Why follow ONLY the Scripture?

We often hear Christianity is a relationship with the living God. This is true. But in order to have and maintain this relationship, we are to know God through his revelation found in a Book, the Bible. Without this Book Christianity cannot exist for long. Wherever this Book has been hindered or removed, the evidence of anything Christian became rare. It is for this very reason so many tried to destroy the Bible and even today do not allow it to be read in their countries. This Book we know as the Bible, is God’s Word to us today. Remove the teachings of the Bible from humanity and Christianity will eventually pass into oblivion. No Church can say they are worshipping and obeying God without the Bible being taught. The Church’s role has always been to uphold the writings that were Scripture, by protecting and proclaiming them. In this way the church is the pillar and the ground of truth. If it does not do this, then it is not the pillar and ground any longer.

Church attendance in America is enjoying an all-time high, but at the same time the understanding of the Word is at an all-time low. Why? Most people do not know how to share their faith, but it is a command in Scripture itself, “Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense (answer) to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15). We are to be set apart for the Lord’s service ready to give an answer, (apologia) an account, a legal plea of whom and what we believe in. This is to be done in humility but with the fear of God. Maybe Peter had in mind what Luke wrote in 12:11-12 “And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say for the Holy Spirit shall teach you in that very hour what ye ought to say.” It is only by knowing the Word can we know God’s ways and be able to explain it and give testimony to the least and the greatest.

“The goal of the Christian mission is not success, but faithful witness; not power; but proclamation; not technique, but truth; not method, but message” (Michael Horton Power Religion, p.15)

I’m convinced many do not have the confidence to witness, and defend the faith because they do not know Scripture. I don’t mean just memorizing it, because some people are able memorize whole portions of scripture and do not understand it. But having the ability to apply it when they are challenged. When we absorb the Word in our mind and heart and understand it we can have boldness to speak. Holy Spirit preaching is His Word that communicates Jesus and gives people understanding, so they are moved to obedience. “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32) Interesting note, that He said My word singular, as in all the Bible  as the Scripture is all about him as he stated in Jn.5:39.

To do this we must learn to study. Considering we have more Bibles, books on the Bible and tools today then in all of history of the church, the church should not be in the state of biblical illiteracy that it is in: but it is.

When the Bible was first written it had no divisions of chapters or verses. Since the Bible came to us in the English translation it has been divided in chapters and verses. Because of these divisions of chapters and verses it has made it more convenient to find certain subjects and sayings, it also has made it convenient for many teachers to select certain scriptures as one- liners removing them from their context they were originally written in. They then preach whole sermons on these out of context subjects. This fragmenting of the Scripture has led to many of the errors and falsehood’s preached from the pulpits today.

There is a great need to read the Bible through, and more importantly read it the way it was written by the books or letters. By doing this we absorb the Scripture in its context and are able to understand the theme of the letters as well as the minutiae contained in them. By doing this it prevents the Scripture being made into pretexts and stringing together ones own doctrine from them. After one sees the letters as a whole they can put together certain topics contained throughout all the letters to arrive at what the Bible actually says on any given subject matter. From this exercise we can rightly divide the word. By rightly divide the Word of truth we increase our knowledge and our usefulness and effectiveness for God.

We are admonished, “Study to show thyself approved, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed” (1 Timothy 2:15). The word “study” in this passage means “to make an effort, to be earnest, and diligent, with labor.” The phrase “rightly dividing” comes from the Greek word “orthotomeo,” which means “to make a straight cut, to dissect correctly, to rightly divide.” In other words, with no hesitation, make every effort to understand correctly what the Word of God actually says, so it can be used to benefit yourself and those you speak to. The Holy Spirit is to lead us into all Truth, His Word, not to lead us beyond it. As Paul wrote to Timothy sound doctrine will save both yourself and those who hear you.

We are to study and learn the Word that was delivered, staying in the parameters of its teaching.

To do this we need to ask the right questions to arrive at the correct answers.

We need to adopt a method that is inherent in the Scripture that will help us to arrive at the truth. We want to get as close as possible to what the original writers meant when they wrote it. Then we can see if it has any application for our lives. This means we may need to know something of the Jewish, Greek or Roman culture. We are to look at the letter and see whom the recipients are, why it is being written, is it repeated from somewhere else or gives us more information on a certain subject.

We are to let the text speak for itself and if it is not clear, we go to other statements made on the same subject that would qualify what is being taught in the text. We are to put Scripture next to Scripture and build on this as the basic foundation of beliefs are laid.

With all the technology and knowledge we have o help us we have become lazy. We need to develop some basic spiritual habits. Ps. 119:161-162 “But my heart stands in awe of Your word. I rejoice at Your word As one who finds great treasure.” Do we search the scriptures hungry for God to speak and rejoice at his voice like finding hidden treasure? Prov. 2:1-5 “My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you, So that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; Then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.” We are to train ourselves to listening to the Words of our God by the Scripture. We are to mine the word of God. How do we do this? We chip away at it piece by piece until we uncover the treasure. We pray for discernment understanding, with an open spirit we listen to his voice from the Word.

The Bible is deeper than the deepest ocean because it is knowledge about the infinite God. Many who have studied it have devoted their whole lifetime to knowing God’s Word, and have not found any end to its teaching and wisdom. It is the only place to find the absolute truth about the creator who became man. Yet it is a drop in the bucket about the unlimited God, but sufficient to confound the greatest minds in history. God has communicated to man throughout history through his book, and His words are found in dialogues, prophecy, poetry and letters to men over the centuries. Zophar the Naamathite answered Job in his search for answers why he was afflicted and said to him: “Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than heaven-- what can you do? Deeper than Sheol-- what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and broader than the sea.” (Job 11:7-9).

How much can we know of God? But a little, but what small amount we know, we want it to be accurate. To do this we must know doctrine, which means the teachings in the Bible. You can't have a relationship with God without the Word; it is central, not an option.

A.W. Tozer said it like this “The word doctrine means simply religious beliefs held and taught. It is the sacred task of all Christians, first as believers and then as teachers of religious beliefs, to be certain that these beliefs correspond exactly to truth. A precise agreement between belief and fact constitutes soundness in doctrine. We cannot afford to have less.”(A.W. Tozer, Man, The Dwelling Place Of God )

Jesus said “My sheep hear my voice.” That voice is found first and foremost through the Scriptures. John 17:20 Jesus praying to the Father says, “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word.” Whose word is he speaking of, the apostles whom he commissioned to record His sayings by writing them down. He then makes the statement that we would all be one, In Him and the Father and the world may believe. Our unity as the church is dependent on our adhering to the Word of God. As individuals If we want to be complete, mature, thoroughly equipped for what Christ has called us to as individuals and as the church, we need to know the Scripture. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work”(2 Timothy 3:16-17). The apostles wrote down the words inspired by the Holy Spirit through the entire New Testament; they are not just the ones written in red ink. They wrote them all with the same color ink, as Paul states “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God”(2 Timothy3:16-17), not certain Scripture, there are not less inspired portions.

The Bible is a very practical Book, what you learn from it can be applied to your everyday living. One person has said, read this Book to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. As Jesus stated in Matt 7:24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock.” It is stable so when the storms of life come, we will be able to stand because we are on the foundation that does not change or move.

Jesus often said, “he who has ears let him hear”, but he also said He said to them, “Hear and understand”

(Matt 15:10). When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear Me, everyone, and understand: (Mark 7:14).

When Jesus spoke the parable of the seed he gave four examples of the soil. Three of the soils within time lost the life of the seed. There was only one soil that had the seed sprout and grow and become a sturdy plant that was fruitful. Why? They all had the same seed applied, so what made this soil have it grow? We know that the soil represents a person’s heart, the seed was God’s eternal word that is heard and finds rest in it, and grows changing the individual who continually gives himself over to its instructions.

Mk.4:13: “And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.” The seed is the Word, and before this He explains how the people need ears to hear, so they can understand the spiritual meanings of the word and be fruitful. In vs. 37 he explains that the sower of the good seed is the son of man which is either Jesus himself or those who preach the same message of His Word. When the seed becomes money, you have just missed the whole point of the parable and have become spiritually deaf! This is why Jesus said: “Take heed therefore HOW you hear” (Luke 8:18). The “good seed,” is the truth preached by Christ, His apostles and us today. He was not preaching money or prosperity.

Matt. 13:19 Jesus states, “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.” Only one soil yielded variable percentages of fruit, it was those who understood His words. “But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty” (Matt 13:23). Understanding requires a response, we cannot do from the heart what we hear and do not understand.

It was Mark Twain who once said “Most people are bothered by those passages in Scriptures which they cannot understand. But for me, I always notice that the passages in scripture which trouble me the most are those I do understand.”

1 Pt.1:23 tells us we are “born with incorruptible see which is the word of God.” I Jn.3:9 “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” What this means is that we will not practice sin as we once did, a transformed life gives us the ability to live what is holy and right before God. As David said, “I have his your word in my heart so I may not sin against thee.” The seed in us and makes it easier to live the way God desires and harder to live they way we once did. But to do this we must have the Word continually before us and be consumed with it to have this affect. Because the world our flesh and the Devil are always in competition for our soul, trying to influence us in disobeying the ways of truth and life.

In the Old Testament the way that was recommended to Israel to have God first is found in Deut. 6:6-9: “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.” You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.” You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” The word of God was heard, was written everywhere, and it became life itself to a nation as well as the individual.

Too many of us look for nice thoughts in sermons, something that will make us feel good and assure us where we are at. It not that the element of encouragement should not be included in sermons, but that should not be the only thing. What we really need is to be convicted and reproved by the word of God. We are to be moved to improve: But this kind of preaching is becoming more rare as pastors cater to the needs of their congregants having them feel good so they keep coming to the service. They are so afraid of losing people that they don’t want to be offensive in any way. They no longer are doing what God said to do, shepherd them. Jesus did offend people; He offended people not by his personality but by telling them the truth.

In one instance as the multitudes gathered to hear Jesus Luke 5:1: “So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret.” What do we come to see or hear when we go to a meeting or church? Are we there to listen and learn the Word? Do we open our heart to hear truth come in and dig out all the falsehood, the sin we accumulated, or are we wanting to drink a warm smooth glass of milk that will make us feel good and justify the wrong we do. What are YOU looking for?

Dr. R.J.K. Law stated “In times of danger and threatened disasters there are always those who claim to have extraordinary revelations. The devil stirs them up to fill men with false hopes in order to keep them in sin and false security. Then, when God's judgments come, they are taken by surprise. So whoever claims to have extraordinary revelations, encouraging men to feel safe while living a sinful life, does the work of the devil, for whatever encourages men to feel secure in their sins is from the devil.” (Jer. 5:30, 31; 23:9-33). (Dr. R.J.K. Law, Apostasy from the gospel, Communion with God and the Glory of Christ)

In Mark 8:13-21 After the miracle of multiplying the bread and the Jesus charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.” These were the teachings, false doctrine. They interpret this as “he’s scolding us because we didn’t bring any of the left over bread.” Jesus responds in v.17-18 in our modern vernacular it would be, How spiritually senseless are you?

Jesus asked the disciples again “When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?” They said to Him, “Twelve.” “And when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up?” And they said, “Seven. “So He said to them, “How is it you do not understand?” Understand what? Who He is, How God provides; as he did with Moses leading the Israelites through the desert he will do through Christ. But to do this we must listen to His teachings, those who were fed bread miraculously by Christ were with him 3 days listening to his teachings. We are to be concerned with our spiritual sustenance first, not our physical needs. We squirm in church when the pastor goes an hour; some of us can’t even listen to the Word of God unless it’s dressed up with miracles and titillating stories. We need to question what we are there for, what is our motivation.

In the middle of this conversation Jesus gives a short quote of having eyes and they do not see having ears and they do not hear and they do not remember.

Jesus was referring to Mark 4:12 “Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them.”

The people saw Christ’s miracles, but not in their true light, they heard His words, but not in there true spiritual intent. They made the same mistakes as Israel did in the wilderness. As the church we have these examples so we will not repeat them. Matthew Henry had this to say, “Our not understanding of the true intent and meaning of God's favours to us, is equivalent to our not remembering of them” (Matthew Henry's Commentary.)

Jesus was justified in stating “And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: 'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’ “But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it” (Mt. 13:14-17).

We are so blessed to have the full revelation of the Word today, we are more privileged then even those who were with Jesus, because in some ways our teachings go beyond what many of the apostles heard; as John the last apostle wrote the book of Revelation. Many did not see the Bible we have in our hands today. Jesus said to the people who blessed his mother for carrying and nursing him, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and keep it.”

Understanding

Holy Spirit miracle services are today's trend but when we look in the book of Acts the Spirit fell unexpectedly. Today people are gathering to see the Spirit move, to capture his presence. This cannot be done without the Word preached first and foremost; the Word and the Spirit go together. We can suffocate the truth by what is claimed His presence, if we separate these two essential components. There is no way to know God’s presence without deep meditation, reflection on His Word. It needs to be taught correctly, not used as a means to an end.

C.D. Cole said “There is a clamor today in religion for the miraculous and sensational and spectacular. And this is because people tire of the word of God. People who are looking for miracles as a sign or proof of God’s presence and favor are putting themselves in a good position to be deceived. What is supernatural is not necessarily Divine" (C.D. Cole)  

The Word we have written sprang out the nature of God, Jesus said it was both He and His Father’s word, it is so connected to God that to ignore this Word is to not listen to God. God’s presence is His Holy Spirit whose purpose is to point to Jesus Christ, and uphold, interpret the truth, His WORD. The Holy Spirit moves us through the Word itself to explain what is meant. The Spirit gives the Word life and brings it to us as nourishment to our spirit.

When we seek to listen to voices outside the Scripture that leads us into new revelations for instruction, or an experience not in the Scripture and not practiced by the church, we are inadvertently denying the sufficiency of Scripture. This new trend is happening everywhere, not just in America. People gather for a Spirit meeting to hear a “fresh word” from God that is not found in the written word. They have been so removed from hearing the written word that “the written word becomes a fresh word to them.” If you want the power of God in your life learn the Word and apply it daily.

When the word is taught and explained, the Holy Spirit works and carries it to an open heart to be effective.

Isa. 29:24 “These also who erred in spirit will come to understanding, and those who complained will learn doctrine.”

Some teach that the Holy Spirit is more important than doctrine or words. Satan can’t have right doctrine, but he certainly can do signs and wonders. God will test us with what we see and experience to see if we will go to His Word and allow it to judge the thoughts and intentions of our heart.

Jonathan Edwards stated “If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.... The devil has ever shown a mortal spite and hatred towards that holy book, the Bible: he has done all in his power to extinguish that light and to draw men off from it: He knows it to be that light by which the kingdom of darkness is to be overthrown.... He is enraged against the Bible and hates every word in it: And we may be sure that he never will attempt to raise persons' esteem of it or affection to it.” (Edwards, Works of Jonathan Edward, Vol.2, 260).

Paul wrote to Timothy “Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:16).

A.W. Tozer wrote, “It would be impossible to overemphasize the importance of sound doctrine in the life of a Christian. Right thinking about all spiritual matters is imperative if we would have right living. As men do not gather grapes of thorns nor figs of thistles, so sound character does not grow out of unsound teaching.”