The Relevance of the Bible

INTRODUCTION

Good morning, Church. I want to invite you to open your copy of God’s Word and join me in 1 Peter chapter one.

Over the last couple of weeks, we have been in a series of sermons entitled, “The Good Book” in which we have been asking the question—What is the Bible and why does it matter?

We have seen the “Reliability” of the Bible—can we trust that this is the Word of God; The “Revelation” of the Bible—what does it mean for the Bible to be the Inspired, Inerrant, and Infallible Word of God, and, this morning, we want to see the RELEVANCE of the Bible—does the Bible, written thousands of years ago, have any relevance to today’s world and to my life?

1 Peter 1:22–25 “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.”

“A Few Good Men” — Tom Cruise: I want the truth! Jack Nicholson: You can’t handle the truth.

That seems to be where we are in our culture. The truth has become something that we can’t handle, therefore, it has become subjective.

Main Idea: The Word of God is TRUTH.

Now, I want to make sure you notice the detail in what I just said. God’s Word is TRUTH. Not just “true.” If something is “true” then that means it that it faithfully, without any error, represents the “original.”

Let me give you an example. If I were to say to you, “These pants/shirt are __________.” That would be true because these pants/shirt are the color _________.” That statement faithfully/without error represents this.

God’s Word is TRUTH. It is the standard by which everything is measured.

In John 17, Jesus makes this declaration when praying to the Father…

John 17:17 “…your word is truth.”

The Word of God is truth…so what does this mean?

1) The truth of God's Word is eternal.

1 Peter 1:24–25 “…for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.”

Matthew 24:35 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”

a) It is objective truth.

Argument—the Bible was written thousands of years ago in a different context/a different culture. We can’t take it too far…only at face value.

God’s character hasn’t changed and neither has His Word.

There is a difference between subjective truth and objective truth. We live in a world dominated by subjective truth…but, to be honest…it’s no truth at all.

Here’s what you’ll hear in culture today…My truth is my truth…or…I’m just living out my truth. You will hear biological males say “I feel like I’m female, therefore, I am female. That’s my truth.”

Objective truth is true to all people in all places at all times.

It is a universal standard.

b) It is unchanging truth.

Psalm 119:89 “Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens.”

It is forever firmly “fixed” in the heavens. That means it does not change. It is not shifting with the tides of culture. It means that the truth of God’s Word in defining marriage as one man and one woman for one lifetime—established & fixed forever in the heavens and introduced in Genesis—HAS. NOT. CHANGED. It means that the truth of God’s Word concerning sex being a gift to married couples and only to be enjoyed within the confines of marriage HAS. NOT. CHANGED. It means that the truth of God’s Word that there are two—and only two genders that are based on biology and designed by God HAS. NOT. CHANGED.

2) The truth of God's Word is applicable.

Illustration about putting the basketball goal together with instructions???

There’s no area of life that the Word of God does not speak to/apply to. It is relevant to every area of our lives.

Think about this—this is the Word of our God—our Creator/THE Creator. This is HIS world. He has designed our lives and everything in it. Don’t you think the designer/creator knows how He intends His creation to operate according to His design? For it’s best good?

Let me give you an example. Matthew chapters five, six, and seven contain the greatest sermon ever preached—Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount. Jesus covers pretty much the whole gamut of life.

He ends the entire sermon by giving an analogy—Matthew 7:24–27 ““Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.””

Jesus says “you can build your entire life on my words.”

God’s Word speaks about “fear.” It speaks about “anxiety.” It talks about money and possessions and our relationship to them…expound…

Psalm 119:105—your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path…in other words, every step of my life can be directed by God’s Word.

Joshua 1:8 “…meditate on it day and night… for then you will make your way prosperous…” → The Word governs daily life, decisions, and direction.

Colossians 3:16–17 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly… whatever you do, in word or deed…” → “Whatever you do” brings every area of life under the influence of the Word.

But…listen to me…in Matthew 7, in Joshua 7, in Colossians 3…there is something all three of these have in common…RECEIVING THE WORD OF GOD and DOING THE WORD OF GOD. We’re going to talk about this more in two Sundays as we finish this sermon but the Word of God speaks to/applies to every area of life…but we have to obey it.

But, we can’t just look at God’s Word as a good luck charm…or that if you say it enough times you’ll manifest good things.

The Word of God isn’t intended to be used for our “benefit” but for our “blessing.” What do I mean by that??? REALLY NEED TO FLESH THIS OUT.

APPLICATION = AUTHORITY

We don’t get to pick and choose. God’s way/God’s truth is the best…when we deviate we’re just left with brokenness.

Here’s what we try to do…we try to conform God’s Word to our lives rather than conform our lives to God’s Word.

When we decide to leave God’s design to ignore the Truth that applies to every area of our lives, then we wind up leaving God’s blessing…we trade blessing for brokenness.

Illustration—trying to diet but redefining what healthy foods are.

REALLY LEAN INTO THIS — BLESSING VS. BROKEN

3) The truth of God's Word is sufficient.

It is enough. Nothing more is added/needed.

You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), Dt 4:2.

2 Peter 1:3 “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness…” → Not some things—all things. Through knowing Him (revealed in His Word), we have everything needed for godly living.

Psalm 19:7 “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul…” → “Perfect” carries the idea of completeness—lacking nothing.

Deuteronomy 4:2 “You shall not add to the word… nor take from it…” → God’s Word is not to be supplemented—it is already sufficient as given.

The truth of God’s Word is enough. You don’t have to go find your truth.

Christian authors/pastors—if what they are saying, preaching, podcasting about…the reels that are going viral…if they don’t line up with the Word of God—the STANDARD—they shouldn’t be listened to!

Satan is a slick counterfeiter…the garden of Eden!

So much bad theology out there and we’re just taking it in like it’s truth!

Truth—salvation. Sin has not changed. The need for salvation has not changed. The sin and brokenness that entered the world through Adam & Eve’s distrust of the truth of God’s Word still exists and affects every single human today…thousands of years later.

The cross still speaks. The cross still saves.