Trust the Bible
Jesus spoke of himself when he
said, "A greater than the temple is here." He mentioned king Solomon and
Jonah the prophet and said he was greater than them. He could have said
the same about the church and the New Testament apostles. He could have
said the same thing about the Bible. "A greater than the Bible is
here." So when I'd urge someone who's pretty much a beginner to trust
the Bible I don't mean she or he should worship the Bible or let it get
between her or him and the Christ.
Christ knew very well that there were people who studied the Bible
and missed God (and missed the Christ too--John 5:39-40). But that
didn't keep him from learning it, using it to shape people, relying on
it for truth and personal guidance when he was under trial in the
wilderness. He knew the Bible could be misused but when someone asked
him how he was to gain eternal life Christ pointed him to what the
scriptures said and told him to do it (Luke 10:25-28). Paul knew very
well how he and many others had missed the point of scriptures but he
still insisted that God's word was able to build people up and give them
an inheritance along with God's covenant people (Acts 20:32). And it
wasn't for nothing that Peter urged his fellow-Christians to desire the
pure word of God when he wanted them to outgrow envy and malice and the
like (1 Peter 2:1-2).
People who impatiently dismiss deep and patient study of the
scriptures didn't learn to do this from the scriptures themselves. You
only have to read Psalm 119 to know that those who were devoted to God
found his word to be the source of strength, joy, boldness, patience and
intimacy with him. Be wary of anyone who in any way makes light of the
Bible, and especially when they quote the Bible to make their point. Be
wary of those who speak of Bible knowledge as "simply head knowledge" as
opposed to "heart knowledge". It's possible of course to be able to
quote verses and be a reprobate but that has nothing to do with the
scriptures. That has to do with the person.
A member of the British parliament is quoted as blundering in
response to an opponents critique of some policy or other, "What my
honourable friend says is quite true but I don't hold with it." Be wary
of anyone who admits what the Bible says about a given subject is true
but then goes his own way in the matter.
During his trial in the wilderness (see Matthew 4) Christ quotes
texts that came from Moses more than a thousand years earlier and still
felt bound by them in his service to God. And these were texts that were
addressed to people other than himself. I think this says a lot about
how we lesser mortals should view scripture. Christ didn't see the Old
Testament Bible as merely parchments and ink--he saw them as the living
word of the living God. And he trusted them because he trusted the
Spirit of God who wrote them.
I confess it irks me a bit to hear TV talk show people forbid some of
their audience to quote scripture (and I have seen it happen) and then
turn to some psychologist who quotes Freud or Adler or some other (by
now) virtually dismissed by their own fraternity. Whatever else we are
to say about the Hebrew-Christian Bible it's been around for millennia
and nations have nourished themselves, their families and their justice
system on it. To dismiss that and allow the doubtful and disputed
opinions of sociologists and psychologists is more than a bit of
impertinence. It's sheer ignorance. Even if you don't believe the
scriptures are inspired of God they're nation shaping and have been
doing it generation after generation for half of forever.
I know this is more advice that is more complex than I've made it
appear but the central thrust of what I've said is true and no more
complex than any other great truths. Finally, when we trust the Bible we
are in fact calling on its Author to reveal himself in it rather than
simply to give us "a correct understanding of what it says."