What is the Bible to you?
The dictionary will tell you it is a book of sacred writings. Some Christians and Jews will tell you it is a book written by men, but inspired by God, or they will just tell you it is the word of God. Atheist and other non-believers will tell you it is only a book written by men, and has no power. This argument has been going on for centuries, but I think we will find the answer lies within the hearts of each of us, because the Bible is truly a personal relationship as we might have with a living person. Let me tell you about the light which God has shared with me about this wonderful book called the Bible. Needless to say it is my personal view, and each of us must decide for ourselves.
The Bible was written by men, just as the atheist have said, but they over look the next few words, “but inspired by God”. It is the “inspired by God” part that the atheist cannot put into their little box labeled “the science of mankind”. If you have studied the Bible in depth, you will find there seem to be some small inconsistencies in the written words, and the non-believer will jump on these tiny splinters, and will say the entire trees must be bad because of one tiny splinter which doesn’t seem to match just perfectly for them. But they forget that the Bible was written by imperfect men, and it is imperfect men who now try to read and understand what was written. They forget that it was imperfect men who tried to translate and record what the Holy Spirit was telling them, and it will also take the Holy Spirit to translate the written words back so the imperfect heart can read and understand.
In all of these so call splinters, I have found none which the Holy Spirit cannot explain. The atheist and non-believer will be quick to say “well if that is wrong, then how do you know that the entire text is not wrong?” Again, they have missed the “but inspired by God” part. There are no errors; it only seems so to the imperfect person. The stumbling blocks are there for a purpose, and only the Holy Spirit can show you us why. You will also hear some who call themselves Christian say, the Bible is too confusing, too hard to read, it is out of date, and was written for a time long past, but they have also missed the “inspired by God” part. The God who creates the future, can never be out of date.
You see, not only was the Bible written by men inspired by God, it also takes the inspiration of God to read and understand what was written. If the Holy Spirit is not within us, the Bible will be just a beautiful collection of human words which tell of a time long passed. If we look only at the part of the Bible which was made by men, then we will never see the real beauty and power behind the human words. The imperfect human words will only separate the body of Christ, but the Holy Spirit behind the words will bring us together in a common love for Jesus, the only Christ. God does not speak in English, He does not follow imperfect human grammar rules, God speak to the heart, and it is the loving human heart which can translate and understand the wonderful words of God.
The Bible is like a light switch, it is not the light, but it is the tool with which the power of God can flow, and it is the power of God flowing through the light switch which brings forth light. The switch can be scared and old, but when we flip the switch, it still brings forth the same beautiful light as it did when it was first put into service. We see the same light the carpenter saw the first time the switch was turned on. Yes, the switch made be old, but the power and light flowing through it have not changed, and we are not left in the darkness of old. The switch may have tiny chips in it, but to ignore the switch, is to stay in the darkness.
What makes the words of a great preacher touch our hearts? Is it his accent, his elegant words, his looks, or could it be the power of God speaking through the preacher? So it is with the Bible, human words are just sounds, or ink on a page, but it is the fire of God’s Holy Spirit which put power into the words, and changes our hearts forever.
So the next time you read the Bible, don’t be like the atheist, and forget the power of the Holy Spirit which touched the hearts of the one who put the words on paper. But also remember, the words on paper will have no power, unless you flip the switch in your own heart, and let the power of God flow from the written word to light the darkest corners of your soul.
