Either one Believe’s the Bible or one Doesn’t
“And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:30-31 NKJV)
The Importance of Scripture
We celebrate a baby born in Bethlehem this time of the year because of the record of the Bible which is scripture or holy writings. Obviously, we have chosen the time to celebrate, but the Bible has told us what to celebrate. Apart from that record we would not know about the virgin birth, the shepherds, the angels, the inn, the magi, nor would we know about the birth of John the Baptist. We depend on the Bible when we say we believe this truth: “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21 NKJV).” Jesus came to save. . .either we believe that or we don’t.
How Much of the Bible can we Question as still be Saved?
I realize that there is a problem of Bible interpretation when we say we believe the Bible. We need to be careful how we apply the promises of the Old Testament that are usually promises to the nation of Israel to ourselves. Then there is the problem of symbolic language. There is the problem of not knowing how God is dealing with time in many of His promises. But there are some basic truths that even those of us who are not skilled at Bible interpretation can understand. For example:
None of Us are Good Enough to go to Heaven by being Good
“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10-12 KJV)
And again, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23 KJV).”
We are sinners who sin. . .either we believe that or we don’t.
Salvation required a Cross and an Empty Tomb
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18 NKJV).” Either we believe that or we don’t.
“But he (the angel) said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him (Mark 16:6 NKJV).” Either we believe that or we don’t.
The Lord is not Dead
We read, “The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God (Acts 1:1-3 NKJV).”
Luke says in the book of Acts that there are many infallible (undeniable) proofs that the Lord was raised from the dead. Either we believe that or we don’t.
The World is not done with the Lord
The Lord says, “Surely I come quickly (or suddenly) (Revelation 22:20 KJV).” Either we believe that or we don’t.
The Great Must
“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12 NKJV).” Either we believe that or we don’t.
Conclusion
I would rather linger around an empty tomb than around a manger. I would think it would make sense that “if the plain sense makes sense, we should seek no other sense” when reading the Scriptures. The plain sense is found in the above verses.
The Bible says it, I believe it, and I am saved. Are you?.
Bruce Collins
Meditation for the week of December 19, 2021