First Principles: The Word Of God – Examining why the Bible is from God and why it should be the absolute standard of our lives.

Purpose: To help you decide to make the Bible your standard for life and to build a conviction about what the Bible says about itself. 

Q: What is your viewpoint of the Bible? Do you believe it is the divine Word of God? Talk about the validity of the Bible.

FACTS ABOUT THE BIBLE:

• 40 authors of 66 different books within the Bible, written in three languages — Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek; written on three continents — Africa, Asia, and Europe.
• Approximately 400 prophecies regarding Jesus in the Old Testament were fulfilled in the New Testament — over a 1,500-year period of writing.
• Not one archaeological find has ever contradicted the Bible. Many have supported it.
• Over 40,000 ancient copies of the Bible — more than any other ancient manuscript.
• Scientific evidence from the Bible: Isaiah 40:22 — the Earth is a sphere; Isaiah 55:10-11 — the water cycle; Job 26:7 — the free float of Earth in space.

Q: If I were to ask you to determine how long my Bible was (in inches or centimeters), how long would you say it is? How would you know for sure? You would need a standard of measurement — like a ruler. Anything else would just be a guess.

Q: What is the standard of measurement in your life?

2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. – NIVUK

• Do you believe that all Scripture is from God?
• We can use the Bible to teach, correct, rebuke, and train others.
• What is an example of something that is useful?
• To be “thoroughly equipped,” we need to use the Bible and allow it to impact our lives.
• The Bible is an absolute — are you ready to make it an absolute in your life?

HEBREWS 4:12-13 12For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. – NIVUK

• The Word of God is not dead. It is relevant today because it exposes the human heart, which has not changed.
• People still struggle with the same lust, deceit, pride, and more — just like they did 2,000 years ago!
• The Bible is a double-edged sword. It cuts sin out of us, although it may hurt. It cuts through the layers of our heart to expose the truth, just like a scalpel cutting out cancer.
• Q: Are you willing to allow the Bible to cut your heart so you can be healed?

THREE THINGS THAT TAKE AWAY FROM GOD’S WORD

1. INTERPRETATION

 2 Peter 1:19-21 19We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20Above all, you must understand that no      prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. – NIVUK

• The Bible is meant to be read and applied, not changed to suit our opinions. (Example: A doctor gives a prescription, but a pharmacist decides to change it.)
• It’s not about who is right but what is right. It is the Word that determines how a church should be.

        2.  EMOTIONS

JOHN 8:31-32 31To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’ – NIVUK

• Individual emotions and rationalizing the Bible can pull you away from the truth. (Example: Getting pulled over for speeding but not “feeling” like you were doesn’t make you innocent.)
• Saying you believe, or feeling you believe, doesn’t matter.
• You can be sincerely wrong if you don’t hold to the Scriptures.
• What Scriptures are challenging for you to obey?

        3.  TRADITIONS

MARK 7:1-13 1The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered round Jesus 2and saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. 3(The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. 4When they come from the market-place they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles. 5So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, ‘Why don’t your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with defiled hands?’ 6He replied, ‘Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: ‘ “These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 7 They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules.” 8 You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.’ 9And he continued, ‘You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! 10For Moses said, “Honour your father and mother,” and, “Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.” 11But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is Corban (that is, devoted to God) – 12then you no longer let them do anything for their father or mother. 13Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.’ – NIVUK

• We must make the choice to follow the truth of God’s Word over religious or cultural tradition.
• Worship based on tradition (which supersedes the Word of God) is worship in vain.
• The Jewish tradition of Corban: At 30 years old, a Jew received his inheritance with the expectation that he would also provide for his parents. The tradition of Corban gave money to the synagogue instead of providing for their parents, thus dishonouring them.
• Are you aware of any examples of religious traditions which disobey God’s Word

1 TIMOTHY 4:16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. – NIVUK

• Q: What is more important, life or doctrine? Both are equally important.
• We need to watch out for any interpretations, emotions, or traditions that can stop us from obeying the Word of God.

ACTS 17:10-11 10As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. – NIVUK

• Do you want a noble character? Then what do you need to do?
• Eagerly examine the Scriptures every day so you can be considered noble in God’s sight.
• The Bereans examined the Scriptures for themselves, and so should you!

JAMES 1:22-25 22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it – not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it – they will be blessed in what they do. – NIVUK

• Listening without trying to change leads to self-deception.
• The Word of God is a mirror — it reveals our character so we can change it.
• Do not forget what you see — “do what it says” by applying the Bible to your life.

Q: Are you willing to look intently into the Bible so you can change and have freedom from sin?

JOHN 12:48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. – NIVUK

• Jesus says that His Word will judge us.
• The Bible is God’s standard — will it be your standard?

CHALLENGE:

Eagerly examine the Scriptures every day so you can make God’s Word your standard for life! Continue reading one to two chapters a day in the Gospel of John as you pray!