Most Christians have one or more Bibles in their residences. Some keep them in plain view and others have them in the drawer of their night table. Some carry them everywhere and others ignore them. The Bible is a great source of history, story and of course is the Word of God. So why should this Scripture written so long ago be important to the Christian? It seems like an easy question to answer but can be complex to those who profess faith in Christ. The reality of the matter is that Scripture twisting has existed since time eternal. Martin Luther sought to go directly to the source when he translated the Bible out of Latin, the language of the Catholic church. With this new translation people were able to read the Bible for themselves and weren't dependent upon anyone to tell them what the Bible said. Illiteracy was quite prominent for centuries all across the world. As with so many issues in our world; illiteracy has been addressed and even more people can read the Bible for themselves. Then comes the problems. Whether you believe the Bible becomes not only important but essential in your Christian life. Believers and unbelievers alike have read the Bible and either cemented their faith or doomed themselves to eternity in hell.
Matthew chapter 4 is the first reason I would give as to why Scripture is important to the Christian. In that chapter Jesus has gone into the wilderness to fast and pray. He is confronted by Satan who then tempts Jesus with offers that Jesus doesn't take. There are a couple of important things we read here. The first is that Jesus answers his adversary with Scripture! The second is that Satan also quotes Scripture! In the end Jesus stands firm and commands Satan to leave his presence. Wow! That must have been some mountain top experience! There is power in Scripture against the powers and principalities of this world (Satan's world). Me? Not so much. Except I stand on Jesus there is no chance of victory in any area of my life. Now for those who don't believe in Satan or in hell, I have news for you. You are wrong. If you don't believe me, read the Bible. The Lord speaks to us and through us and is NEVER in contradiction of what the Word says. His input into our lives is impeccable.
I'm sure that you have more than likely read a book and noticed an error either in spelling or context. I have as well. Not with the Bible though. Should we believe the Bible to be the Word of God, we are empowered by the Holy Spirit. Once empowered by the Holy Spirit, Christians, think, act and speak in a totally different context. Why is that? As Paul says, "it is no longer me who lives but Christ who lives within me." The world may not make sense to you and I from time to time. My experience is that whatever I'm going through God has always taken me through it. Even when I didn't have the answer to the "Why?" question, God's will would prove to have been at work in and through me. The Scripture takes us out of the world and into His presence. Those things revealed to us don't make much sense to the lost. That is until you can show them in Scripture and witness the same in your life. The Christian's life is the only Gospel that some people will ever hear. YOU are the conduit through which the living God presents himself to the lost. Remember, it's always your choice.
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