Don’t let anyone fool you.  Truth, as found in God’s Word, is important for everyone.

God “wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the TRUTH” (1 Tim. 2:4).

Truth is Vital to Eternal Salvation:

Do you want to come into a relationship with God?

You must hear “the word of TRUTH, the gospel of your salvation” (Eph. 1:13) and believe “in the truth” as the Holy Spirit works in you to make you presentable to God through Christ Jesus (2 Thess. 2:13).

Do you want to lead others into a saving knowledge of the Lord?

You must help people “understood God’s grace in all its TRUTH”  (Col. 1:6).

Truth is Vital to Christian Living:

Do you want to worship in a way that is pleasing to the Lord?

You must worship “in spirit and TRUTH, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks” (Jn. 4:23-24).

Do you want to be set free from sinful habits, addictions, self, and anything else that enslave you?

You must know the truth for “TRUTH will set you free” (Jn. 8:32)

Do you want to be more Christ-like, holy in your conduct, attitudes, and words?

You must get into the Word for we are sanctified by the TRUTH and His “word is TRUTH” (Jn. 17:17) for it is “the knowledge of the TRUTH that leads to godliness” (Titus 1:1).

Do you want to keep standing in the midst of spiritual battles?

You must put on the armor of God with the “belt of TRUTH buckled around your waist” (Eph. 6:14).

Do you want to love as God loves?

You must not only say you love people but show love “with actions and in TRUTH” (1 Jn. 3:18).

Do you want pure motives in reaching out to people?

You must purify yourself “by obeying the TRUTH so that you have sincere love for your brothers” (1 Pet. 1:22).

Church Leaders, click on the links below for articles about your role in helping people understand …

All sources must line up with God’s written Word.  Even Scripture must agree with itself.  Otherwise, it is merely our understanding or interpretation.

Reliable sources of truth:

• Jesus who is the way, the truth, and the life who leads us to God the Father (Jn 14:6)

We need to look at Jesus through the eyes of Scripture.  We cannot make up our own version of Jesus, picking and choosing what traits we wish to believe.

• The Spirit of truth who testifies of Christ, guides you into all truth (Jn. 15:26; Jn. 16:13; 1 Jn. 5:6)

We need to remember that the Spirit will never contradict God’s Word.  We are not the ones to determine how the Spirit operates.

• Scripture which is inspired by God and used by Him to sanctify and equip us (Jn. 17:17; 2 Tim. 3:16-17)

We need to use the Bible as the grid through which we evaluate everything else.

Unreliable sources of truth:

• Nature … enough to get us on the path toward God (Rom. 1:18-23) but not sufficient to “thoroughly equip us” (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

We need to worship God because of what we can learn about Him through nature but never let any created thing become a substitute for Him and His Word.

• Our interpretation of truth

We need to get to God’s intent when studying Scripture, not want we want it to say.  Even those who wrote down the words of Scripture did not write what they wanted to say but were guided by the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1:20-21).

In this post, we will consider what should be the greatest motivation for devotion to God’s Word — a proper view of the God of the Bible.

A God who is perceived as all-knowing, all-powerful, and always faithful is Someone whose words should hold weight in our hearts and minds.  Why would we not want to tenaciously cling to what this kind of God says?  Devotion to God’s Word makes sense with this kind of Author.

Remove the “all” and “always” and you have an anemic God.  Why would we devote ourselves to learning and following the words of that kind of God?  It just wouldn’t make sense if we didn’t know for sure what is true and what isn’t and whether or not He could or would follow through on what He said.

Is the God of Scripture all-knowing?

A God who is not omniscient could make mistakes in the content of His Word.  Only a God who knows the beginning from the end could put together a consistently accurate and cohesive book written over the course of time through the instrument of multiple human authors (Heb. 1:1).

Is the God of Scripture all-powerful?

A God who is not omnipotent could fail to back up all that is written in the Word.  Only a God who can do all things is capable of fulfilling the “desire and achieve the purpose” for which it was given (Isa. 55:11).

Is the God of Scripture always faithful?

A God who is not always faithful might not keep His Word because He could change His mind or have a bad day.  Only a God who is always faithful can be considered trustworthy (Ps. 111:7-8; Heb. 10:23).

How we view the God of Scripture has to make a difference in our level of devotion to His Word.  The greater we perceive Him to be, the more likely we will be to adhere to His Word.

Likewise, how we present this God to others will help motivate them to believe and act on His Word.  The more we present to them a God who is big enough, great enough, powerful enough, and wise enough to have the final word, the more likely they will be to make His Word the final authority in their lives.

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, . . . And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.  (Acts 2:42-47)

We have God’s Word, which contains the Apostles’ teaching.  Does the church today maintain such devotion to Truth?  Or, has it been replaced by pragmatism, determined by our experiences, and based on our feelings?  It’s hard to be devoted to truth that is seen as relative for it is constantly changing.  Being steadfast in Truth, despite what is happening in society around us, isn’t always easy but it is essential to living out God’s purpose for the church and our individual lives.

What is required for such devotion?

• We need to view the Word as our primary source of truth and equipping (2 Tim. 3:16-17). We can learn from a variety of sources but when we are devoted to the teaching of God’s Word, we will filter everything through Scripture.  We will use God’s Word as a grid.
   
• We need to take seriously Jesus’ Great Comission that not only says to go and make disciples but also to teach “everything” He commanded (Matt. 28:19-20).  Being relevant in today’s world does not mean abandoning Truth.
   
• We need to do our best to deal with hindrances to a wholehearted devotion to it, in our own lives and in the lives of those to whom we minister (2 Cor. 10:5).

For teachers, it might mean doing our best to minimize distractions to the teaching of God’s Word.

For church leadership, it might mean working through programming and scheduling issues to maximize the time we can devote to God’s Word.

In discipleship relationships, it might mean helping people learn to process life through God’s Word and not according to feelings or circumstances.

In counseling or mentoring situations, it might mean helping people deal with fears and anxieties that could supplant time and attention that should go to sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening to His Word.

What will it take for you to maintain devotion to God’s Word in your sphere of ministry?

For More About God’s Word & Help Studying it:  Bible Study Resources Page

The Authority of the Bible – Can the Bible be trusted?

If the Bible truly is inspired by God and can be trusted, then you should find yourself believing what it says, obeying its precepts, and following the principles laid out in it.

If you think the Bible is not completely God’s Word and cannot be fully trusted, then you have the option of following what it says and you can pick and choose what to believe.

Focus & Theme of the Bible – What is the Bible about?

If you think the Bible is a religious book about man’s efforts to reconcile with God, then you will tend to take a more legalistic approach and depend more on yourself than on Him.  Life will be more centered around yourself and your accomplishments.

If you see the Bible as a love story about God’s efforts to reach man, then you will better understand grace and trust Him to work for your good even when you don’t understand your life’s circumstances.  Life will be centered more around God and His purposes.

Ministry Implications:  These same issues will affect the way you serve in your various ministries and how you help other people find God.

The Authority of the Bible – Can the Bible be trusted?

Those sold out to the authority of the Bible have a standard that is reliable and that must be used as a filter in all decisions.  Otherwise, ministry can quickly become everybody doing what is right in their own eyes which can only lead to inconsistencies and ineffectiveness.

Focus & Theme of the Bible – What is the Bible about?

Those seeing the focus of the Bible as God’s working will tend to get beyond the stories and commands to the God of Scripture who is the source and sustainer of life and the Savior of the world. Otherwise ministry could become about helping people to simply know what the Bible says and to follow a bunch of rules and regulations.  You will have religion over relationship.

Click Below to Learn About a Worksheet for Bible Teachers:

What Bible Teachers Need to Know About God’s Word
To Help Students Find God in the Scriptures

In a previous post I listed results from a Barna report on how young people today view the Bible differently from other generations.  The fifth point was that they have . . . LESS ENGAGEMENT.

If the Bible is God’s Word, then we should want to be reading and studying the Bible.

If the Bible is not God’s Word, then it doesn’t need to be a priority in our lives.

Failing to engage oneself with God’s Word betrays people’s true heart toward it.  Either they don’t believe it to be true or to be from God or they don’t understand its eternal benefit.  Previous posts looked at its sacredness, accuracy, uniqueness, and origins. Let’s therefore consider some of the benefits:

revives our souls (Ps. 19:7)
makes us wise  (Ps. 19:7)
gives us joy (Ps. 19:8)
helps us see clearly (Ps. 19:8)
prevents us from sinning  (Ps. 119:11)
equips us for good works (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

The reason Scripture is so powerful and life-changing is because of its source.  God-breathed words impart energy, strength, wisdom, joy, light, comfort, peace, grace, and so much more into our lives because HE is all these things.  It’s about Him!

Have we been communicating the right message of the Bible?

The Bible is about God and His desire to have a relationship with man.  Too often in preaching and teaching we make it about the stories or concepts.  We need to get beyond precepts to the Person.

Have we been communicating the right reason for them to engage?

Give a good reason to study:  not merely something they “should” do … to fulfill a duty, a spiritual discipline;  not merely to learn about the Bible  … to gain knowledge;  but a means of connecting with the living God who loves them and wants their best  … to nurture a relationship.

Have we been communicating the right outcome of engaging in God’s Word?

Will it merely lead to head knowledge or is there more to it?  Have we been showing the life impacting results of God’s Word?  It changes lives.  Here’s a workbook to help teachers work toward this goal:  Teaching for Changed Lives

The last point on the Barna Report is that young people do have a Bible appetite so let’s give them a reason to dig in.

Resources to help communicate how to study the Bible.

If from God, then its words hold absolute authority and we are accountable.

If not from God but of man, then it words can be ignored and we can choose whether to believe or act upon it without consequence.

Divine origin changes everything.  By definition, God is the one of whom there is none greater, none higher.  If God authored the Bible, albiet through human writers, then it has supremacy over anything else, including our own opinions and lives.

The Bible describes itself as having divine origin.  Consequently, if that part is a lie, then none of it can be trusted.

2 Timothy 3:16 refers to Scripture as “inspired by God” or “God-breathed”.  Let’s back up: The verse says “ALL Scripture is inspired by God” … all parts.

1 Corinthians 2:11, 13 emphasizes the Spirit’s involvement, stating that it is not from human wisdom.

2 Peter 1:20-21 informs us that men were merely the instruments through whom God spoke.  God spoke by His Spirit.  Man recorded.

If God is not the author, then it would have to have been written by evil men or demons.  Why?  Because the claims within it to be from God would all be lies.  But, the likelihood of evil men or demons writing a book that condemns themselves is unlikely.  So, then, what is the origin of Scripture if not God?

Can we absolutely prove its divine origin?  Probably not, but the evidence sure does stack up for it being from God.

1)  fulfilled prophecies that man could not have made happen
2)  historical facts proved to be true through archaeology
3)  consistent theme and unity throughout the Bible unlikely if sourced by a variety of people
4)  moral excellence of which is unlikely to find its origin in sinful, depraved man
5)  indestructibility of the Bible through the years of which no other book so protected
6)  ability to transform lives

In reality, skepticism of the origin of Scripture could be even deeper.  Perhaps the question is more about God Himself.  Is there a God out there who so loved the world that He left a written manuscript on how to come into a relationship with Him?  Let’s make sure we are answering the underlying questions.  Feel inadequate to answer these difficult questions? — Apologetics Resources