Is The Bible Relevant?
Is the Bible Relevant? Why should I trust what it says? Are there no other sources more current and clear which provide the same resources? Has not science and technology given us enough knowledge to render the Bible obsolete? These are common questions coming and going in the main stream media today, and as man try each day harder to disintegrate the structure on which the Bible is based, as we try to persuade ourselves that the usefulness of the Bible expired hundreds of years ago, we see each day more of the consequences of such fallacy.
More kids committing suicide, more youth immerse in drugs and other addictions, more crimes, especially murders being committed by young people who have become disconnected, disenfranchised from the standards of morality that once existed in the world, which are the foundation of every healthy society, and which are based on the Bible.
But let us seek an answer to some of those questions which stir us up this morning.
Why should I trust what the Bible says? For starters, we cannot say we trust something we don't believe.
And if we don't believe the contents of the Bible, trust is out of the question, so what do we believe.
Statistics show us that just 50 years ago more than three-quarters of the population of North America believe the Bible to be the true and reliable word of God, those same statistics place that population today at less that 30 percent.
In the nineteen fifties one of the great fears we had about communism was that "they don't believe In God" today north America rejects the notion of God more fiercely than most countries which in those days were called "communist" for while the Government does not directly and openly persecute Christians, persecution comes straight from the population, for the world has been taught to believe only in the existence of self, and most modern religious practices apart from Christianity focus on the person, and invite a selfish approach to faith.
We learn that it is okay to be religious as long as we do not interfere with our self-reliance, and our motivations continue to be placed inward.
The concept is 'as long as I succeed I can let that success trickle down to others, but my own personal interests have to be first'.
Like the song says, "I got to be me" So, what do we believe? Today most people believe that the Bible is intrusive, invasive and obsolete.
Intrusive because it tries to tell us how to live, invasive because it tries to transform us into someone else and obsolete, because it does not teach anything like what we need for "modern living".
And unfortunately, at the rate we are going, soon, even speaking of the Bible will be illegal.
That is the reality Christians are facing today, we've gone from favor to tolerance, and tolerance is shrinking at a very fast pace.
So why should I trust what the Bible say? By the mercies of God, He has not given us a word which changes with the beliefs of man, His word does not depend on how we think or whether or not we accept it, but rather on God, and God is immutable.
But let us speak a little about the Historicity of the Bible.
From the beginning of modern time there has been individuals bent on discrediting the veracity of the historical events which take place in the words of the Bible, yet every instance which has been debated throughout history has eventually been verified historically through archeological research and discoveries, and through many new writings which have been uncovered and which validate affirmations on names of peoples cities battles, roads, etc.
God has led man little by little to unearth the evidence of the strong historical value of the writings of the Bible and while critics still exist, they are dwindling at the pace of discovery as the reconstruction of events places and people continue to take place and new evidence continue to emerge.
So we have enough evidence that the Bible is historically accurate, but how do we know that it was written by God through the spiritual inspiration of chosen men and not rather written by spirit filled men? Anyone who has seriously and impartially read the Bible would have noticed its coherence and smooth flow from one book to the next, as well as the natural telling of a story of transformation, redemption and ultimate victory of its main Characters, and the story of a man, his ancestry, his prophecy his birth his life and ministry, his death and resurrection and his eventual return in glory.
No other book exists which is filled with such an extraordinary wealth of prophesies fulfilled past, present and future, and much less considering that some forty men were used to lay the words which conform it over a period of more than 1500 Years, as this book appears to have been written from beginning to end by just one person over a short period of time, that is because God himself is the writer of this book, and He is not bound by time, His story is one which He has lived, is living, and will continue to live for eternity, as He is the planner, the writer and the main Character of the book.
So the Bible is historically accurate and the hand of God appears to be all over it, but this book was written thousands of years ago for people who no longer exist, can we say that it applies to us today? The writings of the Bible are timeless, and apply to every generation past present and future, the Bible is a self-updating book which has insight on every situation a person lives through day by day, it gives us instruction on how to live for a fruitful and peaceful life, how to live with others, how to educate our children, how to succeed at living a joyful life, it gives us advice on business, lifestyle, physical and mental health care, family living.
It teaches us how to live honorably and how to die honorably, and most importantly, the bible shows us the way to an everlasting life beyond this one.
The Bible is the only book of its kind, and in spite of many attempts to declare it obsolete, forbid it, and destroy it, it resurfaces stronger each time around, brandishing a blazing sword which is the Spirit of God to lead us through its teachings.
In the word of its maker, our Lord Jesus Christ "not a single dot in it will disappear until all is fulfilled.
" Matthew 5:18 Rev, Jose A, Luna A Servant and Friend of Jesus Christ.
More kids committing suicide, more youth immerse in drugs and other addictions, more crimes, especially murders being committed by young people who have become disconnected, disenfranchised from the standards of morality that once existed in the world, which are the foundation of every healthy society, and which are based on the Bible.
But let us seek an answer to some of those questions which stir us up this morning.
Why should I trust what the Bible says? For starters, we cannot say we trust something we don't believe.
And if we don't believe the contents of the Bible, trust is out of the question, so what do we believe.
Statistics show us that just 50 years ago more than three-quarters of the population of North America believe the Bible to be the true and reliable word of God, those same statistics place that population today at less that 30 percent.
In the nineteen fifties one of the great fears we had about communism was that "they don't believe In God" today north America rejects the notion of God more fiercely than most countries which in those days were called "communist" for while the Government does not directly and openly persecute Christians, persecution comes straight from the population, for the world has been taught to believe only in the existence of self, and most modern religious practices apart from Christianity focus on the person, and invite a selfish approach to faith.
We learn that it is okay to be religious as long as we do not interfere with our self-reliance, and our motivations continue to be placed inward.
The concept is 'as long as I succeed I can let that success trickle down to others, but my own personal interests have to be first'.
Like the song says, "I got to be me" So, what do we believe? Today most people believe that the Bible is intrusive, invasive and obsolete.
Intrusive because it tries to tell us how to live, invasive because it tries to transform us into someone else and obsolete, because it does not teach anything like what we need for "modern living".
And unfortunately, at the rate we are going, soon, even speaking of the Bible will be illegal.
That is the reality Christians are facing today, we've gone from favor to tolerance, and tolerance is shrinking at a very fast pace.
So why should I trust what the Bible say? By the mercies of God, He has not given us a word which changes with the beliefs of man, His word does not depend on how we think or whether or not we accept it, but rather on God, and God is immutable.
But let us speak a little about the Historicity of the Bible.
From the beginning of modern time there has been individuals bent on discrediting the veracity of the historical events which take place in the words of the Bible, yet every instance which has been debated throughout history has eventually been verified historically through archeological research and discoveries, and through many new writings which have been uncovered and which validate affirmations on names of peoples cities battles, roads, etc.
God has led man little by little to unearth the evidence of the strong historical value of the writings of the Bible and while critics still exist, they are dwindling at the pace of discovery as the reconstruction of events places and people continue to take place and new evidence continue to emerge.
So we have enough evidence that the Bible is historically accurate, but how do we know that it was written by God through the spiritual inspiration of chosen men and not rather written by spirit filled men? Anyone who has seriously and impartially read the Bible would have noticed its coherence and smooth flow from one book to the next, as well as the natural telling of a story of transformation, redemption and ultimate victory of its main Characters, and the story of a man, his ancestry, his prophecy his birth his life and ministry, his death and resurrection and his eventual return in glory.
No other book exists which is filled with such an extraordinary wealth of prophesies fulfilled past, present and future, and much less considering that some forty men were used to lay the words which conform it over a period of more than 1500 Years, as this book appears to have been written from beginning to end by just one person over a short period of time, that is because God himself is the writer of this book, and He is not bound by time, His story is one which He has lived, is living, and will continue to live for eternity, as He is the planner, the writer and the main Character of the book.
So the Bible is historically accurate and the hand of God appears to be all over it, but this book was written thousands of years ago for people who no longer exist, can we say that it applies to us today? The writings of the Bible are timeless, and apply to every generation past present and future, the Bible is a self-updating book which has insight on every situation a person lives through day by day, it gives us instruction on how to live for a fruitful and peaceful life, how to live with others, how to educate our children, how to succeed at living a joyful life, it gives us advice on business, lifestyle, physical and mental health care, family living.
It teaches us how to live honorably and how to die honorably, and most importantly, the bible shows us the way to an everlasting life beyond this one.
The Bible is the only book of its kind, and in spite of many attempts to declare it obsolete, forbid it, and destroy it, it resurfaces stronger each time around, brandishing a blazing sword which is the Spirit of God to lead us through its teachings.
In the word of its maker, our Lord Jesus Christ "not a single dot in it will disappear until all is fulfilled.
" Matthew 5:18 Rev, Jose A, Luna A Servant and Friend of Jesus Christ.
Source...