Why We Need The Bible
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Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
Having finished up our series on the Psalms and since we are next week going to start a new series on 1 Corinthians, I thought it would be good, in this “filler sermon” if you, to answer this most basic but powerful question “Why Do We Need The Bible?”
So we are going to be looking tonight at “Why We Need The Bible.”
When we sit back and try and meditate upon this thought we should quickly realize that this has a lot of depth and nuance to it.
Due to the complexity of this we won’t be able to cover everything this evening but will highlight three reasons.
With that in mind let’s look at our first point.
Why do we need the bible, because…
It Teaches Us About God
It Teaches Us About God
The Mind Of God.
The Mind Of God.
The apostle Paul makes it abundantly clear that what he was given to write of the church in Corinth was the mind of God in written form.
1 Corinthians 2:10–12 (ESV)
10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.
1 Corinthians 2:13–16 (ESV)
13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. 14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
Some things to consider here.
God gave the inspired writers his thoughts i.e., his words.
(vs 10) “these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit.”
(vs 10) “the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.”
God then gave the inspired writers the ability to explain the mind of God to those that are spiritual.
The LEB translation has on verse 13 “explaining spiritual things to spiritual people.”
The Holy Spirit therefore, gave us the interpretation to the mind of God in written form.
(vs 16) “But we have the mind of Christ.”
Having God’s mind then…
Gives Us Insight Into God.
Gives Us Insight Into God.
It is in the bible that we learn of God’s love for us.
That out of all his creation it is mankind he made in “his image.”
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
And when mankind sinned and separated himself from his Creator, God sent his Son to be our sacrifice.
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
It is in the bible that we learn of God’s mercy toward us.
That even when we are added to the God’s family and fall short again, he forgives us when we come back to him.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
We also learn in the bible of God’s justice.
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.
6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
This is a major reason we need the bible, because it gives us insight into our God.
Why else do we need the bible, because it…
Summary
Summary
Without the bible there is no way of actually getting to know our Creator.
There is no way to know his love, mercy, and grace.
Which brings us to our next point, we need the bible because…
It Makes Us Complete
It Makes Us Complete
This Is Done By Equipping Us.
This Is Done By Equipping Us.
Paul is clear that God’s word, the bible, is that which God has given to us to make us complete humans equipped for every good work of his.
2 Timothy 3:16–17 (ESV)
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
So, how does the bible equip us to be complete humans for God?
The bible teaches us the will, desires, and authority of God.
2 Peter 1:19 (ESV)
19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts
The bible reproves us (points out our sin) by showing us how we have broke God’s will, desires, and authority.
19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.
5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him.
The bible also corrects us by pointing us back to God.
9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. 10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 11 For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.
Because of God’s word, the bible, we know how to improve our spiritual failures and grow in our faith.
The bible trains us in righteousness.
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age,
Summary
Summary
We were created by God for good works (Ephesians 2:10) and thanks be to God that the bible equips us for those good works we were created to do as Christians.
This the essence of Solomon’s words in the book of Ecclesiastes.
Ecclesiastes 12:13 (ESV)
13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole of man.
Thirdly, we find that we need the bible because…
It Brings Us Comfort
It Brings Us Comfort
By Giving Us Hope, Peace, & Joy.
By Giving Us Hope, Peace, & Joy.
The bible gives us hope and thus comfort by showing making it abundantly clear that we can trust our God by looking at how he has always been faithful to his people in the past.
4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.
The bible gives peace and therefore comfort, because he explains how we can give all our anxieties to our God who will never separate himself from us.
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The bible gives us joy and hence comfort because the more we study it and the more hope we gain and peace we feel, we realize there is nothing in this life that can overcome us if God is on our side and there is nothing we can’t handle if God is with us.
1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Summary
Summary
The bible, when studied, brings us comfort through establishing hope, peace, and joy in our lives by way of showing us why we can trust or have faith in our Creator.
There is no happier life in this life than that of a faithful child of God.
Lastly, and most importantly we need the bible because…
It Leads To Salvation
It Leads To Salvation
Causes Faith In Us.
Causes Faith In Us.
The bible is the literal cause of our faith in God.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
That faith begins by establishing a belief in God by way of the bible.
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
That belief then grows into a trust in God to be just with us and reward our faithfulness to him.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
So God’s word, the bible, is vital to our salvation because when we study it we learn to trust the God of the bible.
It then leads us to salvation by showing demonstrating to us how we act on that trust in God because it…
Teaches Us To Be Born Again.
Teaches Us To Be Born Again.
Jesus, the Word, taught this very thing to one curious about salvation.
3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
We learn by studying the bible that this new birth Jesus said is required is produced by the incorruptible seed of God’s word, i.e., the bible.
23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;
In other words, obeying the gospel (Romans 6.3-5).
1 Peter 1:25 (ESV)
25 but the word of the Lord remains forever. And this word is the gospel that was preached to you.
Not only does God’s word lead us to having our sins washed away and being added to the God’s family but it…
Teaches Us To Stay Saved.
Teaches Us To Stay Saved.
The reality is once we obey the gospel and are born again we must continue “working out our own salvation.”
Philippians 2:12 (ESV)
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling
Titus 2:12 (ESV)
12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age
Summary
Summary
Oh how important the bible, God’s holy writ, is in the lives of humanity.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Why do we need the bible?
Because without it we don’t know God.
Because without it we will never know our duty here on earth.
Because without it we will never have true comfort in this life.
Because without it we will never taste eternity next to our Creator.
Oh how vital God’s word should be to us who know the truth.
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.