The Bible, however, is entirely sufficient to communicate all that God is doing to secure redeemed believers for Himself and for eternity. There is nothing mandatory knowledge about our eternal life and home outside of the Bible. It is imperative for Christians to know the Bible — its authority; clarity; sufficiency and necessity — so that when the modern day “prophet” or “apostle” comes along, he or she may be refuted and rebuked for their “new” revelations.

Seventh, all people receive general revelation through nature, conscience, and civil order systems. This is not adequate for salvation, however. Only the Bible has the Gospel of salvation. Therefore, it is necessary for God’s Word to be heard. Faith is a product of God’s powerful Word working in the elect, redeemed. It simply does not return to God without its designed effect (Is 55:11). Paul wrote, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ (Rom 10:17).”

Eighth, the Word produces exactly what God desires. God desires all of His beloved to be saved from His wrath to come (1 Thess 1:10; 2 Pet 3:9). Having satisfied the demands of the Law at the cross, Jesus has justified His people by shedding His precious blood for the forgiveness of our sins (Mt 5:17; Eph 1:7; 1 Pet 1:19; 2:24). He came to save His people from their sins (Mt 1:21); and we would not know that were it not for God’s Word of revelation.

Ninth, receiving God’s Word, we are receiving God’s will. God’s will for us is decreed in God’s Word. God causes all things to happen by His decree (Eph 1:11). What we know of this decree/will is His Word. The rest is a secret belonging to God (Dt 29:29).

Finally, the canon of Scripture was ordained by God for us to know which writings belong to us in each generation. God progressively revealed what He was doing. In the Old Testament, as significant events unfolded, the Scriptures were being written and collected. Through Moses, Samuel, David, Solomon, the prophets, and scribes came the prophecies pointing to the Messiah. Some 350 prophecies of Christ find their fulfillment in only one man, who is Himself the Word of God enfleshed (Jn 1:1; 1:14; 1 Jn 1:1; Rev 19:13).

Receiving and accepting Jesus Christ means one has received and accepted what the written Word has said about Him. As our Lord fulfilled Old Testament prophecy, this was explained in the New Testament canon of Scripture. Apostolic affirmation, as when Peter affirmed Paul’s epistles and Paul affirmed Luke’s Gospel, became the standard of determining the “new” Word from God. The early church quickly discerned what was and what-was-not the Word of God through the Apostles.

The Apocrypha (intertestamental Jewish writings) was not included in the Old Testament canon; for the Jews never accepted it as Scripture; and it was never quoted in the New Testament. It only became a section in some Bibles in A.D. 1546, as the counter-Reformation was launched at the Council of Trent.

God has made promises regarding the preservation of His Word (Mt 24:35; Mk 13:31; Lk 21:33). There is no book that even remotely compares to the Bible. Its formation, additions, compilation, and canonization are unique. It has been received and accepted by hundreds of millions of people throughout history and around the world. My prayer is that by God’s grace you may also receive and accept the Bible for what it is in truth…the very Word of God.

David Norczyk

Spokane Valley, Washington

July 16, 2023