Why Knowing The Bible Is Vital

WHY KNOWING THE BIBLE IS VITAL

By Rodney W. Francis

For those who have been born-again by the Holy Spirit and brought into a real and living relationship with Jesus Christ, the Bible is such a vital source of revelation and information so we can know the truth that sets us free in an ongoing way. The Bible is the Word of God, and that Word of God became flesh in the life of Jesus Christ Who God sent to save us from our sinful existence (see John Chapter 1). Because Jesus is alive today ~ right now ~ and lives inside every born-again believer in Him, He speaks to us through the Holy Spirit and leads and guides us into all truth. The only way we can truly know the correctness of the voice of the Holy Spirit is to know the Scriptures, the Bible. The Bible principles always confirm the truth of what Jesus says to us by the Holy Spirit. If we do not have a good grasp and understanding of the Bible, then it leaves us open to much doubt, which the enemy of our lives, Satan, loves to fill us with ~ doubt.

But when we know the principles of the Bible and the teachings of Jesus, we have an authority against our enemy that we can use and so live in victory over him.

It is very interesting that in Mark Chapter 1 we read on two different occasions of the evil spirits knowing Who Jesus is ~ “the Holy One of God”. The evil spirit world knows Who Jesus is more than the religious leaders did (Mark 1:24 & 34). Religion does not know Jesus; it only knows about Him as a historical figure. It is full of rituals and religious habits; whereas New Covenant Christianity is all about a living and real relationship with Jesus Christ Who is risen from the dead. The more we know this and live accordingly, the more we experience victory over all the powers of evil and darkness. Why? Let the Bible speak: “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He Who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Jesus makes us overcomers!

The more we know and understand the principles of the Bible, the more assurance we have of His (Jesus’) authenticity and so can know that inner assurance of faith through believing on what He says to us. If we do not have a personal and real relationship with Jesus, then we will be overcome by the religious teachings that have robbed so many of that victorious power that Jesus came to give us. When we know the Bible, we see that the biggest opponents of Jesus Christ were and are the religious leaders ~ those who have a head knowledge but not born-again by the Holy Spirit. Yet they are firmly convinced that their way is the right way. Christians only have to consider who their biggest opponents have been since being born-again of the Holy Spirit. It is usually from people who say they know God and that they know His will for your life better than you do! That has been my experience over the years. The numbers of church-going people who have tried to re-direct me out of that which I know God called me into have been concerning. I am so glad and thankful to God that I knew His voice enough to act on it and so be used of Him in a ministry that now touches multiplied thousands of lives around the world.

DECEPTION COMES TO THE IGNORANT

We are living in a day of much deception. Many professing Christians have been deceived by the enemy through him getting their eyes off the centrality of Jesus Christ and them focussing on other good, but not the essential, truth of “looking unto Jesus”.He is still the only Way, the only Truth and the only Life ~ and only Name given under heaven whereby we must be saved (see Hebrews 12:1-3; John 14:6 & Acts 4:12). Deception enters a life when that life does not know the principles of the Bible enough to be able to defend the false temptations and accusations of the enemy. The subtle thing about deception is that a deceived person does not know they are deceived. They believe they are following the truth. But, over time, they are led further and further away from the truth. That’s how all false religious beliefs started. Someone believed they had a revelation from God, but it was a deceptive spirit. Others are deceived by getting caught up in their desire to experience “a new thing”.

Make very sure you are searching the Scriptures to know that truth of Jesus Christ Who brings true freedom, revelation and experiences that will always glorify God.

So, each of us needs to ask ourselves:

How much do I really know the Bible?
Is it my main source of knowledge and understanding of what New Covenant Christianity is built upon?

I say New Covenant Christianity because so many Christians are still locked up in an Old Covenant mind-set and mentality; living under law and legalism, rather than knowing the freedom and power of the Holy Spirit living within to enable us to accomplish the purposes of God for our lives in a victorious way. We need to be like the Bereans in the Bible (Acts 17:10-12) ~ “They received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures (the Bible) daily to find out whether these things were so”. They tested everything that was preached to them by searching the Scriptures. What lined up with the Bible they accepted as being from God. What did not, they rejected. And we should be the same!

More and more the Bible is coming under attack from modernistic-thinking people who are trying to make us believe that the Bible is outdated, and that a loving God would never condemn alternate life-style people to a lost eternity.

True Christians will always believe what the Bible teaches more than what man tries to convince us.

Remember what the Bible says: “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). We must know that the Bible is very different from every other book! We have to be born-again by the Holy Spirit, and then it is understood by the revelation He gives us. Consider Nicodemus. He was a very learned religious leader, and yet he did not know or understand what Jesus was telling him (John 3). Fortunately he later “saw the light” and came to Jesus.

KNOWING THE PRINCIPLES OF THE BIBLE

It is important that we know the principles of the Bible and make sure that we allow Scripture to interpret Scripture. Many get led astray through taking an isolated verse of the Bible and making a doctrine out of it. It is vital that born-again Holy Spirit-filled believers on Jesus Christ, have a daily devotional time of reading, studying the Scriptures, as well as taking time to pray and wait upon the Lord. Life always goes better when we have that daily relationship with Jesus.

Over the years I have enjoyed getting alone and reading my Bible out aloud. That way I am speaking it and hearing it; and it also holds my attention more. Read different sections of the Bible and try and make sure you read the entire Bible once a year. That demands a good discipline, but it is all worthwhile when you experience the benefits of getting to know the Bible in greater detail. Jesus Christ should now be the Number One priority in our daily living. What a privilege is ours to know Him personally. And knowing the Scriptures works to make that privilege all the more real. Hallelujah!

JESUS DECLARED: “IT IS WRITTEN . . .”

When Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness ~ and the devil was twisting the Scriptures to try and bring Jesus under his authority ~ Jesus declared to him: “It is written . . .” (see Matthew 4:1-11) and told him the truth of what the Scriptures declare. Jesus overcame the enemy by the declaring the truth of the Bible. He demonstrated the power and authority that there is when we stand against our enemy by the principles of the written Word of God. Hallelujah! Stand on the truth of God’s Word and the enemy must flee! Make sure you know what the Bible teaches. God bless you.

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