Salvation
begins with the Word of God! Apart from God’s Holy Word, we would be up a creek without a paddle. “Being born again, not
of corruptible SEED, but of incorruptible,
BY THE WORD OF GOD, which liveth and abideth for ever”
(1st Peter 1:23). It is the seed
of God's Word by which we are born-again! Without “the Gospel,” as recorded in
the Scriptures in 1st Corinthians 1:4, no man could know how to be saved.
Without the Holy Bible, humanity would not know about the dear Savior, Who bled
and died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and bodily resurrected the third
day from the dead for our justification. John 5:39, “Search the scriptures;
for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of
me.”
The Word of God is NOT merely a book, the Word of God is alive! Notice the words, “...which liveth and abideth forever.” It is alive because Christ is alive. The Bible is the “seed” in our heart that can sprout into new spiritual life. This can only happen by the power of God’s Holy Spirit. Whether or not the seed dies or lives is dependent upon you. The seed is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you believe upon Christ, then the seed of God’s Word has sprung new life in you through the Holy Spirit—God’s Holy Spirit born in you. You will have been born-again. The bottom line is that you CANNOT be saved without the Word of God for it is the very seed which brings new life into your heart. If you refuse to accept the Bible as God’s Word, then you are well nigh hopeless my friend. I have witnessed to many people who say they do NOT recognize the Bible as God’s Word.
Perhaps this is the greatest challenge of all for the soul-winner—trying to convince a person that the Bible is God’s Word. Once a person accepts the Bible as God’s Holy Word, then they are more likely to listen to what you have to say from the Bible. I have even heard people curse and say horrible things about the Bible. When a person tells me they don’t believe the Bible is God’s Word, I realize that our conversation is nearly over because we are thinking on two different wave lengths. We have nothing in common on the matter. Everything I have to say as a believer is based upon THE BIBLE. To search for salvation apart from God’s Word is futile. That’s like telling a doctor you want to be healed without medicine, or telling a mechanic you want your car repaired without tools.
I’ve never met a Bible-rejecter who was willing to accept Christ as Savior. You simply cannot be saved without believing the Bible is God’s inspired Holy Word. If you reject God’s Word, you are rejecting the light. There are many people who will call themselves Christians but their faith is NOT based upon the Word of God. Their faith is based upon a false religion, a personal philosophy, an organization, an experience, et cetera. Your faith MUST be based upon the Word of God and the truths it teaches concerning Christ and salvation. 2nd Timothy 2:25, “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.” If a man will NOT accept the Written Word, neither will he accept the Living Word. Jesus is the Living Word. We learn about the Living Word as revealed in the Written Word.
Do you accept the
Bible as God’s Word? You must
examine the Holy Bible and make this decision for yourself, no one else can do it for
you. Pray and ask God to open the eyes of your understanding. Salvation is a matter of the heart, let God’s Holy Word speak to your
heart. It’s been said,
“If you want God to comb the kinks out of your head, you must give Him your
heart.”
The Word of God is Eternal
The
Word of God is eternal! The last
Word of Revelation already existed in heaven before the first verse in Genesis
was ever written. The
Bible is eternal, without beginning or end. “FOR
EVER,
O LORD, thy word is settled
in heaven” (Psalm 119:89). “Forever” means without beginning or end. God is forever eternal and so is His Word. His Word is “settled.” God
has not revised, rewritten, paraphrased or changed His Word. Men have NO RIGHT to alter and change God’s Word. There are
literally hundreds of English Bibles on the market today that are satanic counterfeits of the
truth, intended to deceive mankind. God's
Words are inspired. They have always been inspired, because they are God's
Words. God doesn't inspire a language; but rather, His Words. The Words of God
are inspired into whatever language they are translated, just so long as it is
an accurate translation.
God Magnifies His Word Above His Own Name
God
magnifies His Word above His very name! “...for
thou hast MAGNIFIED THY WORD ABOVE ALL
THY NAME” (Psalm 138:2). How dare any man or woman make light of the Word of God. To make light of the Word of God is to make light of God Almighty. God’s Word is more important than God’s name. Why? Because God would be a liar if His Word was not truth. God’s name would mean nothing if His Word was unreliable! Do you see how important the Bible is? It is a dangerous thing to tamper with the Bible. You CANNOT love God and hate the Bible. You CANNOT neglect your Bible and stay in fellowship with the Lord. The Bible means everything to the serious-minded Believer. And by the way, I don’t care how much Bible knowledge you may posses,
if you don’t spend time daily walking with your God, you will be carnal. How sad it is to hear of Christian people who mistreat and
injure others. They have a surplus
of Scriptural knowledge, but somewhere along the way, they drifted away from walking with
God. This is the danger of blessing,
prosperity and worldly success.
The Word of God Became Incarnate
We
learn from various Scriptures that the Holy Bible is more than just a book, it is a
Person. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and
THE WORD WAS GOD” (John 1:1). “And
THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH, and
dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of
the Father,) full of grace and truth”
(John 1:14). Jesus Christ is
the LIVING WORD, the Bible is the WRITTEN WORD. Jesus is the Word of God.
And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his
name is called THE WORD
OF GOD” (Revelation 19:13). Let me say, to spend time with God’s Word is to spend time with God. If we obey the Bible, we are obeying God. If we don’t believe the Bible, we are spitting on God.
The Word of God is Powerful
The Word of God is a book of power! “For the
WORD OF GOD is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword,
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and
marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”
(Hebrews 4:12). There is NO
book in the universe that can compare to the power of the Word of God. It was the very Word of God that created the universe. It was the Word of God that became flesh and dwelt among men and they
beheld His glory as of the only Begotten Son of God. It’s been said, “If man
could write the Bible he wouldn’t, and if he would he couldn't.” There is no way possible that such a book could have been written by
mortal men. The Bible is the only
book in the world that shows men their sinfulness and offers a plan of
redemption. The Bible is alive because the Holy Spirit of God is alive, Who
speaks to our soul while
we read it. God has promised to
guide His Children into the truth through His Holy Spirit. God is the Author of the Bible, not man. The Author will guide us if we will allow Him.
No One Can Escape the Word of God
Many people are scared of the Bible. The Bible scares many people because it demands an answer. Everyone must decide whether or not there is a
Hell, a Heaven, a God, a
Devil, eternal damnation, life beyond the grave, et cetera. Every single human being must decide these things. The Bible is a constant reminder that time is running out. You cannot read and familiarize yourself with the Bible without being
convicted by the Holy Spirit of God for He is the Divine Author. John 3:20 tells us why many people avoid the
Bible, “For every one that DOETH EVIL hateth the light,
neither cometh to the light, LEST
HIS DEEDS SHOULD BE REPROVED.The Bible is a book of
conviction. Many people miss out on
salvation because of their love for sin, because they refuse to admit that
they’re ways are sinful. You see
my friend, you can’t get saved until you admit that you’re a sinner,
deserving of Hell. If you're not
willing to admit to yourself and
God that you are a sinner, then you don’t need a Savior. Many people will not be honest with themselves. If there’s no crime, then there’s no punishment. Do you see your need for
the dear Savior?
Perhaps
you do not accept the Bible as God’s Word. I once heard a man say that he would never accept the Bible as God’s
Word until God Himself handed it to him. This man is living dangerously! That’s like saying he won’t be careful around electricity unless he
can see it, or saying that he won’t look before crossing the street unless he
hears the cars. Faith
requires us to believe in spite of all doubts which we may have. No one has an excuse not to follow after God. If you do not believe in God, or fail to acknowledge His Words as being
inspired, I encourage you to read Romans chapter one (the entire
chapter). If you still do not
accept the Bible as God’s Word after reading Romans Chapter one, it’s only
because you have not glorified God in your life. One of the chapters in
my book is entitled “When They Knew God.” It’s a brief Bible study from Romans chapter one. This is a practical lesson, but
straight to the point. There is not a clearer passage in the entire Bible
concerning those who run from God.
The Word of God is Precious
The Word of God is precious to the believer because of all the thousands of PROMISES which God has given to us in His Word. Our very hope of salvation is based upon our faith in God’s Word. Titus 1:2, “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.” As believers we don't hope, we have A HOPE! Amen! The Bible is not merely a book—It is THE BOOK. Our attitude toward the Bible is a direct indication of our attitude toward God Almighty.
Sometimes Christians are called “narrow-minded.” All Believers ought to be as narrow-minded as the Bible. Too many people are experts on evil and dirty thinking. God wants us to be naive concerning evil and knowledgeable concerning good. “...I would have you WISE unto that which is good, and SIMPLEconcerning evil” (Romans 16:19). We ought to hear from God before we hear from man. We should avoid listening to gossip. Learn to say, “I really don’t need to hear this.” It is good for us to get into the Word, but it is MUCH BETTER for the Word to get into us. The Spirit of Christ comes into our heart at the moment we accept Christ as our Savior. Romans 8:9, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” As we read and study the Word of God, the Spirit of Christ will reveal to us the true meaning of His Word. The Word of God is inseparable to our salvation and our Christian growth. We must prioritize the Bible as the center of our thoughts and meditate upon the Holy Scriptures throughout our daily lives.
Here are some notable quotes on the King James Bible:
“The Bible, composes by many authors, over a period of many centuries, yet ONE BOOK, is, in itself, the outstanding Miracle of the Ages, bearing aloft its own evidence of its Superhuman Origin.” —Henry H. Halley (1874-1965)
“It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible. ” —U.S. President George Washington (1732-1799)
“The existence of the Bible, as a book for the people, is the greatest benefit which the human race has ever experienced. Every attempt to belittle it is a crime against humanity.” —Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)
“The Bible is no mere book, but a Living Creature, with a power that conquers all who oppose it.” —Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821)
“The Old Testament is an account of a Nation. The New Testament is an account of a MAN, The Nation was founded and nurtured of God to bring the Man into the world.” —Henry H. Halley (1874-1965)
“The Bible has been the Magna Carta of the poor and oppressed. The human race is not in a position to dispense with it.” —Thomas Huxley (1825-1895)
“It is impossible to enslave mentally or socially a Bible-reading people. The principles of the Bible are the groundwork of human freedom.” —Horace Greeley (1811-1872)
“The whole hope of human progress is suspended on the ever growing influence of the Bible.” —U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward (1801-1872)
“That book [King James Bible], sir, is the rock on which on republic rests.” —U.S. President Andrew Jackson (1767-1845)
“The Bible is worth all other books which have ever been printed.” —Patrick Henry (1736-1799)
“God Himself became a Man, to give mankind a concrete, definite, tangible idea of what kind of Person to think of when we think of God. God is like Jesus. Jesus was God incarnate in human form. His appearance on earth is the Central Event of all history. The Old Testament sets the stage for it. The New Testament describes it. As a man, He lived the most strangely Beautiful Life ever known. He was the Kindest, Tenderest, Gentlest, most Patient, most Sympathetic man that ever lived. He Loved people. He hated to see people in trouble. He loved to Forgive. He loved to Help. He wrought marvelous miracles to feed hungry people. For relieving the suffering He forgot to take food for Himself. Multitudes, weary, pain-ridden, and heart-sick, came to Him, and found healing and relief. It is said of Him, and of no other, that if all the deeds of Kindness that He did were written, the world would not contain the books. That is the kind of man Jesus was. That is the kind of Person God is. Then: He Died, on the Cross, to take away the Sin of the world, to become the Redeemer and Saviour of man. Then: He Rose from the Dead: is Alive Now: not merely an historical character, but a Living Person: the Most Important Fact of History, and Most Vital Force in the world today.” —Henry H. Halley (1874-1965); Halley's Bible Handbook.
