Articles
Your Testimonies Are Wonderful
Your Testimonies Are Wonderful
The Bible is indeed the Book of books. Many books have been written. Solomon said: “the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body” (Ecclesiastes 12:12). The libraries of the world are full of books, but no book is of greater value and importance than THE book, the Bible.
Attitude of a Few Noted Men
Many noted men in our nation’s history have given statements which reflect their attitude toward the Bible.
John Quincy Adams said, “So great is my veneration for the Bible that the earlier my children begin to read it the more confident will be my hope that they will prove useful citizens of their country and respectable members of society.”
Abraham Lincoln said, “I am profitably engaged in reading the Bible.”
Woodrow Wilson said, “The Bible is the word of life—it is a picture of the human heart displayed for all ages and all sorts and conditions of men—I am sorry for the men who do not read the Bible everyday. I wonder why they deprive themselves of the strength and pleasure.”
Calvin Coolidge said, “There is no other book with which the Bible can be compared, and no other reading that means so much to the human race.”
Robert E. Lee said, “This book is a book in comparison with which all others in my eyes are of minor importance, and in all my perplexities and distresses has never failed to give me strength.”
We must be impressed with the fact that my salvation does not depend upon what Abraham Lincoln or Robert E. Lee said about the Bible. My salvation will depend upon my attitude toward the Bible and the use I make of it in my life. Will I listen to what it says?
The Bible Tells Its Value
In the Bible itself we find many statements which tell of the value and importance of the word of God. In Psalm 119:72 we read, “The law of Your mouth is better to me Than thousands of gold and silver pieces.” In verse 127 we read, “Therefore I love Your commandments Above gold, yes, above fine gold.” Again in verses 129-130 we read, “Your testimonies are wonderful; Therefore my soul observes them. The unfolding of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.”
In Hebrews 4:12 we find written, “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.”
In Acts 20:32, Paul speaking says: “And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.”
On and on we could go reading passage after passage which give evidence to the value and importance of the Scriptures. It is important that we examine OUR attitude toward the Bible. What is our attitude toward it?
What We Should Acknowledge
The word of God is inspired. The Scriptures did not come to be by the wisdom of man but they came to be by men speaking as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God” (2Peter 1:20-21). Paul said, “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words” (1Corinthians 2:12-13).
It is the complete and the only revelation of God. We need not look for latter day revelations of God’s will. There will be none. When God spoke through His Son Jesus Christ, that ended the matter of God making known His will. “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world” (Hebrews 1:1-2).
It is authoritative. In 2John 9 we read, “Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.” Paul emphasized the authoritative nature of God’s word to the Galatians by saying to them, “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!” (Galatians 1:8-9).
God help us all to have the attitude of the psalmist, “O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day” (Psalm 119:97).
- Your_Testimonies.pdf (857.17 kB)
