ODJ: why the Bible matters


March 27, 2013 

READ: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-13 


When you received His message from us, you didn’t think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very Word of God (v.13).


In his article Does the Bible Matter in the 21st Century? 
 author Vishal Mangalwadi lifts up the inestimable 
 worth of God’s Word. He also notes that bad things happen when a country chooses to ignore the Bible’s wisdom. He writes, “[America] was built by an ethic—a spirituality that taught citizens to work, earn, save, invest and use their wealth to serve their neighbours. This biblical ethic has been replaced by secularism’s entitlement culture that teaches people that they have a right to this, that and the other without corresponding obligations to work, save and serve.”


That statement reflects the culture in many countries around the world. The apostle Paul, however, saw the church at Thessalonica embrace a very high view of Scripture and the biblical ethic. The people “received [God’s] message” and “accepted what we said as the very Word of God” (1 Thessalonians 2:13). By doing so, they were choosing “to please God, not people” (v.4).


To embrace a high view of Scripture today means that you’ll be swimming upstream in a culture that doesn’t believe in it. You’ll have to accept that human praise will not be coming your way (v.6). But as you live out what God’s Word teaches and commands, you’ll be leading a life “that God would consider worthy” (v.12).

The Bible matters, for it’s the foundation of a life that glorifies God and possesses the life changing wisdom we need. Paul writes, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realise what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).


That’s why the Bible matters. —Tom Felten