THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SCRIPTURES

Even within the Church, the importance of Scripture is minimized. It is argued that many know Scripture but yet live as if they didn’t:

·       It Is acts of love that matter and not Scriptural knowledge. Many people have Scripture knowledge and can even quote verses, but there is no fruit in their lives.

Sadly, there is some truth to this charge. Jesus had accused the Pharisees, who knew the Scriptures better than others, of this tragic disconnect:

·       …and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me…But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. (John 5:38-42)

They had a thorough but superficial understanding of the Scriptures. Accordingly, Jesus charged the Saduccees, who were also scholars of the Law:

·       “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.” (Matthew 22:29)

While the scholars had a “knowledge” of the Law, they twisted it to suite their own self-righteous agenda. Elsewhere, Jesus claimed the man actually hates the Light of God and loves the deception of the darkness because their deeds are evil (John 3:19-20). Therefore, they also rejected Jesus (Matthew 23:37) despite His many miracles.

Paul had explained this rejection of their Light:

·       But their [Israel’s] minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. (2 Corinthians 3:14-16)

The problem wasn’t about any alleged inadequacy of the Scriptures or even of the Hebrew Scriptures. The problem was in the people themselves. They hearts were hardened, and therefore they rejected the Light of the Scriptures as they also rejected Jesus.

Had they humbled themselves before the Lord, confessing their sins, their eyes would have been opened as the next verses claim:

·       Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord [through the Word], are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit…In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God…For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ [through His Word). (2 Corinthians 3:17-18, 4:4, 6)

It is through the Word that God grants us every spiritual blessing:

·       May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him… (2 Peter 1:2-3)

When used by the Spirit, the Word provides us with all the things we need to live for Jesus (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Here are some other verses that should serve to remind us of the centrality of the Word in the life of the Christian:

·       Psalm 1:1-4 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

·       1 John 5:2-3 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

·       2 John 1:6 And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.

·       John 14:15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

·       1 Peter 2:2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—

·       Matthew 13:23 “As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

·       Matthew 4:4 But he [Jesus] answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”