The Nature, Authenticity, Purpose and Benefits of the Bible

I’d like to introduce my readers to Brother Amartey. We’ve been exchanging emails for a while now and I’ve been encouraged by him. I know you will be as well. Find out more about him in his bio below.

For days I’ve been thinking about what to write for this blog. Many different topics kept popping in and out of my head, and I just couldn’t decide on what to write. Then, suddenly it hit me !

I want to write about the Bible, the book above all books, the word of God, breathed by the Spirit of God, through holy men who were moved by the Spirit, to write. 2 Peter 1:21. And this is why the Bible is called the Holy Bible. It’s not just another book, but a supernatural book, a special book from God to mankind. It’s words are inspired, meaning it’s not written through the imagination of a man’s heart or mind or feelings, but the Spirit of God carefully chose the words to be written and the writers were directed to write accordingly.

NATURE OF THE WORD : Unlike the ordinary words of man spoken or written in a book, the word of God is spirit and is life. John 6:63. It’s also creative, powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, dividing between soul and spirit, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12. The whole creation came into existence by the word of the Lord. God spoke the word, He commanded, and it happened. Psalm 33:6,9. The word of God is compared to a sword, and to fire and to a hammer that breaks the rock to pieces. Eph 6:17; Jeremiah 23:29. Beloved, we have a powerful weapon in the word of God, to heal, to comfort, to edify, to encourage and to destroy the works of the Devil and the enemies of God. God’s word is true, holy, righteous and everlasting and shall never fail !

AUTHENTICITY: When God became manifest in the flesh, He read the Bible, even though there were many other books in the world at the time. Jesus referred to the Bible only as the authentic word of God and validated many things in scripture: He accepted the account of creation in Genesis, Matt 19:4; He confirmed that in the beginning God created Adam and Eve, Matt 19:4-6, Genesis 1:26-27; He confirmed that Satan is real and not imaginary, Luke11:18; Ezekiel 28:11-19; He confirmed the story of Jonah, Matt 12:39-40; John1:7; He also confirmed that Lot’s wife turned into a pillar of salt, Luke 17:32,Genesis 19:26. All these tell us that the Biblical records are true and Jesus had no problem with the Bible, but accepted it as the word of God, upon which He based all His teachings.

PURPOSE : Just as it was in the days of Jesus, the Bible was given to us, not as a decoration for our homes or to be put under our pillows while we sleep, but to be read and learned, as the Bereans did in Acts 17:10-11. The Scriptures are able to make us wise for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, and all Scripture is given by the inspiration of God for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. 2 Tim 3:15-16. Just as it was for Jesus, the Bible is our only standard for faith, teaching and practice and if any teaching or doctrine or practice does not line up with scripture, it means there’s no light in them. Isaiah 8:20.

BENEFITS :

The Bible is our light in a world of darkness and gives understanding to the simple. Psalm 119:105,130.
The Bible provides the spiritual food we need to grow and mature in our knowledge of God and of this life. Matt 4:4, 1 Peter 2:2, Eph 4:12-15
The Bible is our defense against the lies of Satan and the enemies of God. Use the Bible to fight every temptation of Satan, as Jesus did in Matthew 4:1-11. Use the Bible to defend the faith.
The Bible helps us in our prayer life as we learn and memorize the words.
The Bible cleanses and keeps us clean. John15:3, Psalm 119:9,11.

As we go into the New Year, I’d like to exhort you to make a habit of reading and learning the Bible. Just as you eat everyday, make it a habit to eat some word of God, so you could grow and mature in the faith.

Brother Amartey is the founder and leader of Gospel Faith Revival, an evangelistic and teaching ministry in Accra, the capital city of Ghana, in West Africa. He believes that a fresh move of God is imminent and is now an itinerant evangelist in the United States, sharing the revival message and preparing the church for revival. Follow him on Twitter: http://twitter.com/Revival4Now