Lesson No. 1.The Bible: The Word of God

Introduction:
The Bible is the Word of God. Holy Bible is God's great gift to all people everywhere. God gave this gift to help us out of our sin and misery and darkness.

The Bible is not an ordinary Book. Every word is true. It is filled with God's own power and authority. The men who wrote God's word were inspired by the Holy Spirit. God moved them to write exactly the truth as He gave it to them. We should read our Bibles as if it was God Himself speaking to us- directly and personally by His Word. God will give us many good things: Light, understanding, spiritual food and physical health.

The words of the Bible have power to: cleanse us, sanctify us (set us apart to God), build us up, make us sharers in God's own nature and give us power and wisdom to overcome the Devil.

Memory Work:

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works" (2.Timothy 3:16, 17).

Bible Study:

The Word of God: Jesus gave the name, "the Word of God" to the Scripture. Jesus said: " the Scripture cannot be broken". John 10:35 says: " If He called them gods, to whom the Word of God came ( and the Scripture can be broken) ".

Jesus accepted the Old Testament Scriptures. He accepted them without question. He accepted their authority as the inspired Word of God. He based all His teaching on these Scriptures. Jesus spent His entire life obeying these scriptures and following them.

David tells us about God's Word: David tells us the following two things about God's word: (i) God's word is settled forever in Heaven, (ii) God's word in it's entirety is truth. God's word begins in Heaven. This word was given through holy men. God Himself is the source. "Forever O LORD Your Word is settled in heaven" (Psalm 119:89). "The entirety of Your Word is truth, and everyone of Your righteous judgements endures forever" (Psalm 119:160).

The Origin of the Scriptures: How were the Scriptures originally given? (i) By the inspiration of God,(ii) Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

A person must receive the incorruptible seed of the word of God into his heart in order to be born again and have eternal life. "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever "(1.Peter 1:23). The Scriptures are profitable for four things:

1. Doctrine,
2. Reproof(rebuke),
3. Correction,
4. Instruction in righteousness.

A Christian who studies and obeys God's word is made perfect (complete) and thoroughly equipped for every good work (see 2.Timothy 3:17).

" Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit "(2.Peter 1:20-21).

God's Word is our Spiritual food:" As new born babes, desire the sincere milk if the word, that ye may grow thereby:"( 1.Peter 2:2). God's word provides food for every stage of spiritual development: (i) "Milk" for New born babes (1 Peter 2:2 ) ; (ii) "Bread" for those growing up (Matt.4:4), (iii) "Solid food" ( for diet) for those who are of full age, or spiritually mature (Heb.5:12-14).

We should apply the teaching of God's word to every part of our life. Someone has said: " Either God's word will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from God's word".

The word of God is the spiritual food, God has provided for His children. God's words were more than his necessary food for Job (see Job 23:12 ). Jeremiah fed on God's word. It became a joy and rejoicing of his heart to him (see Jere. 15:16 ).

A young Christian person can lead a clean life by taking heed according to God's word. Psalm 119:9. A Christian should hide (store up) God's word in his heart that he may not sin against God. " Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You". Psalm 119:11.

A Victorious Life: God's word produces two results in young men: (i) It makes them strong, (ii) they overcame the wicked one (the devil). When Jesus was tempted, He answered from the word of God ( Matt. 4:4, 7,10). Jesus is the best example for successful young man. "... I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one" (1.John 2:14)."And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God"(Ephesians 6:17).

God has given the word of God to Christians as part of their spiritual armour. In Ephesians 6:13-17, Apostle Paul six items of spiritual armour that give the Christian complete protection. But only one of them is a weapon of attack, "the sword of the Spirit" (v.17). It is the responsibility of each believer to 'take'(v.17) this sword- which is God's word.

God's Provision for the Spirit, Mind and Body of the Christians: Psalm 119 uses two descriptions to show how God's word helps Christians walk in this world: (i) It is a lamp to our feet, (ii) It is a light to our path. "Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105). Look up 1.John 1:7: "If we walk in the light... ".The light by which we must walk is God's word, which enables us to truly see as we walk.

God's word provides for the spirit, mind and body of the Christian. Human spirit is the inner man, the body is the outer man and soul consists of mind, will and emotion. God's word gives two things to the mind of a Christian: (i) Light, (ii) Understanding. "The entrance of Your word gives light; It gives understanding to the simple" (Psalm 119:130).

God's word provides health to all the flesh(body) of a Christian who studies it carefully. Prov. 4:20-22. When God's people were sick and in need, God sent His word to heal and deliver ( see Psalm 107:20). "He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions". The directions are fourfold: (i) Give attention to My words, (ii) Incline your ear, (iii) Do not let them depart from your eyes, (iv) keep them in the midst of your heart ( Proverbs 4:20-22).

Cleansing, Sanctification and Inheritance: From the following Bible verses, we understand that God's word does four things for His people:
(i) John 15:3;Eph. 5:26: It cleanses us (washes like clean water). We are God's people.
(ii) John 17:17: It sanctifies us.
(iii) Acts 20:32: It builds us up (teaches)
(iv) Acts 20:32: It gives us an inheritance.

Only through God's word do we come to know: (a) what is our rightful inheritance in Christ, and (b) how to obtain that inheritance.

God's Word makes us His Disciples: A Christian had Jesus' commandments and keeps them. Those who hear the word of God and do it are called Jesus' brothers and mother. God's love is made perfect in a believer by keeping God's word (John 14:21; Luke 8:21;1.John 2:5).Your attitude toward God's word is your attitude toward God Himself. Love, obey and honour His word.

The following two results follow our lives when we claim the promises of God's word: (i) we are made partakers (sharers) of divine nature, (ii) we escape the corruptions of this world. "By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" (2. Peter 1:4). When we believe and obey God's word, God's own nature (divine nature) fills our hearts and lives. The zoe life of God is the divine nature of God. This life is in our Lord Jesus Jesus. We are God's own children.

Course Material prepared by: Dr. C. Peter Chandran, Ph. D., Preacher & Bible Professor The Living God Ministries Chennai, India.

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