The Bible says what it says!
Posted 07 Dec 2017
“I believe that the Bible is to be understood and received in the plain and obvious meaning of its passages; for I cannot persuade myself that a book intended for the instruction and conversion of the whole world should cover its true meaning in any such mystery and doubt that none but critics and philosophers can discover it.” – Daniel Webster, American politician and noted orator, 1782-1852
I think mr. Webster makes a very good point. Why would the Lord God make the Bible so convoluted and complicated that only the learned could understand it? Particularly if the Lord God wants as many people as possible to read the Bible; be convinced of its validity and become believers in Jesus the Christ? It wouldn’t make sense to make the Bible difficult to understand, if that is it’s purpose.
OK, so that raises a question: What is the purpose of the Bible?
I found a good quotation on “Got questions.org” that simply answers that question..
“If we have to speak of a single purpose of the Bible, it would be to reveal God to us. There are many things that we could never know about God unless He told them to us. The Bible is God’s self-revelation to humanity. The Bible also tells us who we are. It tells us of our sin and of God’s plan of salvation in Jesus Christ.”
[source: https://www.gotquestions.org/purpose-of-the-Bible.html, emphasis MY]
So the purpose of the Bible is to reveal God to us, and our situation, in relation to Him.
The Gospel message contained in the Bible is actually very simple. I found this quote from “All about God.com” that easily encapsulates the Gospel message…
“We have all sinned and deserve God’s judgment. God, the Father, sent His only Son to satisfy that judgment for those who believe in Him. Jesus, the creator and eternal Son of God, who lived a sinless life, loves us so much that He died for our sins, taking the punishment that we deserve, was buried, and rose from the dead according to the Bible. If you truly believe and trust this in your heart, receiving Jesus alone as your Savior, declaring, “Jesus is Lord,” you will be saved from judgment and spend eternity with God in heaven.”
[source: https://www.allaboutgod.com/understanding-the-bible.htm]
Of itself the Bible says in numerous places that it is the word of God; so we are to believe what it says about itself, and the message it contains, since God is truth, and He never lies, therefore the Bible is absolutely true.
Whilst the purpose of the Bible and the Gospel message are simple to understand, there is, of course, a great deal of underlying complexity to the Bible. There is a long history recorded in many books; there is law, poetry, images, narrative, parables, etc. And although the message is simple, there are multiple (probably infinite!) interpretations that can be applied to the words of the Bible. Since the Bible is the living Word of God (Hebrews 4:12), it has been said that we can read it one time and get one view of what it says and means, and then read it again another day and get a fresh view, applicable to a different aspect of our life. In these terms the Bible message is simple, but it has infinite layers of meaning and by being the living Word of God, it remains absolutely relevant and applicable to every age of human history too.
For people who believe that the Bible is the word of God, it is indeed very close… right at hand, in fact (Deuteronomy 30:14).
Below are a number (of the many!) Bible quotations that show that the Bible is the Word of God, or mention the word “Word”, in relation to the Bible. I’ve arranged these quotations in Bible book order, from Deuteronomy, in the Old Testament to Revelation, in the New Testament. I hope they are useful and pique your interest in the Bible.
Old Testament Quotations
Deuteronomy 4:2 ESV
You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 ESV
And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.
Deuteronomy 8:3 ESV
And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
Deuteronomy 12:32 ESV
“Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it.
Deuteronomy 30:11-14
“For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.
Joshua 1:8 ESV
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Psalm 1:1-2 ESV
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; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
Psalm 12:6 ESV
The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.
Psalm 40:8 ESV
I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”
Psalm 19:7-11 ESV
The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
Psalm 119:6 ESV
Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
Psalm 119:9 ESV
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.
Psalm 119:10 ESV
With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!
Psalm 119:11 ESV
I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Psalm 119:105 ESV
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Proverbs 4:20-22 ESV
My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.
Proverbs 30:5-6 ESV
Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar.
Isaiah 8:20 ESV
To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.
Isaiah 28:9-10 ESV
“To whom will he teach knowledge, and to whom will he explain the message? Those who are weaned from the milk, those taken from the breast? For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little.”
Isaiah 28:13 ESV
And the word of the Lord will be to them precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little, that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
Isaiah 40:8 ESV
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
Isaiah 55:10-11 ESV
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Jeremiah 23:29 ESV
Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
Amos 8:11 ESV
“Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord God, “when I will send a famine on the land— not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.
New Testament Quotations
Matthew 4:4 ESV
But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Matthew 5:18 ESV
For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
Matthew 22:29 ESV
But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.
Matthew 22:37-40 ESV
And he [Jesus] said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
Luke 1:2 ESV
Just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us,
Luke 8:11 ESV
Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
John 1:1-5 ESV
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
John 1:14 ESV
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 5:39 ESV
You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,
John 6:63 ESV
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
John 10:35 ESV
If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken—
John 12:47-48 ESV
If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day.
John 14:21 ESV
Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”
John 15:7 ESV
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
John 17:17 ESV
Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
Acts 17:11 ESV
Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
Romans 15:4 ESV
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.
1 Corinthians 1:18 ESV
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Ephesians 5:19 ESV
Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart,
Ephesians 6:14-18 ESV
Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
Colossians 3:16 ESV
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
1 Thessalonians 2:13 ESV
And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.
2 Timothy 3:16 ESV
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
2 Timothy 4:2 ESV
Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
Hebrews 1:1-3 ESV
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
Hebrews 4:12 ESV
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Hebrews 8:13 ESV
In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
James 1:21 ESV
Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
1 Peter 1:22-25 ESV
Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.
1 Peter 2:1-3 ESV
So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
2 Peter 1:3-4 ESV
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
2 Peter 1:20-21 ESV
Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
2 Peter 3:15-16 ESV
And count the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.
1 John 1:3 ESV
That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.
Revelation 19:12-13 ESV
His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.
Revelation 22:18-19 ESV
I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
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