Can we really use every part of the Bible in today’s world?
2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV)
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
When you are a child and you are at school, you tend to take what the teacher tells you at face value. The education system has had generations go before you, so therefore what your teacher says must be right?
As you get older, you start to question how did the teacher come to the answer, what is the purpose of all this learning? In science class, I was constantly being shut down by my teacher, as I kept asking, why? He didn’t seem to know the answers; he just trusted the process and believed it to be true. Maybe a different teacher, with a different approach, might have helped me to find the answers I was seeking.
Since leaving school, I have studied in hospitality, administration, management, natural health and personal training. The one thing that has held steadfast, is my questioning of why!
Every aspect of learning needs to be backed up with another opinion. One person’s interpretation of a subject may not be the same as someone else’s. So, you need to get another opinion. Cross reference and learn how to understand the topic at hand in a way that resonates with you. Since I started learning about the human body, I have noted so many changes in opinion and research. Things that doctors / scientists have believed for years, have been superseded. Things become clearer and the gaps are filled because brave scientists and, or doctors ask, why?
The Holy Bible is a solid cross reference upon cross reference, data presented by Chris Harrison has indicated that there are close to 64000 and openbible.info believes that there are about 340000. How did they find this out? They asked why. They researched and didn’t just take one person’s view. Many scholars, theologians, scientists and just everyday-people have tried, over the years, to disprove God’s Word. Yet, it seems that when something is God-Breathed – ummm it is the only thing in this world that is truly infallible.
Let’s be honest, some of scripture, simply, doesn’t make sense and when you are not trained in ministry, it can be downright baffling.
I remember when I first discovered today’s verse. It led me to a whole new way to look at God’s Word. It has been a solid reminder that even if I don’t understand the relevance of a verse in the Bible, all scripture is God-Breathed and therefore has a purpose for us to learn from. My approach to verses and scripture that I don’t understand. I learn. I ask questions of those who have gone before me. I read different authors and I read the Bible. I cross reference to ensure that the Word of God stands true.
When I studied natural health, I discovered there are a lot of opinions on spirituality. The Eastern religions have a very strong position in our natural health. Filtering what is true and godly as opposed to religious has been challenging. The one thing I have come to value, is my wanting to “know more and know why”.
If something doesn’t sit well, I go back to the source. I go to the only thing in our entire history that has remained true and cannot be faulted. God’s Word.
If something makes me feel icky inside, I cross reference to God’s Word – for His Word cannot lie and cannot change. Mal 3:6, Heb 13:8, James 1:17
Today’s verse excites me. It is so powerful. All scripture is God-Breathed, God inspired. Every word that is shared in the Holy Bible has the power of the Creator coursing through it. It cannot be wrong.
When you read the Holy Bible of God, and you don’t understand a verse, check it with other books in the Bible. When a preacher shares the Word of God in Sunday service, that’s what they is trying to do. Show you that the Old Testament is the forerunner and explainer of the New.
Did you know that the word honour is mentioned 147 times in the Bible? Love appears about 310 and truth about 235 times. Google a word that appears in the Bible and you will see just how many times it appears. This isn’t because the writers couldn’t think of another word. It is because they were concreting home the message.
We live in the age of endless opportunities to learn. You want to know an answer to a question; you search for it on the internet. AI now sums up information in bite size pieces. This is so awesome. The trap is though, that with that power comes great responsibility and some people abuse that power. They just want what they have to say out there in cyber world even if very little factual evidence supports. A person can say anything, be anyone or profess whatever and the internet does very little to filter truth from fiction.
Yes, over the millennia mankind has tried, tried and tried again to disprove, rebuke and argue with God’s Word. Yet it simply cannot be done.
Don’t be afraid to ask why? Don’t be scared to get more answers. Feel free to search on the internet for whatever you like – but back it up.
I think the biggest gift we have been given is our gut instinct. When we tune into our intuition – it is really tuning into the presence of our Precious Father who is gently guiding us to the truth.
1 Peter:25 But the word of the Lord remains forever." And that word is the Good News that was preached to you