The living word

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.          Isaiah 40:8

There are some truths so profound and meaningful that it is intensely painful to confront them. The implications are too great, too all-inclusive, too encompassing. In refusing to confront them, we do one of two things: We ignore them, pretending that they are not there; or, recognizing that they are there, we trivialize them, pointing out that there are other options.

If you chose to confront what the Bible says, then neutrality about some issues is not an option. In simple terms, the truth of this Book touches life, conduct and thinking.

Many never get to that point. While many people say they are Christians, in reality they never follow what the Bible says. They simply ignore the Bible, embracing situational ethics and hoping they will not be discovered and embarrassed when society condemns their behavior.

Jesus made a promise. He said, “If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own” (John 7:17). Take the challenge to find out for yourself. No other book in the entire world makes such claims. Paul wrote, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). Twice the Bible says, “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8; 1 Peter 1:24-25).

The greater your knowledge of this Book, the greater will be your respect for it. When you come to understand that it is given by God, you gradually begin to recognize that God gave us these directions, not to make us miserable, but to show us how to live.