30. Walking with God

30 • Walking with God

God wants us to live our lives with Him. God’s Book says that if we walk in the Spirit, we will not fulfill the desires of our sinful nature (Galatians 5:16). We must realize that we have three main enemies who will try to keep us from walking with God, the Holy Spirit. These are the devil and his angels (Ephesians 6:12), the world (sinful people and the world system of this age), and our own sinful desires (1 John 2:16). Some of their attacks on our lives can be summed up by the word ‘temptation’. Temptation comes to us in many forms. The world, Satan and our sinful desires try to keep us from walking with God by tempting us into sinning against God (1 Corinthians 10:13; James 1:13-15). All sin is against God. When we give in to temptation and sin, the Holy Spirit is grieved (Ephesians 4:30). That means we make God sad when we give in to our sinful desires. We ought to remember that God the Holy Spirit is a Person.

There is a constant battle between the desires of the Holy Spirit for our lives and what our sinful nature desires (Galatians 5:17). Although God saves His children by granting them faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8, 9) and giving them a new nature (Ezekiel 36:26, 27), they still have a war to fight. Our tendency to sin will never go away in this life (Romans 7:13-25). It is part of the fallen nature we inherited from Adam when he sinned. David said in Psalm 51:6: ‘Behold I was brought forth in iniquity and in sin my mother conceived me.’ Only when we leave this world and exchange our natural bodies for glorified bodies (Philippians 3:21) will we be free from temptation. 1 Corinthians 15:21, 22 says, ‘For since by man came death, so by Man came also the resurrection from the dead. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all shall be made alive.’

The way to win the war between good and evil in this world is akin to two dogs that need to get food in order to survive. The one is an evil dog, and the other the good dog. If you want the good dog to win, feed him. If you want the bad dog to lose, starve him! Philippians 4:8-9 states: ‘Everything that is good and right and just and noble and true and praiseworthy and lovely and of good report, think on those things and the peace of God will be with you.’ In other words, to win the war you must set your mind on heavenly and good things (Colossians 3:2). The Bible also teaches us to flee certain temptations. Paul, in 2 Timothy 2:22, writes that we should flee youthful lusts. And if you do sin, run to Jesus and confess your sin. 1 John 1:9 states: ‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to forgive us our trespasses.’

Walking with Jesus can also be compared to a marathon runner who must compete in a race according to specific rules (2 Timothy 2:3-5; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27). He trains himself for months, abstains from certain foods and follows a strict discipline in order to win the race. So the Bible tells us to run the race of faith with endurance, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despised the shame of it and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God, ruling in power (Hebrews 12:1, 2).

 Reality to consider: We have a Mediator in heaven Who prays for us 24/7 (24 hours a day, seven days a week) 365 days of the year (Hebrews 7:25). If we sin, Jesus is our Advocate to state our case before the Father and to forgive our sins (1 John 2:1, 2). Jesus is the only One Who can do this because He was tempted in all ways, yet remained without sin (Hebrew 4:15, 16). His Divinity and finished work on the cross ensure ultimate victory over temptation.

Read: Galatians 5:16; Ephesians 6:12; 1 John 2:16; 1 Corinthians 10:13; James 1:13-15; Ephesians 4:30; Galatians 5:17; Ephesians 2:8,9; Ezekiel 36:26,27; Romans 7:13-25; Psalm 51:6; Philippians 3:21; 1 Corinthians 15:21,22; Philippians 4:8,9; Colossians 3:2; Timothy 2:22; 1 John 1:9; 2 Timothy 2:3-5; 1 Corinthians 9:24-27; Hebrews 12:1,2; Hebrews 7:25; 1 John 2:1,2; Hebrews 4:15,16.

29. Union with God

 29 • The Reality of Unity with God

Many people tragically believe that there is no God or divine reality (Atheists, Psalm 14:1); or that God is so different and so distant from us that He doesn’t bother to interfere with people’s lives on the earth (Deists). Both convictions ultimately lead to despair. Life without God soon becomes meaningless. If you believe we come from nowhere and that we are only returning to dust, life is indeed meaningless. We all know that the world we live in is not always full of goodness, love or people caring for and helping one another. The world is full of wickedness, hatred, jealousy, suffering and sickness (Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 1:29-32). The devil and his angels as well as humanity are responsible for this – Satan was thrown down from heaven to earth (Revelation 12:9) and mankind fell (when Adam sinned). We have added our own personal sins and there is the accumulation of centuries of collective sins by sinful human beings (Romans 2:1-3, 16).

And sin brings pain and suffering to the sinner (sin separates him/her from God) and from others. The whole of creation is subjected to corruption and futility because of mankind’s sin (Romans 8:20, 21) and groans and labours in birth pangs until now. But the whole of creation will be delivered from corruption to the glorious liberty of the sons of God (Romans 8:21-23). God not only allows but is responsible for natural disasters like tsunamis, tornadoes, floods, famines, earthquakes and hurricanes with all the destruction and great suffering that follows these, although He was not the first cause (the fall of man was). As the Creator of the universe, God is entitled to do with this world and His creatures whatever He pleases. But God is holy, pure, kind and good and what He ordains is for the benefit of His chosen people. God is also just and so has to judge and punish sin. God uses disasters not only to judge sinners but so that others, His elect, will be saved. We must never think that all those who suffer or die in a disaster do so as a result of their own sin (Luke 13:1-5). This is an example of the kindness and severity of God. Christians also die in disasters, but their reward is in heaven.

The awesome fact is that God is with Christians in their suffering to comfort them (2 Corinthians 1:3-5). His desire is to live in unity and be at peace with His disciples (Colossians 1:19-20), to be reconciled to them by His Holy Spirit living in their hearts (Colossians 1:27). Once I talked to a woman in South East Asia. When told about the good news of Jesus Christ, and that God wants to live in people’s hearts by the Holy Spirit, it shocked her. She never realized that God wanted to live inside people’s hearts!

However, although God lives in believers, they don’t become gods as a result (Galatians 2:20; Revelation 20:15), they maintain their individual personality. The reason God lives in believers is so that He can change their characters – make them like God. God wants us to be humble, loving, holy, peaceable, joyful, faithful, good, patient and kind like Him (Galatians 5:22, 23). But God doesn’t share His transcendent attributes with us. God stays God forever and remains uniquely all-knowing (Psalm 139:1-6), omnipresent (Psalm 139:7-12; Jeremiah 23:23, 24), almighty (Revelation 1:8; 4:8) and infinitely glorious (Revelation 4:8-11). That’s why worshipping Him will be our eternal delight.

Reality to consider: The devil, God’s angel named Lucifer whom He created, rebelled against Him; he wanted to be like God. He wanted God’s authority and to eventually rule over Him. That is why God expelled him from heaven (Luke 10:18-19; Isaiah 14:12-15). God’s desires His followers to be humble and to know their place (Matthew 23:12; James 4:6, 8-10), even though He wants them to display His holy and loving character to all those around them.

Read: Psalm 14:1; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 1:29-32; Revelation 12:9; Romans 2:1-3,16; 1 Peter 1:16; Romans 3:4-6; Romans 8:20-23; Psalm 148:8; 2 Corinthians 1:3-5; Colossians 1:19; Colossians 1:27; Galatians 2:20; Revelation 20:15; Galatians 5:22,23; Psalm 139:1-12; Jeremiah 23:23,24; Revelation 1:8; 4:8; Revelation 4:8-11; Luke 10:18, 19; Isaiah 14:12-15; Matthew 23:12; James 4:6, 8-10.

28. Friends of God

 28 • Friends of God

Most people have or have had a best friend; someone with whom they share everything, even their deepest fears and secrets. God’s Word states that God knows our secrets (Romans 2:16). He is all-knowing (Psalm 139:1-6). He knows everything about everyone living now and about everyone who has lived in the past. There is nothing hidden from God! Everything will eventually come to light.  Jesus said in Luke 12:2-3 that ‘there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be made known.’ He even knows the details about the future. God also knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10). It is difficult for us to understand or comprehend that such a Being could exist but that is what the Bible reveals about God. He knows what you are going to say even before you say it! He knows what you are going to do tomorrow (Psalm 139:1-6).

Remarkably, Abraham was called the friend of God in James 2:23. But Abraham was not an exception to the rule. If we believe in Jesus as our personal Saviour and King, then we are children of Abraham (Galatians 3:7). Jesus called His disciples ‘friends’ after they came to know Him, because of what He revealed to them about Himself (John 15:15). Believers are friends of God Whom they can talk to at any time! If a Christian is angry, sad, happy or anxious, God knows all about it; so, if you are a believer, why don’t you talk to Him about your life and problems (Philippians 4:6, 7)? When you have a close relationship with someone, you tend to share your secrets with that person. God shares His secrets with His children (Jeremiah 33:3).

If you are a Christian and you read the Bible you will come to know God’s secrets. In a sense it is a dangerous thing to get close to another person, because you don’t know if you can trust him/her with your secrets. What if that person tells your secrets to the whole world? It is safe to trust God, because He forgives our sins if we trust in Jesus and He won’t tell the world our secrets if we belong to Him. The Bible says in Psalm 103:12 that He removes the sins of His followers as far from them as the east is from the west. He even forgets His children’s sins (Isaiah 43:25)! Micah 7:18, 19 reveals that God does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. He will have compassion on His children and cast their sins into the depths of the sea.

The great question is: Can we be trusted with God’s secrets (John 2:24)? Jesus doesn’t commit Himself to all human beings, because He knows what men are like. One of Jesus’ disciples, Judas, knew God’s secrets and he was one of Jesus’ close friends (Psalm 40:9); but he betrayed Jesus to the Roman authorities before He was crucified about 2000 years ago (Mark 14:10, 11, 43-45). Although Judas knew Jesus personally, he turned his back on Him. After Judas had betrayed Jesus, he realized that he had done wrong but found no way to repent so he hanged himself, he committed suicide (Matthew 27:3-10). Obviously, God doesn’t want us to be like Judas in betraying Him or committing suicide because of our sins. Even if we let God down, He is still there for us if we turn to Him for help (John 6:37). Peter, who was also one of Jesus’ disciples, disowned Jesus three times (Matthew 26:69-75). He made as if He didn’t know Jesus after Jesus was arrested by the Romans. But Peter repented and God restored him (John 21:15-19) and used him as one of His beloved instruments (Acts 2:14-39).

Question and truth to consider: Can God trust us to be His friends with whom He can share His plans, thoughts and secrets? Not being His friend means being His enemy. In fact, there is no neutral ground with God – you are either His friend or His enemy. Jesus said: ‘He who is not with Me is against Me’ (Matthew 12:30).

Read: Romans 2:16; Psalm 139:1-6; Luke 12:1,2; Isaiah 46:10; James 2:23; Galatians 3:7; John 15:15; Philippians 4:6,7; Jeremiah 33:3; Psalm 103:12; Isaiah 43:25; Micah 7:19; John 2:24; Psalm 40:9; Mark 14:10, 11, 43-45; Matthew 27:3-10; John 6:37; Matthew 26:69-75; John 21:15-19; Acts 2:14-39; Matthew 12:30.

27. True identity in Christ

 27 • True Identity—Christians are the Sons of God

One thing is certain: God doesn’t need slaves or servants. God has need of nothing and no one; He is self-sufficient (Acts 17:25). God didn’t create the world and everything in it out of need but out of His fullness and ultimate freedom to create (Romans 11:34-36). No one compelled Him to create the world and everything in it. People who don’t know God or belong to His family are slaves of their own sins and desires (John 7:35) and are held captive by the devil (2 Timothy 2:26). They are children of this world and children of disobedience and God’s wrath (Ephesians 2:2, 3).

Many people say we shouldn’t talk to God as if He were our equal, which is true. God isn’t our equal, far from it! God is in heaven and the earth is His footstool (Isaiah 66:1). He alone created the heavens and the earth and everything in them. We should fear God alone (Matthew 10:28), but that fear should not make us run away from Him. God didn’t make the world and all the creatures in it to abandon them. He is involved with His creation and with every creature in it (Psalm 104; Psalm 145:9, 15, 16, 19). We should fear God, but not irrationally (Proverbs 1:7). There is a big difference. God has not given His children a spirit of fear, but of sonship in which they cry: ‘Abba Father’ (Romans 8:16). The fear of God makes us wary of playing with sin and causes us to run from sin (Proverbs 14:27). The fear of God reminds us that sin has devastating, eternal consequences and that what a person sows he/she will reap (Galatians 6:7-8).

We often see this with those who live sexually immoral lives or are enslaved in drug or alcohol addiction. Many times, their whole lives are dramatically cut short, ruined or destroyed. Very often their family members suffer under their addictions and are abused, neglected and financially ruined. In addition to giving Christians His Spirit, God has also given them a new life and a new identity. Just as you have an ID document or Passport with your personal details and a photograph of yourself so that people can recognize and identify you, in the same way God’s children have a new Identity whereby people can identify and recognize them as His children. Children of God are the light of the world and salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13-16). We have this new identity through faith in Jesus Christ, by God’s deposit of His Spirit within us (Ephesians 1:13, 14)! God’s children are children of the light (Ephesians 5:8), kings and priests unto God (Revelation 1:6), ambassadors for God (2 Corinthians 5:20), heirs of God (Romans 8:17) and servants of God (Luke 12:42, 47; Luke 17:10). That is our identity.

God has given His children His Holy Spirit whereby (Romans 8:9-11) we may have close communion and a vital connection with God. We can share our problems, joys and fears with God. You may have difficulty seeing God as your Father because your natural father may not have spent much time with you or hasn’t been a good fatherly example. If your earthly father was distant and cruel to you, be assured that God will never be that way to you! In Matthew 7:11 Jesus said to his disciples: ‘if you then being evil, know how to give good things to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!’ By grace through faith in Christ you are a true son or daughter (1 John 3:1) of God!

 Truths to consider: God in heaven is a caring, loving and affectionate Father who wants you to talk to Him daily. He is involved in your life and wants you to know it! He even knows how many hairs you have on your head and numbers them (Matthew 10:30)! What a privilege we have to speak to God as our Father, knowing that God calls those who believe in Jesus His sons and daughters (1 John 3:1).

Read: Acts 17:25; Romans 11:34-36; John 7:35; 2 Timothy 2:26; Ephesians 2:2, 3; Isaiah 66:1; Matthew 10:28, 30; Psalm 104; Psalm 145:9,15,16,19; Proverbs 1:7; Romans 8:16; Proverbs 14:27; Galatians 6:7-8; Matthew 5:13-16; Ephesians 5:8; Revelation 1:6; 2 Corinthians 5:20; Luke 12:42, 47; Luke 17:10; Romans 8:9-11, 17; 1 John 3:1; Matthew 7:11.

26. The importance of holiness

 26 • The Importance of Holiness and ongoing Repentance

There is a practical holiness without which no one will see God (Hebrews 12:14; Isaiah 35:8). When a sinner comes to God it does not matter which sins, he/she has committed. You can be the worst criminal on earth, yet God will receive you if you come to Him (John 6:37; Hebrews 7:25). But when you come to God, God’s plan for you is not that you should remain as you are! His will for you is that you conform to the image of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:13; 2 Corinthians 3:18). His will for believers is moral perfection (Colossians 1:28; 1 Thessalonians 5:23). In other words, He wants believers to become sinless. In Christ, believers are counted sinless and perfect, but God wants that to become a practical reality in their daily lives. His plan in saving sinners is to enable them to exhibit the loving and holy nature of Jesus Christ to all those around them (John 15:8).

Just as a potter shapes clay as he wants, so God moulds and makes believers into the people that He wants them to be. It sometimes involves a painful process, but God is patient and has good plans for them (2 Peter 3:9; Ephesians 2:10; Jeremiah 29:11). God changes us by renewing our minds as we read God’s Word. (Romans 12:2). Many times, we struggle with a particular sin and it seems we cannot overcome it. But if we trust in God, and lay our lives before Him, He will help us. The Bible says in 1 John 1:7: ‘If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sins.’

I believe our biggest problem is that we are too proud to go to a brother or sister-in-Christ and ask for advice and prayer. We need to open our lives to our family members and ask for help (Galatians 6:2; Romans 12:15, 16). That means confessing our sins to other Christians so that we may be healed (James 5:16). God saves us by His grace, but He uses instruments to shape and mould us into His desired image so that we can exhibit His wonderful nature—in order that God, in Jesus Christ, may receive the glory (1 Peter 4:10,11). 1 John 1:9 states: ‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’ By admitting our sins to God, we acknowledge that we need Him: His forgiveness, cleansing and help. No believer can ever claim that they have become spiritually perfect in this world (Philippians 3:12-14, 16). As a Person living in this world, that privilege belonged to Christ alone. Nevertheless, God wants Christians to grow spiritually and become more and more like Jesus (Ephesians 4:13; Romans 8:29). Repentance is not a once off event in the life of a Christian. It is a life-long process whereby we regularly take a spiritual survey of our lives to see where we fall short of God’s perfection and character (2 Corinthians 13:5). We must examine our lives regularly to see if our lives are clean and whether we are still walking with Jesus Christ. Some sins are more difficult to overcome because of wrong thought patterns and strongholds residing in our lives, owing to sin over the years. The Bible says we must take captive every thought and make them obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).

Questions to consider: Are you walking in the light amidst the family of God (1 John 1:7)?  Have you given back what you have stolen (Luke 19:8)?  Have you asked forgiveness of those you’ve wronged or said something hurtful to (Matthew 5:23)? Remember, sensitive issues like involvement in devilish, occultic and illicit sexual practices should be shared only with spiritually mature believers (like a pastor or counsellor).

Read: Hebrews 12:14, 7:25; Isaiah 35:8; John 6:37; Hebrews 7:25; Ephesians 4:13; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Colossians 1:28; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; John 15:8; 2 Peter 3:9; Ephesians 2:10; Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 12:2, 15, 16; 1 John 1:7; Galatians 6:2; James 5:16; 1 Peter 4:10, 11; 1 John 1:9; Philippians 3:12-14, 16; Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 13:5; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Luke 19:8; Matthew 5:23.

25. The importance of fellowship

 25 • The Importance of Meeting with Fellow Believers

The church is called God’s family or household (Ephesians 2:19). If you are a believer, whoever truly believes in Jesus Christ is your brother or sister! Whoever has been born of the Holy Spirit has the same Father (Romans 8:15, 16). This is an incredible thought! Believers in Jesus have literally millions of brothers and sisters (Revelations 7:9)! Because of this fact believers are never alone in this world. God has included people from all language and ethnic groups into His family (Revelation 5:9; 7:9). God is diverse and He wants Christians to be at peace with people who are different from them in His family (2 Corinthians 13:11; Colossians 3:14-16). Some believers have the privilege of knowing many of God’s children from other language and ethnic groups.

Because of God’s diversity there are also many different churches in the world, or maybe even in your own country and among your own people. Some of these churches differ on Biblical interpretation, but all true churches believe the same things about God, Jesus Christ, how to be saved from one’s sins and how we should live a holy life, pleasing to God. God’s household (the church) is like a big house with many different rooms (Mere Christianity: C.S. Lewis). All the different churches and denominations are like different rooms in the same house. Each has its specific function and purpose and is unique, but all should be at peace with one another when they sit together for lunch and supper or if they go on holiday. The world will believe in Christ when they see Christians are one even if they don’t agree with one another about every doctrine (John 17:21).

Again, the only way we can know if the church we belong to believes the truth of God is to check it with His manual (the Bible). The church of God is called the ground and pillar of truth (1 Timothy 3:16). It is therefore important for us to attend the gatherings of fellow believers in Christ (Hebrews 10:25) because we can be helped, supported and prayed for there when we have financial, personal, familial or other problems. Also, at church the truth of God’s Word is supposed to be studied, presented and preached in such a way that we can understand what God is saying to us from day to day and from week to week and know how to apply His words to our daily lives (Ephesians 4:11,12).

Today there are many sites on the Internet where you can be helped by downloading and listening to sermons available in many languages. Sermonaudio.com and Sermonindex.org are such websites where thousands of sermons can be downloaded and listened to. The Bible states in Galatians 6:2 that we should bear each other’s burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ and in Hebrews 10:25 that we should not forsake the gathering of the believers. It is therefore important to become friends with other Christians in your vicinity, so that you can experience the dynamics of God’s family. Believers can gather in small groups in a house or in a large church building to worship God. The size of the church you attend does not matter. What matters is that you have a place where you can enjoy fellowship and communion with your everlasting family in Christ (Acts 2:42-47; Acts 4:32-35).  Romans 12:13 and 15 says we should distribute to the needs of the saints (our brothers and sisters in God) and rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.

Questions and truths to consider: Have you joined a local church (gathering of believers)? Have you met with children of God who have prayed for you (James 5:14-16) and with whom you can share your problems? Just as in any household, the church has house rules. The Bible is our manual and house-rules-guide to show us how we should live with one another. And more importantly, it is God’s will for us to have good relationships with His family members, now and for eternity!

Read: Ephesians 2:19; Romans 8:15, 16; Revelation 5:9; 7:9; 2 Corinthians 13:11; Colossians 3:14-16; John 17:21; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 10:25; Ephesians 4:11, 12; Galatians 6:2; Acts 2:42-47; Acts 4:32-35; Romans 12:13, 15, 16; James 5:14-16.

24. The importance of prayer

 24 • The Importance of Prayer

Someone once said, just as the body needs oxygen in order to function, so the souls of men need prayer. In a sense this is true, but only shows one side of the coin. We don’t need prayer to function; we need God to function! Prayer is just the channel whereby we receive the life and Spirit of God. It is our walkie-talkie, our cell phone, our tablet, whereby we connect to the life source which is God (Acts 17:28). Without talking to God, we would soon be estranged from Him and become useless in His kingdom. Just like a motorcar without fuel would be useless for travel. Some say prayer is the fuel of one’s spiritual life. The more you pray the better the chance of your being in close union with God. In one sense this is true, but it has a catch: God doesn’t just want us to talk and listen to Him and thereby know His will and plans for us from day-to-day; He wants us to DO what He commands and BELIEVE in His son, Jesus (Matthew 12:50; John 6:29). It is useless to pray without stop and after praying continue down your own path (1 Thessalonians 5:16; James 1:22-25).

It is good to have times of prayer, times when you are alone with God (Matthew 6:6, 7) where you can hear His voice and perceive His will for your life but be careful: God speaks to us mainly through His written words found in the Bible. No matter what you think you hear in your head concerning God’s will for your life, check to see if it corresponds with what God has said through the centuries through the Bible and through the true church (1 Timothy 3:15). Check it with the global church, your fellow believers in Christ (1 Peter 5:5; Hebrews 13:17) and with your own common sense.

God did not make prayer a means to becoming like a madman, running around doing things and saying things because of your own ideas and what you think He has said to you. The devil and his angels are deceivers and can easily mislead you if you rely only on thoughts in your head (Revelation 20:3). That’s why God has preserved the Bible for us over the centuries. We can go to it to check whether our thoughts are in line with God’s thoughts and whether our behaviour is in line with His commands and character revealed in His Bible (2 Timothy 3:16). We have a glorious MANUAL to put us on the right track when we have wandered off from the way to heaven. Psalm 119:105 states: ‘Your word is a lamp to my feet and light to my path.’

Matthew 5:23 gives us another perspective on how to approach God: ‘…if you bring your gift (prayer) to the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift before the altar and go your way. First reconcile with your brother and then offer your gift.’ Jesus also taught us not to use many words when we pray (Matthew 6:7; vain repetitions), as the unbelievers do, because our Father knows already what we are going to say before we ask (Matthew 6:6). When we pray, we can be assured that God will answer our prayer according to His will (1 John 5:14, 15) and for the good and glory of His Holy Name (John 14:13, 14; John 15:7, 8). Jesus said: ‘Most assuredly I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My Name He will give you…Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full ‘(John 16:23,24).

Truths to consider: Jesus Christ prayed regularly to His Father and gave us a model prayer to pray. It is found in Mathew 6:10-13. Jesus said we must pray much and not lose heart (Luke 18:1-8). Jesus spent hours praying to His Father when He was on Earth. If Jesus needed so much time with God the Father, how much more we who stumble so easily! Some followers of Jesus say prayer is more about listening to God and thanking and praising Him (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Read: Acts 17:28; Matthew 12:50; John 6:29; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; James 1:22-25; Matthew 6:6,7; 1 Timothy 3:15; 1 Peter 5:5; Hebrews 13:17; Revelation 20:3; 2 Timothy 3:16; Psalm 119:105; Matthew 5:23; 1 John 5:14,15; John 14:13,14; 15:6,7; Matthew 6:10-13; Luke 18:1-8; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

23. Why only 66 books in the Bible

Why are there only 66 books in the Bible?

A concise history of the books of the Bible.

The Bible consists of two parts: The Old Testament (OT) which has 39 books and the New Testament which has 27 books. The people of God (mainly the people of Israel), who lived before Jesus came to earth, agreed that the 39 books in the OT were the words of God, because many of the prophecies it contained were fulfilled before Jesus was born. They perceived that God spoke to them through the centuries in many ways. Jesus and Paul (the apostle) also accepted that the Torah (the first 5 books of the OT), the Prophets and the Psalms (Writings) were inspired by God and God’s true words (2 Timothy 3:16; Luke 24:27, 44).

The Greek Translation of the OT, called the Septuagint, written three centuries before Jesus was born, contained the books we have today in the OT. Jesus and the apostles never quoted from the “Apocryphal books”. The Apocryphal books were written after Malachi, the last book in our OT. Some churches have a high view of the Apocryphal books, but Jesus and the apostles certainly did not and never quoted from them.  After Jesus rose from the dead, He referred to the Torah, the Prophets and Psalms as the Scriptures that testified about His miraculous life, death and resurrection (Luke 24:25-27, 44).

The same applies to the New Testament (NT). All the books in the NT were written while all, some or one of the 12 apostles of Jesus were still living. Many other books were written during the time of the early church and many of them contained truths about God and His will for humanity. But the early church didn’t believe they were in the same category (as authoritative) as the 27 books we have today in the NT. Only those books that were written while the apostles were still alive (in the apostolic tradition) or written by one of them, or written under the direction of one of them, were considered to be canonized (authorised) as Holy Scripture (God’s authoritative words).

This is so because the 12 apostles literally lived and walked with Jesus. They could check whether the words that had been written down were really God’s (or Jesus’) words. In other words, other books that were written in the early church period after all the apostles died were not considered to have the same value or authority as the ones, we find today in the NT. We call the Scriptures (books) of the Bible, canonical books. That means they serve as a yardstick, as “The yardstick” and “The measuring rod” and standard to measure truth from falsehood. They are God’s standards for justice and salvation, given for us to know the true God and His will for our lives.

The early church didn’t decide on their own authority to include these books as Holy Scripture, they merely recognized these books to be God’s words. These books had authority and authenticity in themselves. The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, bore witness that these books are the true words of God given by God to guide and rule our lives. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would guide His people into the truth and remind the disciples of what He had told them while He lived with them on earth (John 14:26; John 16:13,14). Therefore, we believe the Holy Spirit led the early church (from about 33AD to 367AD) to compile the authoritative words of God found in the NT. The OT canon was already fixed at that time.

The early church, church leaders and church fathers agreed and believed that the 27 books we have today in the NT are God’s words and that these books are enough and sufficient to make us wise unto salvation through faith in Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 3:15). In the year 367AD Athanasius, a church Father, compiled the list of 27 books we have in the NT today and it was widely accepted by the churches in the known world. They were led by the Holy Spirit to agree that the 66 books we have in the Bible today are the word of God and that these are sufficient for us to know God and to discern truth from falsehood. God gave his church (His people) the Spirit of Truth to enable them to recognize the true books He had given them (that were written by the hands of his apostles) about three centuries earlier (John 14:26; John 15:26, 27).

This recognition by the church took about three centuries because in those days churches were scattered all over the Roman Empire and beyond, and most churches were persecuted because they were viewed as enemies of the state of the ruling Roman Empire. It was only after the church experienced peace during and after the reign of Roman Emperor Constantine that the churches were able to come together in different church councils and agree together which books of God were to be considered as canonical (authoritative). But even before the year 313 when Constantine became Emperor, most churches and church leaders agreed that the majority of the books in the present NT are God’s Holy and authoritative words.

So, God has preserved for us a Book to live by, to guide us, to direct us and to teach us His character and ways so that we can be united to Him in this life and for eternity. Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 24:35 “Heaven and earth will pass away but My words will never pass away”. Jesus also said, ‘Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfil. For assuredly I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled (Matthew 5:17, 18).’ Jesus also said in John 10:35, ‘the Scriptures cannot be broken.”

Read: 2 Timothy 3:16; Luke 24:25-27, 44; John 14:26; John 16:13, 14; John 15:26, 27; 2 Timothy 3:15; Matthew 24:35; Matthew 5:17, 18; John 10:35.

22. The sufficiency of the word of God

Is what is written in the Holy Bible, sufficient and enough for us to know God eternally?

Is what is written in the 66 books we call the Bible: enough to show us the way to God; all we need to believe to be saved for eternity; sufficient to know how to be united with God and how we should live our lives to please God? Do we need any other books to add to Biblical knowledge in order to find salvation (unity with God)? The answer to this question is more important than you think. If we say we need more books to establish our understanding for our eternal security with God, then we are not letting the Bible have the final say. This implies that God has spoken in other books in the same life-giving, authoritative way as in the Bible, but He has not! (Proverbs 30:6; Deuteronomy 30:11-14; Psalm 119:89; 2 Timothy 3:16).

If we believe that what is written in the Bible comes from God and is enough and sufficient to teach us what we should believe about Him, and how we should live a life pleasing to Him, then we have a standard, a source and measuring-stick by which we can judge right from wrong, truth from falsehood. God has a certain character and has established moral absolutes in the universe based on His character and nature, whereby He rules the universe, His creation and His creatures (Psalm 98:9; Jeremiah 9:24). That is why He gave us a book to help and guide us, so that we may know Him as He really is. What we must realize is that God is a God of order (1 Corinthians 14:33, 40), that He is a just (Psalm 96:10) and holy God (1 Peter 1:16). God wants us to know Him personally – He wants us to believe (Romans 8:29) and behave (Ephesians 4:1-6:9) in a way that corresponds with His divine nature.

Exodus 34:6 states: ‘The Lord God is merciful and gracious, longsuffering and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty…’ (See also Jonah 4:2; Psalm 103:8; Nahum 1:3). There is a way God wants us to behave (1 Peter 1:16; 1 Corinthians 13:1-7) and a belief He wants us to hold to (1 Timothy 4:12-16). God wants us to have such a measuring-stick, such a Canon (Rod to measure) and standard whereby we can order, plan and evaluate our lives and know what He wants from us. It’s almost like buying a new smart phone or complicated machine. In order to know how to operate the machine or cell-phone you need to read through the manual. You might figure out some of the functions by yourself or by learning from your friends, but if you really want to operate it to its fullest capacity you need the manual.

God wants to live in us for eternity. You might figure out some of God’s purposes and will for your life on your own and by learning from others, but in order for you to know how to live with Him to the fullest capacity and savingly (2 Timothy 3:15), you and I need a manual. The manual God gives us is the Bible. The Bible contains God’s instructions for us to know more about Him and how to live a life pleasing to Him (Psalm 19:7-14; Psalm 119). If we obey His commands and believe His promises (2 Peter 1:3-4), especially those concerning His Son Jesus, then we will know what He expects of us and we will be blessed in everything we do (Psalm 1:1-4).

Many Christians and even unbelievers long for God to ‘speak’ to them audibly or in their thoughts. Some long and seek after visions and dreams and they are convinced that if God doesn’t speak to them in this way, that there is something wrong with their relationship with God. It is true that the Bible says in Acts 2:16-21 that in the latter times ‘your young men shall see visions, and your old men dream dreams and that God will pour out His Spirit, and they shall prophesy’, but God speaking in visions and dreams is not the normal way He speaks to us today. In Biblical times, while the Old and New Testaments were still being written, God spoke in these ways, but now that we have the Canon, the full revelation of God in the Old and New Testaments we do not need anything else to guide us.

If you think that God speaks to you in a dream, a vision or audibly, you must check your ‘impression’ with the revealed word of God. If this contradicts the words of God found in the Bible, you should reject it. The fact is that many people who claim to be getting ‘visions’ or ‘dreams’ and ‘words’ from God are actually just concocting things in their own minds and following their own fleshly desires. We have ENOUGH of God’s revealed will in the Bible to keep us busy until God’s Kingdom comes. Many people taken up with these things are not diligently studying the word of God and delving into the treasures which God preserved for us through the centuries. There are too many false prophecies going around, too many people claiming to speak for God, too few people actually expositing the revealed and authoritative word of God.

It can be extremely dangerous for your spiritual life to rely on ‘voices’, ‘dreams’ and ‘visions’ from God, not wanting to do and believe the obvious things God commanded us in Scripture. We do not need fresh revelation from God! We need God to illuminate our minds and spirits to what He has already given us in the Scriptures. We need to study, obey and believe the special revelation God has given us in the Old and New Testaments and then proclaim this to the needy world around us. What God said in Deuteronomy 18:22 should alarm us: ‘when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.’ Let us take heed that we are not be found to be false prophets!  

Reality to consider: Are you letting the revealed word of God have the final say in what you believe about God and in your behavior?

Read: Proverbs 30:6; Deuteronomy 30:11-14; Psalm 119:89; 2 Timothy 3:16; Psalm 98:9; Jeremiah 9:24; 1 Corinthians 14:33, 40; Psalm 96:10; 1 Peter 1:16; Romans 8:29; Ephesians 4:1-6:9; 1 Corinthians 13:1-7; Exodus 34:6, 7; Jonah 4:2; Psalm 103:8; Nahum 1:3; 1 Timothy 4:12-16; 2 Timothy 3:15; Psalm 19:7-14; Psalm 119; 2 Peter 1:3, 4; Psalm 1:1-4; Deuteronomy 18:22

21. How do we know the Bible is the word of God

How do I know the Bible is the Word of God?

This is an important consideration. We know for a fact that the prophets of the Old Testament prophesied about Jesus Christ centuries before He was born. The Bible records these. We know that more than three hundred prophecies or predictions about the life and death of Jesus were fulfilled while Jesus lived on earth. These facts demonstrate that the Bible is no ordinary book; that the people who wrote it were inspired (moved by God’s Spirit) to write down God’s words. No book other than the Bible has had so many of its prophecies fulfilled in history, especially those about Jesus Christ. (See Lesson 5, The Promises and Prophecies about the Messiah).

The Bible also tells us of other future events that will take place (e.g. Revelation 20-22). If we know that the Bible is trustworthy and that many prophecies in it have been exactly fulfilled, then we can trust what it says about the future of the world, about eternity, salvation and how to receive eternal life. The Bible is God’s Book about reality, and how to discern truth from error. It gives instruction about righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16); how to discern acceptable and good behavior from unacceptable and bad behavior. The Bible is the compilation of the trustworthy (infallible) words of God. Do other books record the fulfillment of prophecies as the Bible does (e.g. the Koran or the Bhagavad Gita)? These books contain no prophecies that have come to fulfillment. If books contradict the clear message of the Bible, then we know they are false.

There are absolutes in the Universe. Truth cannot change from day to day or from century to century and remain the truth. In Isaiah 46:9 it is written, ‘For I am God, and there is no other, I am God, and there is none like Me.’ If truth changes from context to context then we cannot know anything for sure. God is the standard of truth because He is the truth (John 14:6). God cannot sin, be unholy or lie (Hebrews 6:18; Titus 1:2) as humans can. He forever remains holy and good and just. He is unchangeable in all His divine attributes (James 1:17). Anything contrary to His nature falls into the category of falsehood and moral corruptness. If we ever found another book that truthfully recorded so many fulfilled prophecies (more than 2000) we would have a contender with the Bible in terms of containing God’s words. The fact of the matter is that there is not another book in the world like the Bible! It is in a class all of its own!

Only God knows the future (Isaiah 46:10) and only He can tell us about it. The Bible records that hundreds of times God has been correct in predicting future events that later came to pass to the letter (e.g. the crucifixion and atoning sacrifice of the Messiah in Isaiah 53:3-12; the 7 years of abundance and 7 years of famine in Egypt in Genesis 41-47; the rise and fall of kingdoms in the Middle East in Daniel 2:27-45; the destruction of the livestock and life in Egypt and the Exodus of the Israelites in Exodus 3-14), so we can trust the Bible to tell us about our own future and the future of the world. Even more importantly; what makes the words of the Bible the true words of God and different from other books is the fact that people still testify that the same Jesus who healed and exorcised demons and did many miracles many centuries ago, saving, forgiving, cleansing and healing people from drug and sin addictions, is still doing it today! The transformation of wicked, evil people all around the world, into good, loving and holy people (1 Corinthians 6:9-11), testifies to the fact that the Jesus of the Bible was and is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:5) and is still working miracles among us – salvation is the greatest miracle of all!

The corresponding unity and the internal consistency between the Old and New Testament also demonstrate that the Bible is no ordinary book. Although many of the authors did not live in the same decade, century or even millennium there is a corresponding unity in the Scriptures. The prophecies about the life, death, resurrection and glorification of Jesus Christ given in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the New Testament, and the meticulous way God planned and worked out His redemptive plan for the human race, demonstates that a Mastermind, an extremely Intelligent being, was at work behind the scenes and working within the authors who penned Scripture. The literary integrity of the different books in the Bible also demonstrates that God wanted us to know that the Scriptures are of divine origin. Heroes of the faith like Abraham, Jacob, Judah, Moses, Aaron, Samson, David, Peter and Paul are presented as they really were. We see them with their faults and sins. They are not presented as, ‘holier than thou’ people, but we see them making mistakes, sinning and being judged for their sins. We also see how God used them despite their many sins.

There is also much archeological evidence supporting many of the historic events recorded in the Bible. Investigations have discovered the location of the place where the Red Sea was crossed, the location of Mount Sinai, the location of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah which were destroyed, the location of the site on which the Temple was built, the remains of the walls of Jericho which fell and the sites of many other Biblically recorded events. These events really occurred at places that really existed.

There are many scientific facts in the Bible. Science in Biblical times believed that the earth sat on a large animal or was established on pillars, but the book of Job correctly states that the earth hangs upon nothing (Job 26:7). Science in Biblical times proposed that wind blows in straight lines. The Bible states that wind blows in circles according to Ecclesiates 1:6. There are many such scientific facts in the Bible. The authors of the Bible books didn’t know these things when they wrote them, but the Spirit of the Lord moved and inspired them to write down these revelations (1 Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Timothy 3:16).

Question to consider: Have you come to the Jesus of the Bible, willing for Him to do the miracle of giving you a new heart and transforming your life into a life of godliness, holiness and love?

Read: Revelation 20-22; 2 Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 46:9; John 14:6; Hebrews 6:18; Titus 1:2; James 1:17; Isaiah 46:10; Isaiah 53:3-12; Gen 41-47; Daniel 2:27-45; Exodus 3-14; 1 Cor 6:9-11; Heb 13:5; Job 26:7; Ecclesiastes 1:6.