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.

20. Can we trust the Bible?

Part 3 Special Revelation the Bible

 20 • Where did the Bible come from?

God, in His power and wisdom, inspired people throughout the history of the world to write down what He has said to them and what He has done (2 Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Timothy 3:16). These records are very important to us because they show us who God is and what His will for us is. The written account of what God has said to humans is called the Bible. ‘Bible’ means, ‘collection of books’. It is an account of God’s words spoken over two thousand years from about two thousand BC to about 85AD.

God told Moses how the world was created and of Abraham and His family in Genesis 1-50. God mainly revealed His word to the nation of Israel, the descendants of Abraham, centuries ago. But God also spoke to other cultures and nations of the world in different ways, especially through the inner witness of His Spirit in their hearts, through the conscience (Romans 2:15) and through the general revelation of His creation (Psalm 19:1-6; Romans 1:19-23). God used more than 40 people to write His words found in the Bible. The Bible consists of 66 books (See Lesson 23) separated into two sections – the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament records God’s words spoken before Jesus was born into this world, and the New Testament records God’s words after this event.

Some of these books are historical records of God’s actions throughout history; others give account of what He spoke. Some prophecy about the world’s future and some tell how God judged sinful nations. Some are written as poetry, songs to God, wisdom-literature—such as the book of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes—and letters by God’s messengers (apostles) written to God’s people teaching them about God’s divine words. There is also apocalyptic literature like the books of Daniel and Revelation. Many people throughout history have tried to destroy the Bible, but God has protected and preserved it through the centuries. God’s people made many copies of the original manuscripts (called the autographa) before there were printing presses and electronic media. There is no other book in history with more handwritten copies than the Bible (more than 4500 manuscripts of the New Testament alone)! It has been translated into more languages than any other book in the world.

Some people say that there are errors in the Bible and that people have changed God’s words. The original manuscripts of all the different books in the Bible were without fault or mistake. Because so many centuries have passed by and because there are literally thousands of copies made of the whole Bible or parts of it, we are not sure which are the originals or if we still have them. It is a remarkable fact that of all the manuscripts that we have of the Bible (comprising more than 5500 copies of parts of, or the whole Bible), most of them correspond word for word. If you take human fallibility and error into account when copying manuscript after manuscript by hand over many centuries, it is quite understandable that there would be a few errors. Most of these differences in the manuscripts that exist today are of grammatical nature. But remarkably, no truth about God, Jesus Christ, God’s standards of right and wrong, what sin is, God’s justice, how to obtain eternal life and how to live a life pleasing to God, written in the Bible, has been changed, falsified or distorted! The book of Proverbs 30:5, 6 says, ‘…every word of God is pure, He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.’ And in Psalm 119:89 it is written, ‘…forever your word is settled in heaven.’ Jesus also said in John 10:35, ‘the Scriptures cannot be broken.”

Many people would argue that because we do not know whether we have the original manuscripts of the Bible, it is impossible to know the true, authoritative and original words of God given to the primary authors. We must realize that the Old Testament was written mainly in Hebrew and some parts in Aramiac, (the book of Daniel) and that all the books of the New Testament were written in Greek. Yet, because we have so many manuscripts in Hebrew and in Greek available to us today, and because of the fact that most of them correspond word for word, it is not only possible but certain to determine the original meaning and intent of the Holy Spirit, and the exact words of God given to the original authors.

Some people say, especially followers of Islam, that they are uncertain which translation or which Bible to read because there are so many, especially in English. We must make one point clear: any translation is only authoritative (to be recognized as God’s true words binding on our consciences, to be obeyed and believed to be true), in as much as it corresponds with the original manuscripts in the Greek and Hebrew Scriptures. And because we have so many manuscripts it is possible to determine what the original meaning and words given by God were and what the intent of the Holy Spirit was, as people were moved by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:20, 21).

One reason why there are so many translations in the English language is because people view the inerrancy and infallibility of the Bible differently. Some Bible translators view God’s word in the original as inspired and infallible only to the extent of conveying the theological intent of the Holy Spirit in each portion. Others view infallibility and inerrancy of the Bible in the sense that each word in the Bible was chosen by the Holy Spirit and the people who wrote it down were superintended by God to write each word exactly as God wanted it. Nevertheless, even if you compare all the recognised translations of the Bible in the mainline Protestant churches you would come to the same conclusion as to who God and Jesus Christ are, what God’s standards for right and wrong are, what sin is, the way to eternal life and how to live a godfearing life.   

Reality to consider: The fact that more than three hundred prophecies and predictions in the Old Testament were fulfilled in Jesus Christ’s life, prove conclusively that the Bible has divine origin.

Read: 2 Peter 1:20, 21; 2 Timothy 3:16; Romans 1:19-23; Romans 2:15; Psalm 19:1-6; Proverbs 30:5; Psalm 119:89; John 10:35.

19. What are we saved for?

• What are We Saved for? Displaying God’s Worth

To be saved means you belong to Jesus Christ and that your sins are forgiven. But it also means much more than that. It means that you have been justified and reconciled to God (Romans 5:1, 10-11). In simple terms; that means God looks at you through His Son, Jesus Christ’s merits and achievements. Because of your sins you were guilty before God (Romans 3:19, 23). You were legally sentenced for crimes of high treason against the King and Creator of the Universe. You were then spiritually taken to God’s holy court of justice and put on trial because of your sins. But then, through saving faith, you were found not guilty because of Jesus’ perfect life and sacrifice on a cross. (Romans 3:24-26).

Everyone who has ever lived has this legal sentence against him/her (Romans 3:19). By receiving the gift of salvation, Jesus became your advocate in God’s Holy Court, and your substitute who has paid for your sins (1 John 2:1, 2). By trusting in Jesus your case has been legally dismissed because of His perfect life and payment on the cross. His sinlessness (righteousness) has been accounted to you and your sins fell on Him when you trusted in Him (Philippians 3:9; Romans 4:5-7). In other words, God sees you as if you have never sinned. You are set free when you trust in Jesus! That is what justification means. But more than that: by trusting in Jesus you have been united with God through the Holy Spirit. That means: God, the Creator of the universe, lives inside you (Colossians 1:27; Galatians 2:20) and there is open communication between you and Him! That, in essence, is why you were saved – to be in a living, dynamic relationship with God (Romans 8:15).

The Bible tells us that God has a plan for His children, and it is that   they should become conformed to the image of Jesus (Romans 8:29; Ephesians 4:13; 2 Corinthians 3:18). God wants you to become more and more like Jesus; to partake of His divine, holy and loving nature. This doesn’t mean you will become a god who will rule a universe, as false teachers teach. God wants to transform you by the work of His Spirit inside you, but you remain yourself; a creature with limited abilities (Ezekiel 36:26, 27). God made you to glorify Him, not yourself or any other creature or human being (Revelation 4:11)! The change God wants to make in you can be likened to that of a caterpillar changing into a butterfly. Just as the caterpillar becomes a butterfly over time, your transformation will be total! God wants a divine metamorphosis to take place in your inner person as you surrender your life to Him and give your body as a living sacrifice to Him (Romans 12:1, 2).

In Ephesians 1:12, 14 God says: ‘We are saved in order to praise the glory of God.’ God is such a magnificent being and His glory is so wonderful that we will spend eternity praising and glorifying Him and His grace and glory (Revelation 5:12, 13). 1 Corinthians 10:31 states: ‘Whatever you do, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God.’ That is why it is good for us to sing to God and to praise and glorify Him. He is the Creator, Sustainer and Saviour of the universe, and it is fitting for us to praise Him. It is a privilege and pleasure to praise Him. Psalm 150:6 reads: ‘Let everything that has breath praise Him!’ Psalm 148:13 reads: ‘…let them praise the Name of the Lord for His Name is alone exalted; His glory is above the earth and the heaven.’

Question and truth to consider:  Are you reflecting God’s worth and glory to the people around you? God wants us to be like mirrors reflecting the brightness of the SON of God to all those around us, so that other people can become His children. We are not, however, that brightness ourselves; Jesus Christ alone is (Hebrews 1:3)!

Read: Romans 5:1,10,11; Romans 3:19,23; Romans 3:24-26; Romans 3:19; 1 John 2:1, 2; Philippians 3:9; Romans 4:5-7; Colossians 1:27; Galatians 2:20; Romans 8:15; 8:29; Ephesians 4:13; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ezekiel 36:26, 27; Revelation 4:11; Romans 12:1, 2; Ephesians 1:12, 14; Revelation 5:12, 13; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Psalm 150:6; 148:13;  Hebrews 1:3.

18. The evidences of saving faith

The Evidence of Saving Faith—Fruit; Treasuring Christ

It is a sad fact that many people who claim to belong to God, who claim to be followers of and believers in Jesus Christ, will not reach heaven and do not have everlasting life (Matthew 7:21-23). Jesus said: “Not everyone who says to Me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the Kingdom of heaven but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your Name, cast out demons in Your Name, and done many wonders in Your Name?’ And then I will declare to them ‘I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Many call themselves ‘Christians’ but their lives show that they belong to themselves, the world and the devil (2 Peter 2:1-3, 13-15). Jesus said that a person will be known by the fruit he/she bears. A good tree is known by the good fruit it bears and a bad tree by its bad fruit. In the same way the deeds you do, the fruit you bear, will show whether you belong to Jesus Christ or not (Matthew 7:16-20).

If the real Jesus is in your life and heart, then you will be loyal to God and love your fellow human beings. You will be loving, good, kind, peace-loving, patient, joyful, faithful, self-controlled and humble (Galatians 5:22-2l3). You will not continue living sinfully. Adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, sorcery, idolatry (serving other gods), theft, envy, untruthfulness, contentions, selfish ambitions, covetousness, murders, heresies, foolishness, pride, drunkenness, revelries and taking God’s name in vain, will fall from you like withered leaves fall from a tree in autumn (Galatians 5:19-21; Mark 7:21-23). A preacher once said: ‘The proof of the fact that you belong to Christ, that you are a true worshipper of God, is that you have a heart that treasures Christ above all other things.’

Jesus said in Matthew 13:44: ‘The Kingdom of God is like a treasure hidden in a field which a man finds and reburies, and for joy over it goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.’ And in Matthew 13:45, 46 it is written: ‘The kingdom of God is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found a pearl of great price went and sold all that he had and bought it’. Jesus Christ, and all the excellencies He possesses, is that great Treasure and the Pearl of great price. True faith in God esteems God for Who He is and cherishes Him above all else. In the pressure cooker of life, when things get tough, a person who belongs to God will value Him above all the other things the world can offer.

Consider a tree that is planted by a river. In a gale, a storm, a flood, a hurricane or tornado the tree will not be uprooted because the tree’s roots have gone deep into the ground to make it strong against the elements (Psalm 1:1-4; Jeremiah 17:7) When a Christian faces the storms of life, his/her foundation will be on a rock which stands firm in adversity (Matthew 16:17,18; Matthew 7:24-27) and his/her roots will be deep in Christ. The building that will stand against the wrath of God on judgement day (1 Thessalonians 1:9, 10) is the building whose foundation is Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:9-11). Those who trust in uncertain riches or in the strength of man will be utterly disappointed and ashamed when God comes in judgement. If a Christian must choose the most valuable thing from all that is valuable, he/she will choose Jesus Christ. Jesus said in Matthew 10:36: ‘He who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me, and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me, and he who does not take up his cross [endure suffering] and follow Me, is not worthy of Me.’

Questions to consider: Is Jesus Christ more valuable to you than your close family: your wife, husband, child or mother? Is Jesus more valuable to you than all your possessions and friends? Is God the Treasure you hold fast to when all else is taken away from you?

Read: Matthew 7:21-23; 2 Peter 2:1-3,13-15; Matthew 7:16-20; Galatians 5:22, 23; Galatians 5:19-21; Mark 7:21-23; Matthew 13:44-46; Psalm 1:1-4; Jeremiah 17:7; Matthew 16:17, 18; Matthew 7:24-27; 1 Thessalonians 1:9, 10; 1 Corinthians 3:9-11; Matthew 10:36.

17. Chosen by God

Election

The decisive reason why any person is saved from their sins and born of the Holy Spirit, is not because of the works they do, or because of any quality that may be in them, or any apparently noble disposition, but because of the election of God. Salvation is by the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8, 9)! Jesus said the following to His disciples: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain” (John 15:16 NKJV). When Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth, about 2000 years ago, he mentioned the reasons why God chose them to be His children, “.for you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.” (I Corinthians 1:26-29). God is passionate about receiving the glory for any person’s salvation!

Years ago, a mission leader in a particular church told me that a person is saved by God because of their own choice. He said: “you choose yourself to be in the kingdom of God!” That is definitely not what the Bible teaches! When Paul writes about election, about the fact that God doesn’t choose everybody to be saved, he says the following: “What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not! For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion. So, then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy” (Romans 9:14-16). And in Romans 8:29-30 Paul explains how God saves people: “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (Romans 8:29-30).

It is very clearly taught in Scripture that God has predestined some people to be saved from their sins, and not all people (Ephesians 1:3-5; Acts 13:48). It is very important to know that God has predestined people according to His foreknowledge, as the apostle Peter wrote when he addressed the believers: “..elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ” (I Peter 1:2). This foreknowledge doesn’t mean that God saw in the future who would choose Him and believe in His Son, and on that basis, He decided to choose them! If that were true, then people would be saved by works and not by grace! However, the Bible makes clear that believers are saved by the grace of God! Grace means unmerited favor. We cannot achieve salvation! When it comes to the salvation of sinners, all the glory belongs to God (Romans 3:27, 28)! When the Bible says that some people are predestined according to foreknowledge, it means that God had knowledge of some people before they were born, even before time began (2 Timothy 1:9), and because He set His love on specific persons (John 10:27, 28) and because of His ultimate freedom to choose, and because of His own glory (Romans 11:36), He chose some to salvation and not others.

When we speak about the election of God, we must realise that we will never completely understand why God chose some and not all people to be saved. It is, in a sense, a mystery to us. As Deuteronomy 29:29 says: “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever”. And when Paul concludes his revelation on the election of God, he says: “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33). What we should hold on to is this: the decisive reason why anyone gets into the kingdom of God is because of God’s predestination and election. People repent of their sins and believe in Christ Jesus because God grants them faith in Christ Jesus, and repentance towards God (Ephesians 2:8; 2 Timothy 2:25)! Faith and repentance are gifts from God to those whom God elected before time began (Ephesians 1:3-5; 2 Timothy 1:9).

And the decisive reason why some go to hell for all eternity is because of their own rebellion and sin and their own unwillingness to believe in Christ Jesus as Lord, Savior and Righteousness! The Bible is clear that people go to hell and will suffer everlasting punishment because of unbelief and their personal sin (John 3:36; Revelation 21:8, 27). Yes, God did not choose all to salvation, but the rebellious and unbelieving will have only themselves to blame when they open their eyes in hell. God’s justice will be unleashed upon sinners in hell and even there the glory of God’s justice will shine brightly and be evident for all to see.   

Scripture to consider: John 1:12, 13 declare: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

Read: Ephesians 2:8,9; John 15:16; 1 Corinthians 1:26-29; Romans 9:14-16; Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 1:3-5; Acts 13:48; 1 Peter 1:2; Romans 3:27,28; 2 Timothy 1:9; John 10:27,28; Romans 11:36; Deuteronomy 29:29; Romans 11:33; 2 Timothy 2:25; John 3:36; Revelation 21:8,27; John 1:12,13.