The new minister was asked to teach a boys' class in the absence of the regular teacher. He decided to see what they knew, so he asked who knocked down the walls of Jericho. All the boys denied having done it, and the preacher was appalled by their ignorance. At the next deacons' meeting he told about the experience. "Not one of them knows who knocked down the walls of Jericho," he lamented. The group was silent until finally one seasoned veteran of disputes spoke up. "Preacher, this appears to be bothering you a lot. But I've known all those boys since they were born and they're good boys. If they said they didn't know, I believe them. Let's just take some money out of the repair and maintenance fund, fix the walls, and let it go at that."
This story is humorous but it masks a big problem and that is the growing ignorance of the Bible in our time.
I believe that much of the ineffectiveness of churches is due to the lack of Bible knowledge. I think it is high time for Churches to consider making education in the Bible a high priority for their membership.
University of Wisconsin historian Thomas Reeves indicts popular religious belief and service. "Christianity in modern America is, in large part, innocuous," he writes. "It tends to be easy, upbeat, convenient, and compatible. It does not require self-sacrifice, discipline, humility, an otherworldly outlook, a zeal for souls, a fear as well as love of God. There is little guilt and no punishment, and the payoff in heaven is virtually certain."
This view of Reeves is in large part because people have no idea what the Bible teaches on many subjects.
Time Magazine in ran a very popular and controversial article about the introduction of the Bible as a subject in Public school in 2007
Time magazine pointed out a few statistics:
Only half of U.S. adults know the title of even one Gospel. Most can't name the Bible's first book. The trend extends even to Evangelicals, only 44% of whose teens could identify a particular quote as coming from the Sermon on the Mount.
SIMPLY PUT, THE BIBLE IS THE MOST influential book ever written. Not only is the Bible the best-selling book of all time, it is the best-selling book of the year every year. In a 1992 survey of English teachers to determine the top-10 required "book-length works" in high school English classes, plays by Shakespeare occupied three spots and the Bible none.
And Shakespeare would almost surely have agreed. According to one estimate, he alludes to Scripture some 1,300 times. As for the rest of literature, when your seventh-grader reads The Old Man and the Sea, a teacher could tick off the references to Christ's Passion--the bleeding of the old man's palms, his stumbles while carrying his mast over his shoulder, his hat cutting his head--but wouldn't the thrill of recognition have been more satisfying on their/own?
If literature doesn't interest you, you also need the Bible to make sense of the ideas and rhetoric that have helped drive U.S. history. "The shining city on the hill"? That's Puritan leader John Winthrop quoting Matthew to describe his settlement's convenantal standing with God.
1st book copied on the Printing press was the German Guttenburg Bible.
Most purchased book in the world.
The Bible would inspire the institution of the European University, Western Law and Democracy as we know it, the founding of Hospitals, and an end to Barbarism in the world.
Over 40 different authors writing in 3 different languages- Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek
40 authors over thousands of miles telling the same story. They tell the same story of Paradise Lost, God’s Rescue, and Paradise regained.
The system of chapters was introduced in A.D. 1238 by Cardinal Hugo de S. Caro, while the verse notations were added in 1551 by Robertus Stephanus, after the advent of printing.
According to statistics from Wycliffe International, the Society of Gideons, and the International Bible Society, the number of new Bibles that are sold, given away, or otherwise distributed in the United States is about 168,000 per day
Translated into over 1200 languages
I. Why is the Bible so transformative and so Important? Why is the Bible authoritative?
The Bible gets its authority from God because it is the very breathed word of God.
In the OT the word for Breath or Wind is Ruah. Ruah is also translated as Spirit.
We see this word used in Genesis 1:1-2
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit (Ruah) of God was moving over the surface of the waters
In this passage we see the usage of Ruah for the Spirit of God that hovers over the chaotic waters of the Creation.
We see this same word used Genesis 2:7
7 Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed (Ruah) into his nostrils the breath of life ; and man became a living being.
The word used for the Breath of God is the same word used in Genesis 1 and that is Ruah. Ruah is the very life giving breath of God.
In these two passages we see two things that this Breath of God brings about and that is ORDER AND LIFE.
God wants to bring order and life to a world of Chaos and Death. Sin breaks apart the bonds of God’s covenantal love and God wants to repair and bring order back to the chaos that sin brings.
We see in the New Testament a fuller revelation that this breath of God is actually the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that reveals God’s will, brings life to the world, and brings order from Chaos.
So what does this concept have to do with the authority of the Bible?
2 Timothy 3: 14-17
14 You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, 15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired (theopneustos) by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness ; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
Paul gives Timothy wonderful Pastoral advice in this passage by having Timothy reference his rearing.
Timothy will be able to overcome the false teachers around him and preserve his doctrine by remembering the Scripture that he learned as a child.
Paul goes on to explain to Timothy a very important point that helps nail home what we are talking about.
ALL SCRIPTURE IS GOD BREATHED – THEOPNEUSTOS.
This word for INSPIRED IN THIS PASSAGE IS THEOPNEUSTOS.
THIS IDEA OF THEOPNEUSTOS GOES BACK TO THE IDEA OF GOD BREATHING LIFE INTO ADAM.
This word theopneustos is unique in the Bible, this is the only place where is it is found.
Also, theopneustos is not found in any other Greek writings of the ancient world.
Paul uses this word to make a point. He combines two words to make a very explosive and important point.
What would one naturally come to mind when you talked about God’s breath?
Theo- God Neustos – Breath - The Bible came from the very breath of God.
Just as God breathed life into the nostrils of Adam, God breathed life into the Scripture.
This idea of inspiration is picked up by Peter while he uses different words to explain the same thing.
1 Peter 1: 20-21
20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
Peter is explaining the same process as the Apostle Paul. God Breathed is the exact same thing as the Bible being inspired by the Holy Spirit.
Just as we saw in the Genesis account of Creation we see the Holy Spirit’s work here as bringing ORDER from CHAOS and also as bringing LIFE from what was lifeless.
The HOLY SPIRIT inspires these regular men to write sacred writings, writings that are powerful and life changing.
God uses the literary conventions of that time to communicate. God uses regular human language to communicate timeless truths.
This process is much like How God took on flesh.
Consider that God humbled Himself and took on flesh to become Jesus of Nazareth.
He met us where we are in our condition to communicate love and truth.
With the inspiration of Scripture God condescends and comes down to our level to communicate truths that we can understand in human language.
This book is very powerful and can transform lives. Why do you think the Roman Empire wanted to destroy the Bible? They knew this was a dangerous book that could result in changed lives that would challenge the Empire.
This book is dangerous because of the power it has to transform when it is read and implemented.
The Hebrew writer speaks of this power found in the Scripture. A power to slice into the very inner thoughts. To lay bare what does not want to exposed, to shine light in the dark.
Hebrews 4: 12
12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
How does this work?
How does the word of God divide and pierce into our inner person?
Paul gives us a spiritual law that is sometimes neglected and should be emphasized today more than ever. Do you wonder why people think and say that craziest stuff?
Why do they think just totally upside down and are hostile to Christianity?
Romans 8: 5-8
5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God ; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
Paul lays a contrast before us- People lead by the Holy Spirit living in the Spirit and those living in just the flesh.
The unregenerated flesh – sinful nature – cannot comprehend the truth of God and finds it repulsive.
Unregenerate MIND IS HOSTILE TO GOD – IT IS AT WAR WITH GOD’S WILL, WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THIS WHEN WE ENCOUNTER THOSE THAT MAY BE LOST – THEY DON’T GET IT SOMETIMES BECAUSE THEIR MIND IS HOSTILE TO GOD’S WORD.
So how do we tie this back in with the power of God’s word to pierce deep into the soul?
OSWALD CHAMBERS SAID:
Conscience is the internal perception of God’s Moral Law
Chambers got this idea from the Bible - The Conscience is something that all men have programmed into them that attests to God’s Natural Moral Law.
The word Conscience means WITH KNOWLEDGE
Romans 2: 14-15
14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,
The Word of God is powerful and can prick the conscience of man. We can memorize all kinds of apologetic material and try to argue people into faith but the one ally that we never use is God’s Word.
The Scripture is the very power station that convicts sinners and builds faith.
We have to understand that the human mind is many times hostile to God and our ally in evangelism is the CONSCIENCE.
God ‘s Word is powerful and is the vehicle through which the Holy Spirit convicts man of sin.
Consider what happens when a person that is dead in their sins hears the word of God and then has their conscience convicted of that sin. It is the work of the God Breathed Scripture and the Holy Spirit that brings this about.
It seems that we are living in a time when people are forgetting the basics. It is not complicated but is very basic in how we can be effective in our call as Christians.
A story may illustrate the basic nature of this dilemma.
I once read a great illustration from Kirk Cameron that gives the current state of the world today as far as Christianity is concerned. It goes as follows:
You have two people on an airplane, and the first person is told to put on a parachute because it would improve his flight.
The guy is thinking, That's a little nuts. How is that going to improve my flight? But I will give it a try. So he puts on the parachute and figures out that the thing is awkward, it is heavy, and he can't sit straight up.
People start laughing at him because he has a parachute on. He decides that it is a lie. It didn't improve his flight; in fact, it made it more difficult.
He rips it off his back and throws it on the floor, deciding he is never going to put one of those things on his back again.
The second guy is given a parachute, but he is told to put it on because he is going to have to jump 25,000 feet out of a plane.
So he puts it on. He is grateful for it, he doesn't notice that it is uncomfortable, and he doesn't care that people are laughing at him because all he can think about is how thankful he is he is going to be saved from sure death.
Those are the two methods of evangelism today.
Modern evangelism says, 'Put on the Lord Jesus Christ. He will improve your flight, and He will give you love, joy, peace, happiness, and fulfillment.' People try Christianity, and they figure out that people start to laugh at me, it makes my life harder. Jesus even promised you will suffer and experience persecution and trials because you are a Christian, so then they say, 'Man, I am walking away from this Christianity thing. It is not all it is cracked up to be. It makes things harder. My problems didn't go away.' Then they become one of these bitter backsliders.
However, if we explain to people that they are going to have to jump through the door of death, and on the Day of Judgment, they will be found violating all of God's moral laws, and when they collide with eternal justice, they are going to perish, but if they put on the Lord Jesus Christ, they will be saved. If they come through repentance and faith, they will be found righteous on the Day of Judgment because Jesus paid the price for them on the Cross. Now they are grateful for salvation. You couldn't rip Jesus off of their back because they are clinging to Him for dear life. It is a completely different motive for putting on the Savior, who is, in essence, the parachute.
This is serious business and it boils down to life and death issues.
When we neglect this very book that can inform us on how to have eternal life we are playing with fire.
How many of us if you were told you had a dreaded disease and you had on month to live. What would happen if I gave you a book that had all the answers to get you a cure? Would you read it cover to cover?
We need to see this fight with sin that we are in today as something much more serious than any disease that we might have. This disease of sin could kill our soul. It could send us to Hell for eternity. The Scripture has the answers on how to live your life in Christ. Why not read this book cover to cover? Why not devour all the teaching we can get?
When I think of the perfect model for a group of Believers today I think of the Bereans.
Acts 17: 10-11
10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
This passage exemplifies what it means to be a follower of Christ. These people are compared to the people of Thessalonica in that they examined the Scripture daily.
The Bereans were Noble because they accepted the teachings of Paul but just didn’t do so blindly. They searched the Bible and made sure Paul’s doctrine was right.
This is the model for all of us.
We live in a time when the Bible is so accessible, we have no excuse.
In the ancient world it was hard to get copies of the Scripture.
It costs thousands of dollars to get your hands on a manuscript of the Bible in the ancient world. Many of them had to memorize the Scripture or just copy down parts.
Now we have our leather bound Bibles with 2000 years worth of Christian wisdom in commentaries and study helps for the Scripture, we are without excuse when it comes to study of the Bible.
Here, then, is the real problem of our negligence. We fail in our duty to study God's Word not so much because it is difficult to understand, not so much because it is dull and boring, but because it is work. Our problem is not a lack of intelligence or a lack of passion. Our problem is that we are lazy. --R. C. Sproul (modern day Bible scholar)
We have at our disposal the very words of God. I read an inspirational story about a man that was hurt in an accident. He was a new Christian.
The victim’s face was badly disfigured, and he lost his eyesight as well as both hands. He was just a new Christian, and one of his greatest disappointments was that he could no longer read the Bible. Then he heard about a lady in England who read Braille with her lips. Hoping to do the same, he sent for some books of the Bible in Braille. Much to his dismay, however, he discovered that the nerve endings in his lips had been destroyed by the explosion. One day, as he brought one of the Braille pages to his lips, his tongue happened to touch a few of the raised characters and he could feel them. Like a flash he thought, I can read the Bible using my tongue. At the time Robert Sumner wrote his book, the man had “read” through the entire Bible four times.
Conclusion:
Let us be inspired to get plugged back into the source book.
The very same life giving power that breathed the breath of life into Adam has breathed His life into this Scripture.
I want to challenge all of us to get back into the Scripture and totally change our perspective about the urgency of getting into the Word of God.
The Bible has the very words that will help shape our eternal destiny.
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