**This study was completed with the use of several of the Bible Study Helps found in two King James versions of the Holy Bible. It was begun in Jan. of 2008, in the context of a Bible study with my sisters, Gail and Phyllis and as a result of other conversations and further searches of the scriptures as the Holy Spirit led. It was with their encouragement that I sought to extend upon our study and put it into written form. It was completed for the most part by April 20, 2008. I pray that it will be of comfort and help to others.
To begin with it is important that we understand the Holy Spirit is the author of the Bible.
(II Peter 1:21) “For the prophecy did not come in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as
they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
(Jas. 1:22-25) “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”
We are admonished to be doers of the word, not just hearers, or else we may find ourselves included
in the group of people to whom the Lord was speaking when He (Jesus) said, “Not
everyone that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 7: 21-23)
Or again (Rev. 3:15, 16) “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot; I would that thou were cold or
hot, So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth.” As
you read this study, it is my prayer that the Holy Spirit will give you ears to hear, eyes to see, and a heart to
perceive and understand. I pray that the truths of the Lord will be a lamp unto your feet and cause you to
hunger and thirst after His wisdom and knowledge. Let us desire to attain the true gold of the Lord that is tried
in the fire, that we may have true and everlasting riches.
(Rev. 3: 19-22) “As many as I love, I rebuke (point out faults), and chasten (correct): be zealous
(earnest) therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and
open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I
grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in His
throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.”
The Bible tells us the word of God is quick (living) and powerful. (Hebrews 4:12)
(1) The Bible claims dividing power (Hebrews 4:12). Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick
(alive), and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of
soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
The Bible will separate man from sin
(Ps. 119:11-16) “Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou,
O Lord; teach me thy statutes. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. I have
rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate in they precepts, and
have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
or sin will separate man from the Bible (Isa. 59:2) “But your iniquities have separated between you
and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”
( 2) The Bible claims reflecting power as a mirror
(Jas. 1:22-25) “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if
any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass;
For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straight-way forgetteth what manner of man he was.
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful
hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”
In the Bible, we see ourselves as God sees us- as sinners
( Rom. 3:23) “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
But those who have believed upon the name of Jesus are not left without hope.
(Rom. 3:24, 26) “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for
the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God: To declare, I say, at this time his
righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”
(3) The Bible claims cleansing power as water
(Eph. 5:26). “That He might sanctify and cleanse it (the church, or body of believers) with the washing
of water by the word, That He might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle,
or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
David prayed that God would “wash him from iniquity” and “cleanse him from sin
(Ps.51:2) “Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.”
(4) The Bible claims reproductive power as seed
(I Peter 1:23, 25) “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible seed, by the word of
God, which liveth and abideth forever. But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the
word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”
We are children of God because we have been born into the family of God by the incorruptible seed of
God. This is the new birth-
(John 3:1-7) “There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same
came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for
no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto
him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into
his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born
of water and ot the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is
flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born
again.”
(5) The Bible claims nourishing power as food.
(I Peter 2:2) “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.”
The Bible is spiritual food to the soul. No Christian can remain strong in the Lord if he/she does not
study the Word of God.
II Timothy 2:15 commands the believer to study the scriptures. “Study to show thyself approved
unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Endeavoring
to live the Christian life without studying and adhering to the scriptures would be equal to trying to
proceed from infancy to adulthood without the developmental stages of growth and maturation.
II Timothy 3:14-17 “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of,
knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures,
which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is
given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect (or perfected), thoroughly
furnished unto all good works.”
II Timothy 4: 2-4 states the importance of teaching the word of God and also warns of the
consequences of not doing so. “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke,
exhort, with all longsuffering and doctrine, For the time will come when they will not endure sound
doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they
shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” In other words, if your faith is
not rooted and grounded in the word of God, you will easily be led astray by every which way the
wind blows from one doctrine to another following false prophets and false gods, or no god at all.
Becoming more and more willing to listen to and follow your own wisdom, or lack thereof: therefore,
rendering you incapable or unwilling of knowing and following the truth, but instead following what is
pleasing to your own way of thinking.
The Bible is an important guide for order and peace within the family
Ephesians 5 and 6 is a description of how the family is to submit to the authority of God if you are
seeking the true will of God for yourself and your family. Why do you think the world is running amuck
these days? The family is the basic unit of civilization. When correct order in the family begins to
crumble, so does the rest of a culture or civilization. The Bible teaches that children are to obey their
parents, “that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” In so many families
today, it is the children who are ruling the roost. They are the ones in control instead of the parents.
Fathers are supposed to be the spiritual head of the family. Yet they often abstain from that responsibility
all together or delegate it to their wives thus washing their own hands of the responsibility. Husband and
wife are one in the flesh and are meant to compliment each other in joining their efforts within the family.
Ehesians 6: 4 “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and
admonition of the Lord.” How can a father, or mother, who refuses to accept the Bible as the word of
God hope to fulfill that responsibility? Many today take the stand that they do not want to “brainwash
their children” as if the word of God leads to corruption rather than enlightening one to the incorruptible
truth of the one true living God.
Ah, but therein lies the stumbling block, doesn’t it? For belief in Jesus Christ is the stumbling block. Either you believe and are willing to confess that He is your personal Lord and Savior before man, or you reject Him and deny Him. You can not have it both ways. To reject Him is to deny our Holy Father who sent Him, and to deny the gift of the Holy Spirit who is sent to indwell the believer. Many ask today how can there only be one way? What about the other religions? I would ask you to look at the one major difference between Christianity and all other religions. The difference is the fact that Jesus Christ, the Son of God being free of sin, is the only one who could pay the price for the sins of those who would, by faith, receive Him. He is the only one that has been resurrected from the dead. He was seen by many after He arose from the dead, and his ascension into heaven was also witnessed. But of course this is depending upon your choice to have faith and believe in Him. Other religions depend on the person’s ability to be good enough to “work” their way to heaven. Of course, if one thinks of themselves as being inherently good and free of sin, then that person has already deemed himself to be his own god and therefore has no need for a Savior. The religion of Christianity itself never saved any one. It is the person of Jesus the Christ that has provided salvation for all that will choose to trust and believe in Him.
Matthew 10:32, 33 “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my
Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my
Father which is in heaven.” It is not the Lord that condemns us to a eternity in Hell without Him.
He would not want anyone to die in their sins for His arm is forever outstretched to receive all that would come to salvation through His son Jesus Christ. It is we that condemn ourselves when we refuse the gift of salvation offered to us through the blood of the Lamb that was poured out for us that we might be saved. No man can make his own way to heaven through his own “goodness” for we have all sinned and fallen short of the mark. It is the righteousness of Jesus Christ that is given to all believers that opens the pathway to heaven by grace which God has shed abroad and made available to all that would come unto Him through faith.
Proverbs 22:6 Parents are exhorted to “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Is your child being taught of the Lord, or allowed to go the way of his own vain imaginations. A man’s ways are right in his own eyes. He is bereft of correct thinking if he does not seek to learn from the Lord’s wisdom. If you choose to ignore the word as recorded in the Bible, by what standard are you going to live and teach your children? Are you just going to make it up as you stumble through life based upon your own opinions or opinions of mankind? By what standard of teachings are you going to be led in this life? By what standard do you want your children to choose to live by? Of course, I realize that everyone has to come to their own personal decision to invite Jesus to become their personal Lord and Savior. I owe a debt of gratitude to my parents for having brought me up in the Christian faith providing fertile soil wherein the seed of faith was planted that I might become rooted and grounded in the belief in the Lord. The world provides many storms in which one, without roots in the Lord, can be tossed too and fro. This path leaves one vulnerable and easy prey of Satan who wanders freely seeking whom he may devour.
Matthew 19:14 “But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
Do you choose to study the word of God to become a workman that need not be ashamed?
Do you choose to have your mind renewed and spirit enlightened by the washing of the water of the word?
Do you choose to believe in the one true living God who created heaven and earth?
Do you choose to receive the gift of salvation through faith in the Son of God who paid the price for your salvation?
Do you choose to receive the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, who was sent to indwell you and lead you and guide you into all truth?
Do you choose to believe in The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? They are three in one and cannot be separated.
John 14:6,11,16-18, 26 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” “Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.” “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” Either Jesus is who he says he is, or he is a liar. He cannot be a great teacher, or prophet, and a liar at the same time. Again, it is Jesus that said, “I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
John 3:14-18 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up (as he was on the cross): For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
Take note that it does NOT say that all are saved whether they believe or not in Jesus as the Son of God and personal Savior. Who has done the condemning? The individual who chooses not to believe has chosen to condemn himself. If I purchase a gift for you, but you choose not to take it, is it therefore my fault or yours? I can go out and shop for the most precious gift I can find. I can take it home and wrap it up in the most beautiful fashion. I can bring it to you and offer it to you with all the love in my heart. However, you have a very important part to play in this exchange. You must choose to accept or reject the gift. If you choose to accept it, then you have the choice of using it, placing in a pile where it is forever neglected, or discarding it in the trash. If God were to ask you, “What have you done with my Son?” What would your answer be today?
God has not made us robots. He has given us free will. We can chose to receive Jesus as our personal Saviour, or we can choose to be one of the group or generation described below.
Proverbs 30: 11-14 “There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up. There is a generation whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.” A house divided cannot stand. If we do not study and believe the word of God, nor take a stand before man to believe and trust in God the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, then we are lost for eternity if we do not repent before it is too late. No one is guaranteed a tomorrow. We are to plan as though there were many days to come, but we are to live as though today may be our last day. If today was your last day, where do you believe you would spend your eternity.? Moms and Dads, what have you done to plant the seeds of faith within your children? My husband’s mother used to say, “I don’t want to warp my children’s minds. They can decide for themselves when they are old enough.” Thank God, my husband did receive Jesus as his Savior. His mother later said that it was my “fault” and the “fault” of my family. I prefer to thank my parents and the rest of my family for the part they played in planting seeds of belief in both Rick and I. I praise the Lord that He continually wooed us to Him by the power of his word and conviction of the Holy Spirit. Do you choose not to bring up your children in the admonition and nurture of the Lord and just let that decision fall into the hands of fate? You may be one who believes that teaching your child from the word of God would be indoctrinating or brainwashing them, and that in so doing you are taking away their ability to think for themselves. I beg you to consider that it is your responsibility to teach your child, but there is always a point in each individual’s life where he/she alone has to make the final decision to believe or not to believe. The seed can only be planted and nourished, but it cannot be forced to grow in ground that has never even be tilled. And isn’t the decision to “wait and let your child make up his own mind” with a lack of feeding and nourishment from you rather like a farmer saying, “Hey, I bought the seed, even if I choose not to plant the seed, surely I should still be able to expect a good harvest. It’s not my fault that the field is covered only with weeds, or just dead fallow dirt.” Choosing not to “plant the seed of faith” in Jesus Christ within your children, is it not just trying to rid yourself of any responsibility for what or in whom your children believe? Isn’t it also much like playing Russian Roulette, take a spin of the wheel, and let the “chips” of faith and eternal destination of your children fall where they may?
Are you still hung up on that question about “But how can a loving God send so many to hell?”
Again I would urge you to consider that the final judgement is in God’s hands, as it is he alone that looks upon and truly judges the heart. That is where the final decisions are made. For people who have never had the opportunity of hearing the gospel, He looks upon the heart. For the sake of your salvation, remember it is the decision that you make personally for which you are held responsible. Leave the rest in the hands of God. Do you really want to lose the gift of salvation through belief in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior because you did not know the answer to-“but what about all the other people who don’t believe in him?”
My prayer for each of us is that we shall yield ourselves to the truths taught to us by God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit who enlightens us and guides us into all truth. We are instructed to study his
word that we may become equipped for life by the “instruction, correction, enlightening” book, the Bible.
And that in so doing, we will be among those who are equipped with ears to hear, eyes to see, and a heart to
understand and perceive. I thank God that He has bestowed upon us the Bible, or as I like to think of it, the
owner’s, or Creator’s manual. I began this study with a reminder that God is the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost and that they are one and the same.
I John 5:7 states, “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word (the Son), and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one (united).” We cannot divide the actions, thoughts, words or ways of the triune God, for what ever the Father is or says so is or says the Son and the Holy Ghost. The written Word of God is the testimony the Father has given to us and is inspired by the Holy Spirit. We must not lose sight of the importance of the work of the Holy Spirit, as it is He that is sent to comfort us and lead us into all truth.
It is He that woes and convicts us of our need for repentance and forgiveness through Jesus Christ our Saviour. In addition, to ignore the importance of studying the written Word of God is to leave our selves in a state of ignorance, vulnerable, and unequipped in the battle against the ever-destructive lies of Satan and the deceitfulness of our own finite understanding and the evils of this world. “My people perish for lack of knowledge.”
Ephesians 6:11,-17, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins gird about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:” Be not mistaken, Satan and his demons are real, and they are the “principalities
and powers” as described in the scripture above.
Hebrews 4:12 speaks of the importance and power of the written word of God. “For the word is quick (living), and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thought and intents of the heart.” I was once reminded that drifting from the word of God produces doubt and unbelief. If we do not take the time to study and become rooted and grounded in His word, we then open ourselves to the destiny of being blown in what ever direction the wind may blow for “as a man thinketh, so is he.” Or another way of putting it is, “a man’s ways are right in his own eyes.” Proverbs 14: 12,”There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Deuteronomy 11 tells us that we are to lay up His words in our hearts and in our souls; we are to teach them to our children, that our days may be multiplied. We are to study and keep His word diligently and the Lord will bless our lives. Deuteronomy 12: 26,27,28 warns us “Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day; and a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.”
God does not change. (Hebrews 13:8) “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” There is no such thing as the word of God being or becoming old fashioned or needing revision to be brought up to date with the politically correct way of thinking, deemed so highly by many in our modern day culture. His ways are NOT relative; His ways are absolute and always the same. Right and wrong, good and evil are absolutes with God; otherwise, the Ten Commandments would not be commandments but merely Ten Suggestions, subject to the whims of man’s desire to consider them relative or not relative into today’s world. It seems that for many, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” has now been revised to reflect man’s ever changing “enlightenment” according to his own wisdom to read, “Thou shalt have any god that you wish and do as you please, as long as you feel that it does not harm someone else.” Right is now being deemed as wrong, and wrong is deemed as right. For instance, if a pastor preaches against homosexuality, he is now labeled as being the one that is committing the wrong or evil. He is now labeled a homophobic. So now the sin of homosexuality, proclaimed to be deviant and immoral behavior according to Biblical teachings, is no longer a sin but an acceptable lifestyle. However, the one who stands upon the word of God is depicted as an evil, hate mongering, bigot. I do not imply here that homosexuality is a greater sin than any other, as God does not do so. Sin is Sin and we are all guilty of it. We are all sinners and continually need the saving grace of our Lord. When it comes to sin there are no grades of A through F. Yes, our world is turned upside down where evil is called good, and good is called evil. But the battle is the Lord’s, and we know by faith that He has already won. May we forever strive to please the Lord and be a blessing unto Him, for He never gives up on us.
Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” As we yield ourselves to Him, he is in the business of remaking us more and more into His image for He is the Potter and we are the clay.
(II Philippians 2:5,6,9,10,11,13) “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above ever name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth: And that every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Therefore, let us yield to the guidance of His Holy Spirit within us. When God commanded us to have no other gods before Him, He was giving us the blue print for staying safe and secure within His loving and protecting arms. He wants us to stay “carved in the palms of His hands” to keep us from the one who seeks to destroy us.
I end this study with a personal note of thanks to the Lord for granting me the blessing of parents who thought it a good thing to take me to church that the seeds of faith may be planted within my own spirit even from a very early age. I thank Him also for loving and believing brothers and sisters who further helped to plant and cultivate those seeds in so many ways throughout my life. Furthermore, I have been given a most wonderful husband, who, thankfully, is a believer also. We are not only one in the flesh, but also one in the spirit. What a joy it has been to grow old together as we have grown in the Lord. Along the bumpy road of life, the Lord is with us and does not forsake us. Lastly, but most importantly, I give all the praise and glory and honor to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. May Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven
Ginger Rahn
To begin with it is important that we understand the Holy Spirit is the author of the Bible.
(II Peter 1:21) “For the prophecy did not come in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as
they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
(Jas. 1:22-25) “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”
We are admonished to be doers of the word, not just hearers, or else we may find ourselves included
in the group of people to whom the Lord was speaking when He (Jesus) said, “Not
everyone that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 7: 21-23)
Or again (Rev. 3:15, 16) “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot; I would that thou were cold or
hot, So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of my mouth.” As
you read this study, it is my prayer that the Holy Spirit will give you ears to hear, eyes to see, and a heart to
perceive and understand. I pray that the truths of the Lord will be a lamp unto your feet and cause you to
hunger and thirst after His wisdom and knowledge. Let us desire to attain the true gold of the Lord that is tried
in the fire, that we may have true and everlasting riches.
(Rev. 3: 19-22) “As many as I love, I rebuke (point out faults), and chasten (correct): be zealous
(earnest) therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and
open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I
grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in His
throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.”
The Bible tells us the word of God is quick (living) and powerful. (Hebrews 4:12)
(1) The Bible claims dividing power (Hebrews 4:12). Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick
(alive), and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of
soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
The Bible will separate man from sin
(Ps. 119:11-16) “Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou,
O Lord; teach me thy statutes. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. I have
rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate in they precepts, and
have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
or sin will separate man from the Bible (Isa. 59:2) “But your iniquities have separated between you
and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”
( 2) The Bible claims reflecting power as a mirror
(Jas. 1:22-25) “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if
any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass;
For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straight-way forgetteth what manner of man he was.
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful
hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”
In the Bible, we see ourselves as God sees us- as sinners
( Rom. 3:23) “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
But those who have believed upon the name of Jesus are not left without hope.
(Rom. 3:24, 26) “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for
the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God: To declare, I say, at this time his
righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”
(3) The Bible claims cleansing power as water
(Eph. 5:26). “That He might sanctify and cleanse it (the church, or body of believers) with the washing
of water by the word, That He might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle,
or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
David prayed that God would “wash him from iniquity” and “cleanse him from sin
(Ps.51:2) “Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.”
(4) The Bible claims reproductive power as seed
(I Peter 1:23, 25) “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible seed, by the word of
God, which liveth and abideth forever. But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the
word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”
We are children of God because we have been born into the family of God by the incorruptible seed of
God. This is the new birth-
(John 3:1-7) “There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same
came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for
no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto
him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into
his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born
of water and ot the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is
flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born
again.”
(5) The Bible claims nourishing power as food.
(I Peter 2:2) “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.”
The Bible is spiritual food to the soul. No Christian can remain strong in the Lord if he/she does not
study the Word of God.
II Timothy 2:15 commands the believer to study the scriptures. “Study to show thyself approved
unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Endeavoring
to live the Christian life without studying and adhering to the scriptures would be equal to trying to
proceed from infancy to adulthood without the developmental stages of growth and maturation.
II Timothy 3:14-17 “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of,
knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures,
which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is
given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect (or perfected), thoroughly
furnished unto all good works.”
II Timothy 4: 2-4 states the importance of teaching the word of God and also warns of the
consequences of not doing so. “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke,
exhort, with all longsuffering and doctrine, For the time will come when they will not endure sound
doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they
shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” In other words, if your faith is
not rooted and grounded in the word of God, you will easily be led astray by every which way the
wind blows from one doctrine to another following false prophets and false gods, or no god at all.
Becoming more and more willing to listen to and follow your own wisdom, or lack thereof: therefore,
rendering you incapable or unwilling of knowing and following the truth, but instead following what is
pleasing to your own way of thinking.
The Bible is an important guide for order and peace within the family
Ephesians 5 and 6 is a description of how the family is to submit to the authority of God if you are
seeking the true will of God for yourself and your family. Why do you think the world is running amuck
these days? The family is the basic unit of civilization. When correct order in the family begins to
crumble, so does the rest of a culture or civilization. The Bible teaches that children are to obey their
parents, “that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.” In so many families
today, it is the children who are ruling the roost. They are the ones in control instead of the parents.
Fathers are supposed to be the spiritual head of the family. Yet they often abstain from that responsibility
all together or delegate it to their wives thus washing their own hands of the responsibility. Husband and
wife are one in the flesh and are meant to compliment each other in joining their efforts within the family.
Ehesians 6: 4 “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and
admonition of the Lord.” How can a father, or mother, who refuses to accept the Bible as the word of
God hope to fulfill that responsibility? Many today take the stand that they do not want to “brainwash
their children” as if the word of God leads to corruption rather than enlightening one to the incorruptible
truth of the one true living God.
Ah, but therein lies the stumbling block, doesn’t it? For belief in Jesus Christ is the stumbling block. Either you believe and are willing to confess that He is your personal Lord and Savior before man, or you reject Him and deny Him. You can not have it both ways. To reject Him is to deny our Holy Father who sent Him, and to deny the gift of the Holy Spirit who is sent to indwell the believer. Many ask today how can there only be one way? What about the other religions? I would ask you to look at the one major difference between Christianity and all other religions. The difference is the fact that Jesus Christ, the Son of God being free of sin, is the only one who could pay the price for the sins of those who would, by faith, receive Him. He is the only one that has been resurrected from the dead. He was seen by many after He arose from the dead, and his ascension into heaven was also witnessed. But of course this is depending upon your choice to have faith and believe in Him. Other religions depend on the person’s ability to be good enough to “work” their way to heaven. Of course, if one thinks of themselves as being inherently good and free of sin, then that person has already deemed himself to be his own god and therefore has no need for a Savior. The religion of Christianity itself never saved any one. It is the person of Jesus the Christ that has provided salvation for all that will choose to trust and believe in Him.
Matthew 10:32, 33 “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my
Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my
Father which is in heaven.” It is not the Lord that condemns us to a eternity in Hell without Him.
He would not want anyone to die in their sins for His arm is forever outstretched to receive all that would come to salvation through His son Jesus Christ. It is we that condemn ourselves when we refuse the gift of salvation offered to us through the blood of the Lamb that was poured out for us that we might be saved. No man can make his own way to heaven through his own “goodness” for we have all sinned and fallen short of the mark. It is the righteousness of Jesus Christ that is given to all believers that opens the pathway to heaven by grace which God has shed abroad and made available to all that would come unto Him through faith.
Proverbs 22:6 Parents are exhorted to “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Is your child being taught of the Lord, or allowed to go the way of his own vain imaginations. A man’s ways are right in his own eyes. He is bereft of correct thinking if he does not seek to learn from the Lord’s wisdom. If you choose to ignore the word as recorded in the Bible, by what standard are you going to live and teach your children? Are you just going to make it up as you stumble through life based upon your own opinions or opinions of mankind? By what standard of teachings are you going to be led in this life? By what standard do you want your children to choose to live by? Of course, I realize that everyone has to come to their own personal decision to invite Jesus to become their personal Lord and Savior. I owe a debt of gratitude to my parents for having brought me up in the Christian faith providing fertile soil wherein the seed of faith was planted that I might become rooted and grounded in the belief in the Lord. The world provides many storms in which one, without roots in the Lord, can be tossed too and fro. This path leaves one vulnerable and easy prey of Satan who wanders freely seeking whom he may devour.
Matthew 19:14 “But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.”
Do you choose to study the word of God to become a workman that need not be ashamed?
Do you choose to have your mind renewed and spirit enlightened by the washing of the water of the word?
Do you choose to believe in the one true living God who created heaven and earth?
Do you choose to receive the gift of salvation through faith in the Son of God who paid the price for your salvation?
Do you choose to receive the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, who was sent to indwell you and lead you and guide you into all truth?
Do you choose to believe in The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? They are three in one and cannot be separated.
John 14:6,11,16-18, 26 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” “Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.” “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” Either Jesus is who he says he is, or he is a liar. He cannot be a great teacher, or prophet, and a liar at the same time. Again, it is Jesus that said, “I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
John 3:14-18 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up (as he was on the cross): For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
Take note that it does NOT say that all are saved whether they believe or not in Jesus as the Son of God and personal Savior. Who has done the condemning? The individual who chooses not to believe has chosen to condemn himself. If I purchase a gift for you, but you choose not to take it, is it therefore my fault or yours? I can go out and shop for the most precious gift I can find. I can take it home and wrap it up in the most beautiful fashion. I can bring it to you and offer it to you with all the love in my heart. However, you have a very important part to play in this exchange. You must choose to accept or reject the gift. If you choose to accept it, then you have the choice of using it, placing in a pile where it is forever neglected, or discarding it in the trash. If God were to ask you, “What have you done with my Son?” What would your answer be today?
God has not made us robots. He has given us free will. We can chose to receive Jesus as our personal Saviour, or we can choose to be one of the group or generation described below.
Proverbs 30: 11-14 “There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! And their eyelids are lifted up. There is a generation whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men.” A house divided cannot stand. If we do not study and believe the word of God, nor take a stand before man to believe and trust in God the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, then we are lost for eternity if we do not repent before it is too late. No one is guaranteed a tomorrow. We are to plan as though there were many days to come, but we are to live as though today may be our last day. If today was your last day, where do you believe you would spend your eternity.? Moms and Dads, what have you done to plant the seeds of faith within your children? My husband’s mother used to say, “I don’t want to warp my children’s minds. They can decide for themselves when they are old enough.” Thank God, my husband did receive Jesus as his Savior. His mother later said that it was my “fault” and the “fault” of my family. I prefer to thank my parents and the rest of my family for the part they played in planting seeds of belief in both Rick and I. I praise the Lord that He continually wooed us to Him by the power of his word and conviction of the Holy Spirit. Do you choose not to bring up your children in the admonition and nurture of the Lord and just let that decision fall into the hands of fate? You may be one who believes that teaching your child from the word of God would be indoctrinating or brainwashing them, and that in so doing you are taking away their ability to think for themselves. I beg you to consider that it is your responsibility to teach your child, but there is always a point in each individual’s life where he/she alone has to make the final decision to believe or not to believe. The seed can only be planted and nourished, but it cannot be forced to grow in ground that has never even be tilled. And isn’t the decision to “wait and let your child make up his own mind” with a lack of feeding and nourishment from you rather like a farmer saying, “Hey, I bought the seed, even if I choose not to plant the seed, surely I should still be able to expect a good harvest. It’s not my fault that the field is covered only with weeds, or just dead fallow dirt.” Choosing not to “plant the seed of faith” in Jesus Christ within your children, is it not just trying to rid yourself of any responsibility for what or in whom your children believe? Isn’t it also much like playing Russian Roulette, take a spin of the wheel, and let the “chips” of faith and eternal destination of your children fall where they may?
Are you still hung up on that question about “But how can a loving God send so many to hell?”
Again I would urge you to consider that the final judgement is in God’s hands, as it is he alone that looks upon and truly judges the heart. That is where the final decisions are made. For people who have never had the opportunity of hearing the gospel, He looks upon the heart. For the sake of your salvation, remember it is the decision that you make personally for which you are held responsible. Leave the rest in the hands of God. Do you really want to lose the gift of salvation through belief in Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior because you did not know the answer to-“but what about all the other people who don’t believe in him?”
My prayer for each of us is that we shall yield ourselves to the truths taught to us by God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit who enlightens us and guides us into all truth. We are instructed to study his
word that we may become equipped for life by the “instruction, correction, enlightening” book, the Bible.
And that in so doing, we will be among those who are equipped with ears to hear, eyes to see, and a heart to
understand and perceive. I thank God that He has bestowed upon us the Bible, or as I like to think of it, the
owner’s, or Creator’s manual. I began this study with a reminder that God is the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost and that they are one and the same.
I John 5:7 states, “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word (the Son), and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one (united).” We cannot divide the actions, thoughts, words or ways of the triune God, for what ever the Father is or says so is or says the Son and the Holy Ghost. The written Word of God is the testimony the Father has given to us and is inspired by the Holy Spirit. We must not lose sight of the importance of the work of the Holy Spirit, as it is He that is sent to comfort us and lead us into all truth.
It is He that woes and convicts us of our need for repentance and forgiveness through Jesus Christ our Saviour. In addition, to ignore the importance of studying the written Word of God is to leave our selves in a state of ignorance, vulnerable, and unequipped in the battle against the ever-destructive lies of Satan and the deceitfulness of our own finite understanding and the evils of this world. “My people perish for lack of knowledge.”
Ephesians 6:11,-17, “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins gird about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:” Be not mistaken, Satan and his demons are real, and they are the “principalities
and powers” as described in the scripture above.
Hebrews 4:12 speaks of the importance and power of the written word of God. “For the word is quick (living), and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thought and intents of the heart.” I was once reminded that drifting from the word of God produces doubt and unbelief. If we do not take the time to study and become rooted and grounded in His word, we then open ourselves to the destiny of being blown in what ever direction the wind may blow for “as a man thinketh, so is he.” Or another way of putting it is, “a man’s ways are right in his own eyes.” Proverbs 14: 12,”There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Deuteronomy 11 tells us that we are to lay up His words in our hearts and in our souls; we are to teach them to our children, that our days may be multiplied. We are to study and keep His word diligently and the Lord will bless our lives. Deuteronomy 12: 26,27,28 warns us “Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day; and a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known.”
God does not change. (Hebrews 13:8) “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” There is no such thing as the word of God being or becoming old fashioned or needing revision to be brought up to date with the politically correct way of thinking, deemed so highly by many in our modern day culture. His ways are NOT relative; His ways are absolute and always the same. Right and wrong, good and evil are absolutes with God; otherwise, the Ten Commandments would not be commandments but merely Ten Suggestions, subject to the whims of man’s desire to consider them relative or not relative into today’s world. It seems that for many, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” has now been revised to reflect man’s ever changing “enlightenment” according to his own wisdom to read, “Thou shalt have any god that you wish and do as you please, as long as you feel that it does not harm someone else.” Right is now being deemed as wrong, and wrong is deemed as right. For instance, if a pastor preaches against homosexuality, he is now labeled as being the one that is committing the wrong or evil. He is now labeled a homophobic. So now the sin of homosexuality, proclaimed to be deviant and immoral behavior according to Biblical teachings, is no longer a sin but an acceptable lifestyle. However, the one who stands upon the word of God is depicted as an evil, hate mongering, bigot. I do not imply here that homosexuality is a greater sin than any other, as God does not do so. Sin is Sin and we are all guilty of it. We are all sinners and continually need the saving grace of our Lord. When it comes to sin there are no grades of A through F. Yes, our world is turned upside down where evil is called good, and good is called evil. But the battle is the Lord’s, and we know by faith that He has already won. May we forever strive to please the Lord and be a blessing unto Him, for He never gives up on us.
Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” As we yield ourselves to Him, he is in the business of remaking us more and more into His image for He is the Potter and we are the clay.
(II Philippians 2:5,6,9,10,11,13) “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above ever name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth: And that every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Therefore, let us yield to the guidance of His Holy Spirit within us. When God commanded us to have no other gods before Him, He was giving us the blue print for staying safe and secure within His loving and protecting arms. He wants us to stay “carved in the palms of His hands” to keep us from the one who seeks to destroy us.
I end this study with a personal note of thanks to the Lord for granting me the blessing of parents who thought it a good thing to take me to church that the seeds of faith may be planted within my own spirit even from a very early age. I thank Him also for loving and believing brothers and sisters who further helped to plant and cultivate those seeds in so many ways throughout my life. Furthermore, I have been given a most wonderful husband, who, thankfully, is a believer also. We are not only one in the flesh, but also one in the spirit. What a joy it has been to grow old together as we have grown in the Lord. Along the bumpy road of life, the Lord is with us and does not forsake us. Lastly, but most importantly, I give all the praise and glory and honor to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. May Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven
Ginger Rahn
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