Sweeter Than Honey
What you believe about the Scriptures will drastically affect the remainder of your life. Now, I know that's a loaded statement. But I 100% believe it is true not only for the unbeliever but the believer as well.
The trends of the 21st century have made the unbeliever's view of the Scriptures abundantly clear. Scripture is nothing more than an outdated religious document. Thus, the Bible, according to the unbeliever, should have no bearing upon our lives or society at large. This negative perspective of the Bible should not surprise us because the Bible tells us the unbeliever cannot understand the Scriptures (1 Cor. 2:4).
But my focus in this brief post is not primarily the unbeliever's disdain for the Scripture. Instead, I desire to increase the believer's love for the Scriptures.
Again, what you believe about the Scriptures will drastically affect the remainder of your life. The Apostle Paul, as he writes to Timothy, says, All Scripture is inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16a). These six words lay the foundation and provide the answer for what the believer is to believe about the Scriptures. These six words introduce us to the Doctrine of Inspiration. The mention of this doctrine begs the question, "What does it mean for the Scriptures to be inspired?"
B.B. Warfield, regarding the inspiration of Scripture, writes, "Inspiration is usually defined as a supernatural influence exerted on the sacred writers by the Spirit of God, by virtue of which their writings are given divine trustworthiness."1
In essence, God carried men along so that what they wrote were, in fact, the Words of God Himself. The implication of this truth is HUGE! If God is the source of the Scriptures (2 Tim. 3:16), then that means the Scriptures bear His likeness. What do I mean by this? If God is truth (John 14:6), that means the Scriptures are truthful in their entirety (Proverbs 30:5; John 17:17). If God is perfect (Matthew 5:48), that means the Scriptures are perfect in every detail (Deuteronomy 32:4). If God is powerful (Genesis 1:1), that means the Scriptures are powerful unto life change (Hebrews 4:12).
These realities should make us eager to wake in the morning, knowing that when we open our Bibles, we are hearing from God! While the rest of the world is discarding the Bible to their demise. Every time the Christian reads God's Word, he or she is nourishing themselves upon the very Bedrock of Truth! May we as Christians be like the Psalmist in saying,
The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
-Psalm 19:7-10
May our love for the Scriptures and our commitment to the Scriptures increase for the Glory of God!
1) Benjamin B. Warfield, The Inspiration and Authority of the Bible (Phillipsburg: P&R Publishing Company, 1948), 131.
