A Pentecostal Perspective of Scripture
The story has been told of a South Sea Islander who proudly displayed his Bible to a G.I. during World War II. “We’ve outgrown that sort of thing,” the soldier said. The native smiled back, “It’s a good thing we haven’t. If it weren’t for this book, you’d have been a meal by now!”
According to C. H. Spurgeon, “A Bible which is falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn’t!” The key to victory is “It is written.”
theopneustos (θεόπνευστος, 2315), “inspired by God”
A Peanuts cartoon pictured Lucy and Linus looking out the window at a steady downpour of rain. “Boy,” said Lucy, “look at it rain. What if it floods the whole world?”
“It will never do that,” Linus replied confidently. “In the ninth chapter of Genesis, God promised Noah that would never happen again, and the sign of the promise is the rainbow.”
“You’ve taken a great load off my mind,” said Lucy with a relieved smile.
“Sound theology,” pontificated Linus, “has a way of doing that!”
As a Christian, you have everything you need to be what you ought to be. Spiritual maturity is not a process of gaining things that you did not have when you became a believer.
For example, consider a newborn baby. It isn’t born without arms, and then gets them later. It’s not a pollywog. It doesn’t develop into a frog. When a baby is born, it has all the physical equipment it will ever have. In fact, the older we get, the more stuff we lose!
When you were born in Christ, you were made spiritually whole and have all you will ever need to become mature. It’s only a matter of development until you function in a mature way. You have everything you need—there is no lack, you are complete in the Lord.
Not, how did he die?
But, how did he live?
Not, what did he gain?
But, what did he give?
These are the merits
To measure the worth
Of a man as a man,
Regardless of birth.
Not, what was his station?
But, had he a heart?
And how did he play
His God-given part?