why it matters
Why did God give us the Bible?
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The Bible tells us what God thinks.
1 Thessalonians 2:13
"For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God..."
2 Timothy 3:16
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God..."
The Bible tells us what is true and what is false.
Acts 17:11
"These were more noble...in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so."
Romans 15:4
"For whatsoever things were written aforetime [the Old Testament] were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."
The Bible tells us right from wrong; what to do and what not to do.
Mark 12:24
"And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures...?"
2 Timothy 2:15
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God... rightly dividing the word of truth."
Psalms 119:105
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."
1 Corinthians 10:11
"Now all these things [in the Old Testament] happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition..."
2 Timothy 3:16
"All scripture...is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness..."
The Bible gives us faith.
1 John 5:13
"These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God."
Romans 10:17
"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."
John 5:39
"Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me."
Acts 18:28
"For he mightily convinced the Jews...shewing by the scriptures that Jesus was Christ."
2 Timothy 3:15
"...the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."
The Bible is essential for spiritual growth.
Acts 20:32
"...I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up..."
1 Peter 2:2
"As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby..."
Psalms 119:130
"The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple."
John 15:3
"Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you."
John 17:17
"Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."
Psalms 119:9
"Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word."
Psalms 119:50
"This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me."
2 Timothy 3:16-17
"All scripture is given... That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."
1 John 2:1
"...these things write I unto you, that ye sin not."
We can be blessed through the Bible.
James 1:22-25
"...doers of the word...shall be blessed..."
Revelations 1:3
"Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein..."
The Bible helps us get prayer answered.
John 15:7
"If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."
The Bible is our offensive weapon.
Ephesians 6:13-17
"...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God..."
Luke 4:8
"Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written..."
The Bible helps us fight temptation.
Psalms 119:10-11
"...let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee."
The fact that Jesus was called the "Word" (capital "W") should emphasize to us the importance of his "word" (lower case "w").
John 1:1
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
John 1:14
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us..."
How important is the Bible?
Psalms 138:2
"...thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name."
John 14:23
"Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him..."
Luke 9:26
"For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed..."
John 8:31-37
"Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free...
I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you."
John 12:48 "He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day."
To say that the Bible is "important" is an understatement.
According to the verses you just read,
without the Bible...
we can't know how God thinks,
we can't know truth from error,
we can't surely know right from wrong,
we can't know what to do,
we can't know exactly who Jesus is,
we can't surely know how to be saved,
we can't have assurance of our salvation,
we can't have our faith strengthened,
we can't grow spiritually (we can't improve ourselves),
we can't receive certain blessings,
we can't get certain prayers answered, and
we can't fight temptation.
It's no wonder then that God warned us...
Jeremiah 23:28-36
"...he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully...
I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour...
every man's word shall be his burden; for ye have perverted the words of the living God..."
Proverbs 30:5-6
"Every word of God is pure... Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar."
Revelations 22:18-19
"For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book,
If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy,
God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."
Modern English Bible translators, in producing new translations unnecessarily, insincerely, and unprepared,
have added to, subtracted from, and and perverted the scriptures (in many cases intentionally).
What they have produced is not the word of God, for it doesn't have the exact words of God.
The Bible is not a "message" that can be expressed in whatever words you feel comfortable with;
the Bible is a FIXED SET OF SPECIFIC WORDS that have special significance and supernatural properties
and say exactly what God wanted to say exactly how God wanted to say it.
Hence, there can only be one real Bible in the English language.
If you were going to assemble a complicated machine, would you use multiple versions of the instruction manual, each with pages missing,
or would you use the correct and complete version written by the inventor of the machine?