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ANYTHING BY THE BIBLE?" |
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| The statement, "You can prove anything by the Bible," is usually made because of one or two reasons. | ||
| First, it may be because
one does not believe in God. If such a person claims to believe in
Him, his estimate of God is so carnal and fleshly that he views his presence,
wisdom and power lower than that of a man. The belief that "You can
prove anything by the Bible," which is God's inspired word, is a faith
which seeks to discredit God's authority, holiness and divinity.
No human would be held reputable, upstanding, and without reproach if it
were said of him and his word, "You can prove just anything by
that man's word." Such a statement about the Bible seeks to ridicule it as a worthless book; depicting it with no reliable proof to substantiate truth concerning the body, life and soul. Such disbelief is often formulated because of a lack of Bible study. |
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| Secondly, this may
be propagated by one who wants to misuse the Bible as a liberal license
to practice anything he desires both physically and spiritually.
This low view of the Bible would not be held, nor liberal practice performed,
if each passage of the
Bible were read, studied and examined within its own context and setting. |
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| When one asks, in all honesty and sincerity, "Can I really find any proof from the Bible?" the answer is, "Yes." The word "prove" means to show to be true by examination or testing. It also means, to show to be capable and dependable. Therefore, when the subjects of life and godliness are under consideration, it is not a matter of can one prove just "anything", any way of life, to be capable and dependable but rather, a matter or proving, from the Bible, everything that pertains to life and godliness. Peter by the Holy Spirit, stated in II Peter 1:3, that God's "...divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue." | ||
| There are two very challenging things in this passage of scripture. The first is, "he hath given unto us all things," not just anything, nor some things, but all things that pertain to life and godliness. The second important thing is that all these things come "through the knowledge of Him." This is why Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15 to "study to show thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth not be ashamed...." Therefore, it is imperative to study and to find in the Bible, all the things that God has given that pertain to life and godliness and then to practice those things. One will then have a capable, dependable life. | ||
| In 2 Corinthians
13:5, Paul asked the church at Corinth to, "Examine yourselves, whether
you be in the faith; prove your own selves...." The process of examining
and proving one's faith must be by the inspired word of God. Why?
Because "...faith
cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10: 17). What do you believe about salvation, baptism, the Lord's Supper, giving, the kind of music in Christian worship, daily living and seeking the lost? Go to the Bible and let it examine and prove or test your belief. |
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| Before you begin your search from the Bible for "all things that pertain to life and godliness," for that which will give knowledge of God, and prove your faith, you must rid yourself of the idea that "you can prove anything by the Bible." The truth of God's book must be examined with a good a honest heart rather than an attitude of prejudice and ridicule. | ||
| In 2 Timothy 3:
16-17, the Bible says, "all Scripture is given by the inspiration of
God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction
in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly
furnished unto all good
works." May you be that man of God, that thoroughly furnished person; may you be a God blessed person by and through the word of God, the Bible! |
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From Bible Research
Library, Christian CD2
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Austin, Texas USA |
| Bicky Lawson
WBS Webmaster 6/30/00 |