But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:14-17)
God gave us a certificate of guarantee issued by His kingdom. That is Scripture. He did not give us the Bible just to read, study, analyze, or discuss. When He gave us His written words, He intended something vital.
Scripture was written so that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, we may have life in His name (Jn 20:31). That is it! God wanted to give us life. The entire 66 books of the Bible testify to life through Christ.
The central message is that the offspring of the woman will crush the head of the ancient serpent (Gen 3:15). Anyone who enters the Ark will be saved (Gen 6:14). The only way to freedom from the slavery of Satan, sin, and hell is the blood of the Lamb (Ex 3:18).
God came to be with us—Immanuel—to set us free from captivity (Isa 7:14). To liberate us from the occupation of the kingdom of Satan, God revealed the mystery of the Christ (Mt 16:13-20). That is the message God has been communicating with us through Scripture.
Tragically, many believers miss the essence of Scripture, Christ, and hold onto something else such as miracles and signs, regulations, traditions, and religious rituals. For example, God commanded the Israelites to observe the three festivals to experience the blessing of salvation (the Passover), the power of God (the Festival of Unleavened Bread), and the blessing of heaven (the Festival of Ingathering). But, they completely missed the point, thereby observing the festivals religiously.
God gave the Ark of the Covenant to instill in them the importance of His covenant. Again, they idolized the Ark, and so God removed it from the face of the earth. God then gave them the Tabernacle to explain again about Christ. Even that has become only a sacred artifact of many religions.
The New Testament testifies to God’s marvelous work of salvation on Calvary, which fulfilled His covenant—the crucifixion of His Son (Jn 19:30, Ac 1:1). The risen Lord appeared on Mount Olive and spoke about the kingdom of God over forty days (Ac 1:3).
God also opened a new chapter of His work through the Holy Spirit in Mark’s upper room (Ac 1:8, Ac 2:1-4). God has fulfilled all of His promises concerning the Christ. All of that was recorded in the Bible so that we may experience Christ, the kingdom of God, and the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives as well!
God did not make His way of salvation complicated. He gave us the Word that we may believe the Creator God became a man to be with us (Gen 1:1-13, Jn 1:1-14). That is Christ Jesus. It is only through Christ that we can be saved. Because this is not something we can do, it was given by God (Ac 4:12).
The Word of God is living and active. When we hold onto it, we will live (Heb 4:12). Because the Word is salvation for us, it will stand forever (Isa 40:8). Nothing will disappear from Scripture and even the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter until it has all been done (Mt 5:17-18). These are the words of prophecy that have been, still are, and will be fulfilled.
That is why great blessings belong to the person who reads, hears, and obeys the Word (Rev 1:3). Everything written in the past was written to teach us. It was written so that we could have hope. That hope comes from the patience and encouragement the Scriptures give us (Rom 15:4).
Also, the things that happened in the past are examples for us. God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly (2 Pet 2:6). These examples should stop us from wanting the things of the world (1 Cor 10:6-11).
In addition to believing the Word, we must also discover and experience the Word. We must first acknowledge the authority of the Word. Nothing can compare to the only name (Ac 4:12) and the only way (Jn 14:6).
We must also acknowledge the infallibility and the inerrancy of Scripture (Mt 5:17-18, Rev 1:1-3). We can be sure that God’s Word given to us will be fulfilled. God’s Word will also last forever and lead us into the future (Isa 40:8, Rom 16:25-27). And Scripture gives the ultimate answer to all our problems (Jn 19:30, Mt 16:16). We do not need anything else.
Now, look into the Word the way God intended. Discover the Christ God sent, not the religious Christ you want. You will then realize God’s pleasing and perfect plans for you, your family, and your church. You will also see what God has prepared for you and what He will do in the future.
Meditate on it day and night. The Word will heal your spirit, soul, heart, mind, and body. The Word will even guard your thoughts and feelings in your heart (Heb 4:12). You must taste only once how good the Word of God is (Ps 119:103).
Prayer. Father, I thank You for the Word that guarantees all I am and all I have in Christ. May the power of Your Word take over my spirit, soul, heart, mind, and body. In Jesus’ name, Amen.