DT Reading VII: The Bible and It's Authority

Dear brothers and sisters,

This week’s lesson/reading I believe is the foundation on which everything else will either stand or fall apart. Just like all buildings and bridges are built on foundations, our lives as disciples of Jesus are built on a foundation. The foundation is the Bible and its authority. If we fail to build our beliefs and lives on this foundation, we will fall apart like a foolish man who built his house on sand, but if we build on this foundation, we will stand like a wise man who built his house on the rock (Matthew 7:24-27).

As you go through and contemplate this week’s reading, I would also like to ask you to get your Bible, open it, and read it with much joy. 

WEEK VII: LEARNING OBJECTIVES

-          The Bible
-          The Authority of the Bible
-          The Bible has withstood the Test of Time
-          Life Journey Map
-          Read and Live

THE BIBLE

First, let us look at the meaning of the word Bible. The word “Bible” is from Late Medieval Latin biblia "the Bible", derives from the Greek word Biblia, meaning “books.” So the Bible basically means the Books. The same Greek word also means “scroll” or “parchment.” The first words of the scripture would have been written on parchments, and then copied to scrolls and distributed, and so on. When the movable printing press was invented by Johannes Gutenberg, he completed printing the Bible about 1455 working at Mainz, Germany.

Like every book has an author (s), who wrote his or her thoughts, what in his mind, his views, and so on, the Bible also has an author who is God. However, God used various people (his servants) to write the Bible. God inspired his servants to write the Bible. The servants of God received God’s words and instructions in various ways and wrote the Bible. Some of them heard the voice of God, some were shown vision, and some through their inner voice and experience, and still others were given revelation. God inspired his servants to write the Bible in their own styles, using their own languages (Hebrews, Aramaic/Greek), and in different situations, places, and histories.

 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16).

The books of the Bible were written at different times by different authors over a period of approximately 1,500 years. About 40 servants of God wrote the Bible.

 THE AUTHORITY OF THE BIBLE

The next vital truth we need to know as disciples of Jesus is the authority of the Bible. Without fully trusting, acknowledging, and relying on the authority of the Bible we cannot stand our ground in our walk and journey of faith.

I have read some books in the past that I don’t know the authors well. I am also not sure what they have written was based on rigorous studies and researches and universal truth. I am not even certain what was written in those books were reliable, trustworthy, or flawless? The Bible on the other hand is entirely different. The God of the universe is the author of the Bible, and He did it by using his servants to write His Words. The omniscient (knowing everything), the omnipotent (all-powerful), and the omnipresent God (present everywhere at the same time) is the source of the Bible; consequently, every word in the Bible is true, perfect, and flawless.

“Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him” (Proverbs 30:5); “the words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible like gold refined seven times” (Psalm 12:6).  “All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

Authority comes from the author and the author of the Bible is God therefore the authority of the Bible comes from God himself. Behind every word and command in the Bible is the mind of God. The Bible is God’s Words and God’s Thoughts. The Bible reveals God’s Will and Ways and they are flawless, reliable, and universal.

As disciples of Jesus, we rest our lives on the authority of the Bible

WITHSTOOD THE TEST OF TIME

The Bible is the bestselling book of all time. It is the only book that has changed and completely transformed countless lives down history, and it will remain the same in the age to come. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (Matthew 24:35). But at the same time, countless people have been killed because of the Bible, and so in that sense, the Bible is also the most hated book that has ever been written. Satan and demons hate the Bible, and the people of this world (those who love the world, those who follow the works of Satan) hate the Bible.

We learned from history that many people have tried their best to destroy the Bible. Many have burned the Bible, many have tried to distort the Bible, many have spoken against and tried to disprove the reliability of the Bible, and still many are trying their best to destroy the Bible in various ways even today in and around the world. However, the Bible has withstood the test of time.

Many who have tried to destroy the Bible are dead and gone, but the Bible is still available and alive. I know a certain atheist (a person who doesn’t believe in God or the Bible), a well-known British thinker- Christopher Hitchens. I have listened to his talks and debates with Christians a few times and have bought and read a little bit of his famous book, God is not great. It was a bitter book I should say. He insults God; he laughs and mocks at the thing of God and the Bible. He did his best to destroy the credibility of the Bible, but he didn’t succeed. I know also several people like Hitchens who are trying their best to destroy the Bible. Hitchens died in 2011. He is dead and gone, but the Bible is still credible, and it is still the bestselling book in the world. “The scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35).

THE JOURNEY MAP OF LIFE

I assume some of you might have read the famous allegorical book, “The Pilgrim Progress” by John Bunyan. If you haven’t read that book, I highly recommend you to read it, not one time, but several times. In his book, Bunyan tells a story of a man named Christian, living in a city of destruction with his wife, children, and friends, and he later journeyed his way from the city of destruction to the celestial city.

Life is indeed a journey. We are all pilgrims, and we are traveling in this world toward a destination, either to hell, a place of God’s wrath or to heaven where God dwells. In this life’s journey, God has given all of us a map to read and follow. For example, we are instructed to follow the narrow path; we are counseled to run away from lust and sexual immorality and flee from idolatry (Matthew 7:13; 1 Cor. 10:14). We are to be careful in all our ways as we travel. The map of life God has given us is the Bible, His Word.

“Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul” (1 Peter 2:11); “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which he is able even to subdue all things to himself” (Philippians 3:20-21).

READ AND LIVE

If the God of the Universe is the author of the Bible; if the Bible is supremely authoritative; if the Bible has changed and transformed the lives of countless people; if the Bible has withstood the test of time; and if the Bible is the map of life that God has given to us, then we are the most fortunate people alive on earth to have the Bible in our hands and homes today. On the other hand, we are the most pitied or unwise people if we don’t take it, read it, or live accordingly knowing that the Bible is God’s Eternal Word.

As the disciples of Jesus, we have no other books but the Bible; we have no other authority but the authority of God’s Word; we have no other map of life but the Bible. Let us read the Bible, apply our minds, humble before the Lord, and may God in His grace come and make us understand His word, so that we may live as his true disciples here on earth. Amen.

Prayer points:

1.      Give thanks to God for the Bible in our hands and homes
2.      Prayer of commitment to reading the Bible

DT Reading VI: A Student of Jesus

 “To be a disciple of Jesus is the greatest honor in the universe.” 

In our week 1 reading, I pointed out that the word ‘disciple’ in the Greek New Testament is ‘Mathetes’, which is also translated as a follower, pupil, and student. When we think about followers or students, we normally assume base on our experience that it is the students who seek, apply, and join schools or places to learn from teachers and not the other way around. Similarly, we also learn that this was typically practiced in the Jewish world; a disciple would voluntarily join a school or otherwise seek out a master rabbi; however, with Jesus the story was different. Jesus who is the Master, Teacher, and Lord, He seeks out and chooses those who He wants as His disciples (Mark 1:17; 2:14; Matthew 4:18-21). Again, a dedicated disciple was generally expected someday to become a rabbi (or teacher) himself, yet Jesus teaches his disciples that he will always be their rabbi and they will have a lifetime of discipleship (Matthew 23:8; Luke 14:26-27) (Disciple, MED).

Reading VI: Learning objectives:

 1.  He chose us

2. A growing disciple keeps learning

3.  A growing disciple keeps practicing\

4.  A lifetime student

 HE CHOSE US

To His disciples, Jesus said, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit- fruit that will last and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you” (John 15:16). One thing should be clear to us- Jesus always made the First Move. He did not choose his disciples because they chose him; He first chose them. Also, Jesus never chose His disciples on the basis of their performance, righteousness, or status; rather He chose them because of His own great love and plans for them. The words of Jesus stated in John 15:16, are true for us as well. None of us has chosen Jesus first, but He first chose us and appointed us. He has chosen us to be His disciples not because we are good people, but because of His great love, mercy, and plans for us. And we are chosen to be His followers all the days of our lives. We are all recipients of God’s grace and love; and we receive by trusting in His Words and what Jesus did for us through His life, death, and resurrection.

A GROWING DISCIPLE KEEPS LEARNING

A disciple or student's primary purpose is to learn, and when learning takes place the result is growth (mental faculty, life, and social skills, etc.). If a disciple stops learning, he or she will stop growing and become a stagnant or dormant disciple. There is also a saying that ‘decay begins when learning stops.’ We also know that there can be a colossal distinction of growth between a student who learned in a prestigious university under a renowned professor and a person who never went to school, or learned anything from teachers.

Learning is vital in the process of growth. As disciples of Jesus, we are to keep learning to grow and become godly men and women. We learn about God, Christ, Holy Spirit, Love, Church, Discipleship, Faith, Serving, Giving, Sin, Redemption, Mission, and the list goes on. Various things are involved in learning, but two important factors that stand out are intention and attitude or our mindset. Without intentional effort, what we learn will not remain in us, and without the right attitude, learning cannot take place. The disciples of Jesus ask, Lord, teach us how to pray! Do you and I desire to learn and ask questions?

Christ has chosen us to be His disciples and so we are not disciples of pastors or professors or anyone, but at the same time, let us also not forget that when Jesus died and ascended to Heaven, He has given the Church the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors, and teachers, to equip the saints (Christians/disciples of Christ/to make disciples of Jesus) for the service, so that the body of Christ may be built-up, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature,  attaining the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13). We are to learn from our leaders, our pastors, our teachers, elders, etc., and from one another. 

A GROWING DISCIPLE KEEPS PRACTICING

In his letter to Timothy, describing the people in the End Time Paul says, “There are people who always learn but never able to come to the truth” (2 Timothy 3:6); similarly James also warned his readers, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says (James 1:22). Growing disciples are doers, not just listeners or readers.

There is no human being born on earth that has grown up and become a world-class footballer without rigorous exercise and practice, nor is there any human being on earth without practicing has become an expert in driving cars. Everyone who desires growth must put into practice what he or she learns.

Learning and practicing are two sides of the same coin. One side cannot do away without the other. A person who learns about who God is but never puts into practice what God says cannot grow in his walk and relationship with God. The Scripture tells us, “In fact, this is love for God: To keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome (1 John 5:3). A growing disciple keeps practicing what he or she learns from the Scripture; he submits and obeys a still voice of the Holy Spirit inside of him; he/she obeys and honors his parents, he receives counsel from the servants of God, he participates and serves in the fellowship of God’s people, etc.  

A LIFETIME STUDENT

Christ has chosen us to be his disciples for a lifetime, which also means He will be our teacher for a lifetime as well. What can be more exciting than to be a lifetime student of Jesus! And indeed, “To be a disciple of Jesus is the greatest honor in the universe.”

“God guides the humble in what is right and teaches them His way” (Psalm 25:9)

Prayer points:

1.    Give thanks to Jesus for choosing you to be one of His disciples.
2.    Commit/recommit your life to God