The Best Advice: Read the Bible for Yourself
Personally, the main error of my youth was neglecting to read the Bible. I am not sure there was much encouragement at home or at church, to do that which would have profited me most in this life. One thing is certain, the God of the Bible used the Bible in a mighty way to transform me. What is it about this book that compels such a testimony?
First, it must be said that the Bible is just literature to those without the Holy Spirit, who bears witness of the Scriptures (1 Jn 5:7). When a Spirit-filled Christian opens her Bible, there is a spiritual allure, like a baby longing for milk. It is the Spirit who creates the desire, and it is the Word that satisfies.
Second, it is the Holy Spirit who inspired the writing of the Bible, “Holy men spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet 1:21).” With the illumination of God’s Spirit, men were moved like the wind moves a sailboat. The result is an infallible record of God’s intended Word: sixty-six books, comprising one book.
Third, the Bible claims to be the Word of God, and the same Spirit that compiled the human authors, convinces the converted Christian. Simply put, the Christian lives in awe of the God who reveals Himself on the pages of Scripture. This book is rightly called, “holy.” There is nothing like it in the world.
The Bible is without error. It is the Word of truth, accurate historically and prophetically. Written over a 1500 year time span, by some 50 human authors, it retains its one storyline. This unity reveals God, the protagonist of His own revealed account. He is revealed as triune: Father (Yahweh); Son (Jesus); and Holy Spirit. God is the Savior of elect humanity, with Jesus Christ as the main character: God-man.
Though the Bible is voluminous in its content and diverse in its genres, it has a very clear message to humanity: “Man, you have sinned. You are to be judged and punished under the eternal wrath of God in hell and the lake of fire. Repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, for whosoever believes on Him, will not perish, but has everlasting life (Jn 3:16; 1 Jn 5:12).
The authority of God’s Word is understood by what has been written. The Bible is preached and the voice of Christ, the Lord, is heard. The Spirit, who is the Lord presses the imperative commands of the Law: “Do this and live.” The Bible reproves and rebukes. It teaches and corrects. It leads and guides in the way we should go.
Those who receive the Word are transformed from being enemy rebels of God, to being obedient, adopted, children of God, who are given the right to call God, their Father (1 Jn 3:1). Imagine the significance when a Christian prays. The relationship impresses the communication. God the Father makes promises, comforts, encourages with His Word, the Bible. The child honors, worships, confesses, gives thanks, and makes her request known to the Almighty, all-knowing One…her Father.
The Bible, the Word of God, is to be read, loved, meditated on, cherished, learned, recalled, recited, and preached to all people. It serves as the Word of life to God’s elect, redeemed, believers, while it serves to judge the reprobate, unregenerate, unbelievers. The latter group despises the Bible, and they wish to suppress the truth it reveals (Rom 1:18).
The love and the hostility will remain until all things are fulfilled on that day, in which heaven and earth will pass away in the fervent heat, of the fire of God’s judgment against humanity, sin, demons, death, the devil, and hell, which will all be thrown into the lake of fire, to be burned with torment in a conscious, indestructible eternity.
Why will these things soon happen? The reason: these things are the will of God, determined in eternity past, in the counsel of God, as they are decreed and revealed to man in the Word of God, the Word of truth, the Bible. Read it for yourself.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
December 31, 2021
