The Bible is Fundamental

This humorous story has been told by preachers through the years. In fact, I’ve probably told it. However, the Wyckiffe Handbook of Preaching and Preachers claims this actually happened to Joseph Parker, a 19th century preacher in London.

An old lady waited on Parker in his vestry after a service to thank him for the help she received from his sermons. “You do throw such wonderful light on the Bible, doctor,” she said. “Do you know that until this morning, I had always thought that Sodom and Gomorrah were man and wife?”

However, as far fetched as this sounds, the Barna Research Group has conducted surveys through the years that show “many Americans have a woeful knowledge of the Bible.”  In fact, Barna says we are “a nation of Biblical illiterates.” Unfortunately, that is too often true among Christians. I have actually seen people searching for the book of Hebrews in the Old Testament!

While implied in our 2024 theme, Fundamentals of Faith, that the Bible is fundamental, we have not actually considered this point in a single post.

We know the Bible says, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17), But how can we grow our faith through the Bible’s teaching? Here are five suggestions.

#1. By Receiving The Bible as God’s Word.

A receiver must be turned on to transmit the information. You can hear without really listening. You need a open and clear reception to the Word. The Bible says of those who first heard the gospel preached in Acts that “Those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them” (Ax. 2:41)

To receive is to welcome. To accept. To pay close attention.

We need to be like the Thessalonians whom Paul said “received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God” (1 Thess. 2:13)

#2 By Reading It

Paul wrote, “when you read you can understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ” (Eph. 3:4). The apostle exhorted young Timothy to “give attention to reading” (1 Tim. 4:13).

A planned Bible reading program will help you read the Bible in an organized and timely fashion. In fact, reading it through in one year is an easy goal to obtain. The Five Day Bible Reading Program by Mark Roberts is one I recommend.

Reading the Bible will not only inform you, it will encourage you. Motivate you. Inspire you. Comfort you. Assure you. And strengthen you.

#3 By Researching It.

There is a difference between reading and studying. Reading is a good start, but the next step is research. Those in Berea “searched the scriptures.” That means to scrutinize. To investigate, interrogate, determine, and discern.

There are six age old questions that sill work and help you in digging deeper in your Bible study. When reading a text ask: Who? What? When? Where? Why? Wherefore?

#4 By Remembering It

The Bible writers often challenge us to “remember.” Peter admitted to his readers that he wrote about issues they knew about and were established in but wanted to “remind” them (2Pet. 1;12-13) Paul warned the Ephesian Elders to “Watch and remember” (Ax. 20:31). Jesus institute the Lord’s Supper to be eaten weekly so we could “remember Him” (1 Cor. 11:24-5).

The Psalmist penned, “Your word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Ps. 111:9).

#5 By Reflecting on it

To reflect means to meditate. To ponder. To consider. To contemplate. To deliberate. To think about.

Psalm 119 is a great passage that extols the benefits and blessings of reflecting on the Word of God. What it means. And how it applies to our lives. David’s resolution ought to be ours when he wrote, “I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways” (Ps. 119:115).

Paul exhorted to think on things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable. Then concluded, “if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (Phil. 4:8-9).

Finally, the words of Howard Hendricks ought to be taken to heart by every Christian. “The Bible was written not to satisfy your curiosity but to help you conform to Christ’s image. Not to make you a smarter sinner but to make you like the Savior. Not to fill your head with a collection of biblical facts but to transform your life.”

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman