The Impact of the Bible
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
John 17:14–17
Those of us who love the Word of God know that it is a source of peace, hope, inspiration, guidance, instruction, and doctrine. But to much of the world, the Bible is simply a collection of fables, unworthy of attention or respect. If we hold a high and proper opinion of the Scriptures, we should not be surprised to find that the world will reject our beliefs and that they will be the source of conflict and strife. As Christians in America, we have enjoyed great religious freedom, but that is not promised to us. We need to know what we believe and why we believe it, and be ready to stand for it no matter what.
The preparation of the Christian for living in days of persecution and opposition begins with our relationship with the Bible. If we do not have a deep personal commitment to the Word of God before the trouble starts, it will be too late to develop it afterwards. Yet too often, we treat the Bible casually and pick and choose what to focus on rather than taking all that God has given us seriously. This especially applies to the parts that convict us of sin and call us to repentance. Charles Spurgeon said, “If any text has a quarrel with you, quarrel with yourself; but yield wholly to the Word of God.” Our opinions and traditions are not strong enough to overcome the world, but the Bible is.
John 17:14–17
Those of us who love the Word of God know that it is a source of peace, hope, inspiration, guidance, instruction, and doctrine. But to much of the world, the Bible is simply a collection of fables, unworthy of attention or respect. If we hold a high and proper opinion of the Scriptures, we should not be surprised to find that the world will reject our beliefs and that they will be the source of conflict and strife. As Christians in America, we have enjoyed great religious freedom, but that is not promised to us. We need to know what we believe and why we believe it, and be ready to stand for it no matter what.
The preparation of the Christian for living in days of persecution and opposition begins with our relationship with the Bible. If we do not have a deep personal commitment to the Word of God before the trouble starts, it will be too late to develop it afterwards. Yet too often, we treat the Bible casually and pick and choose what to focus on rather than taking all that God has given us seriously. This especially applies to the parts that convict us of sin and call us to repentance. Charles Spurgeon said, “If any text has a quarrel with you, quarrel with yourself; but yield wholly to the Word of God.” Our opinions and traditions are not strong enough to overcome the world, but the Bible is.
Today’s Growth Principle:
When we love and follow the Bible, the world may hate us, but God will sanctify and empower us.
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