Let us have a look at what the Bible actually states, because Jesus said that there is no power in the Scriptures.
In fact, Jesus said that the power of God and the Scriptures are two different things.
- Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. (Matthew 22:29)
Many people, unfortunately, fall for the lie that the Bible itself is the Living Word of God that has the power to move mountains, the power to raise the dead and is the source of life.
Some people are so blinded by this lie of the Devil that they even believe that the King James Version of the Bible (KJV) is the only book that qualifies to be called the Living Word of God. They vehemently berate others who do not read the KJV as being of the Devil.
There is nowhere in the Bible that says that the Scriptures are the Living Word of God. In fact, Jesus said that they are unable to give life and the Apostle Paul said the letter killeth, or the written code does not provide life.
This is what Jesus said:
- You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. (John 5:39-40 NIV)
The WORD of GOD is not the Bible. In fact, the Bible bears witness to Him who is the Word of God: Lord Jesus Christ.
Too many people miss the truth of the Scriptures because they refuse to seek out Lord Jesus Christ. Instead, they prefer their understanding or opinion or the teachings and philosophies of men. So they will study the Scriptures that support philosophical assumptions that are merely church dogma or doctrines, but are not found in the Bible. Because people follow doctrines of man, they are not known by Lord Jesus, and they never seek Him out.
The key teaching of the Scriptures is that they bear witness to Lord Jesus Christ, THE LIVING WORD OF GOD. Jesus has the power to impart life because He is the very source of life. The Gospel of John begins:
- In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind (John 1:1-4 NIV)
The verse taken from the book of Hebrews is taken out of context as is most Scripture when it comes to supporting various beliefs that are not of God. Read the following:
- For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:12-13 NIV)
Unfortunately, the New International Version of the Bible irreverently refers to the Living Word of God as an “it”. (Personally, I would throw it out.)
Let us read the New King James Version:
- For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:12-13 NKJV)
The New King James Version gets the translation correct and refers to the Word of God as HE and HIM. In fact, when we read the book of Revelation we read:
- Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (Rev. 19:11-16 NKJV)
Clearly, the Word of God, Who is active and alive and Who is searching the hearts of men and women to discern their thoughts and intentions is not the Bible. It is the One unto Whom judgment has been given.
The book of Acts tells us that God overlooks our ignorance and desires everybody to repent because judgment is coming.
- Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31 NKJV)
The Bible or Old Testament (and new, of course) is the Written Word that bears witness to Lord Jesus Christ, The Living Word of God; the only person who has never sinned and who is capable of imparting eternal life to everyone.
Unless a person understands what is written there is no way that person will grasp what is required of him or her. People have difficulty understanding many things when they are not able to conceptualize an idea. An idea needs to be first conceptualized in people's minds before they are able to believe in it and then express faith in it through their actions.
Too many people are academics and are indoctrinated to accept systems of belief rather than actually possessing the true critical thinking that they claim. For in a person were to possess true critical thinking they would hate evil. Instead, they get puffed up with what is falsely called knowledge and they they compare themselves with others. Impractical knowledge or theory is good for what (?). If it has no practical application it has no value. If it has practical application it ceases to be a theory.
Doctrines are theories. Theories are based upon assumptions that seem correct. Assumptions are statements of possibilities. Unfortunately, assumptions become the basis of a doctrine that is accepted as true. In reality, doctrines and church dogma are essentially manmade philosophies. But when it comes to truth, this is different; because truth is real, eternal, applicable now.
People do not understand the Bible because they are unable to $@!&%$#@??? (if you get my point) grasp its meaning. The reason for this is they do not hate evil sufficiently to let the light shine into their minds the truth. Unless a person hates evil, the light of God cannot shine into peoples' minds the information in the Bible sufficiently for them to conceptualize the idea that evil will destroy them.
The idea that God is the Designer of the Universe Who loves His Creation and has sent His Son to atone for sin and death escapes those who do not hate evil. When we start to begin to hate evil, this is the beginning of true knowledge, eternal knowledge; knowledge that will make a person wise.
When we start to hate evil, we begin to become wise, because we start to become humble. Unless a person is humble and hates the evil that he or she does, they are not going to cry out to God to help them or teach them. They might become religious bigots who pride themselves on their knowledge of the Bible, but they will not be truly humble. Only when we hate evil sufficiently to cry out to God, will we begin to become wise. But those who are proud, think that sin and, its corollary, death are nothing to be concerned about.
Those who say they believe in the Bible, and that they have eternal life because of their belief in the Bible itself, Jesus says, do not possess life. If they do not have life, then it is not eternal life that they have, they are merely heading towards death. Those that find Lord Jesus Christ. Those who seek Jesus out. The Bible says, they will be the ones given the power to overcome death. Because they will receive the power to overcome sin. But unless people hate their sin, they will not seek Lord Jesus Christ out.
Why?
The lusts of the world and the pride of life will prevent them, and the god of this world will have the right to continue to deceive them.
What we will find is people believing in a doctrine that the Bible is the Living Word of God, when it is false. They take a number of texts out of context to support this doctrine. Then they claim they are powerless to overcome sin. If the Bible possessed power, surely they would overcome sin. Instead, they will claim they are saved by grace. Yet the Bible states we are saved through faith, not grace alone.
- And that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:15 NKJV)
The Holy Scriptures mentioned here are the Old Testament and these are able to make people wise; at least, wise enough to have faith in the Son of God, but only if we begin to hate evil.
Now what Jew would have thought of that? Saul of Tarsus, that's who.
He found no power in the Scriptures, even though he was among the most brilliant of the students of his day, and he probably could quote the Old Testament verbatim. Jesus became the difference in Saul's life. The Apostle Paul was the born again Saul.
There is no power in the Bible. The Bible bears witness to Lord Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus Christ gives us the power to overcome sin and death.
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