tà biblía

We get the word “Bible” from the Greek tà biblía, which literally translates as “the books.” That makes sense because the Bible is not really one book but a library of sixty-six books. Thirty-nine in the Old Testament and twenty-seven in the New Testament. The Holy Spirit inspired forty people over the span of 1,600 years to write the story down. These accounts were preserved from generation to generation. In time, these writings were placed together in the book we call the Bible. Amazingly, one story emerges. One of eternal significance and centered around one character – Adonai.

These books were written by eyewitnesses to the events that took place or firsthand accounts of eyewitnesses. For believers, this book is truth. A psalmist writes, “Your eternal word, O Lord, stands firm in heaven” (Psalm 119:89). Agur son of Jakeh records in proverbs, “Every word of God proves true” (Proverbs 30:5). Jesus (the word become flesh) says, “Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear” (Mark 13:31), and in John 10:35, “…you know that the Scriptures cannot be altered.”

I mention this because there are both amazing things contained in the Bible and some pretty tough things. Everyone loves Luke 6:31, “Do to others as you would like them to do to you.” “…anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:8). And of course, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

All these things are true, and we enjoy reading them and sharing them with others because as Timothy writes, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right” (2 Timothy 3:16). All Scripture. That means all of it. All sixty-six books. Every word. Every syllable. This means, as Jesus says in Matthew 5:44, during His Sermon on the Mount, “…love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” And in Matthew 6:15, “…if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.” These are hard to hear and even harder to obey, but they are still true.

Over the years, humans have continued to embrace non-biblical behaviors. We claim that the Bible is true when it talks about love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness but when it teaches about sexual immorality and sin, if we disagree, we question not our own beliefs but God’s Word. Suddenly, the Bible is suspect. Which parts are mistaken? Which verses need to be changed? Which teachings can be ignored? More importantly, who has the authority to decide which parts of God’s Word are incorrect? Who is wiser, more blameless than an omniscient, perfect being? Are you qualified for that job? I know I am not.

As a parent, I put boundaries around my children. They had to eat their vegetables. Go to bed at a certain time. Only so much television. When they were teens, they had to be home by 10:00 pm because I know nothing good happens after 10:00 pm. They were expected not to cross these boundaries and if they did there were consequences. Why? Because I love them more than life itself and I didn’t want to see any harm come to them. God has done the same with His children. There are boundaries of behavior which He has laid out in His Word which we are supposed to stay within. Not everything we want to do is pleasing to God and isn’t that our goal? To please God. Paul said to the Corinthians when they were pushing the boundaries, “You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’ – but not everything is good for you. You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’ – but not everything is beneficial” (1 Corinthians 10:23). In other words, just because you can (because God gave you freewill) does not mean you should.

There is a reason and a purpose for everything in this book and it is true. All of it. When it is hard, trust Him. Have faith that God has our best interests in mind. After all, He too loves His children more than life itself.      

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