The Holy Bible
Volumes have been written out of it’s little volume, aspects of its teachings constitutes the research focus for several students, while many spend nearly a life time studying its pages. The quest for knowledge and solution to mankind’s endless challenges often drives us to the Bible. It is the basis of the Christian faith.
Huge cathedrals have been built to teach its doctrines and Bible schools abound. Indeed there must be something about the bible that makes it unequaled. In spite, or because of this, it has its share of controversy. Today there exist several denominations in the religious church that hold divergent views of the same portions of the Bible. Even amongst friends one verse would mean something different to each one, yet providing succor at inquisition to fill genuine spiritual voids in the heart.
For many Christians the Bible is also infallible, in that it is incapable of error within matters of faith and practice, being free from error in spiritual but not necessarily in historic or scientific matters. This is quite different from the belief that the Bible is the inerrant word of God, without error in any aspect, spoken by God and written down in its perfect form by humans. For this, some critics have put forward their observations on repetitions, errors and contradictions among verses, such as Dennis McKinsey’s Encyclopedia of Biblical Errancy. (1995)
However it is good to understand that, like the Nation’s Constitution which Lawyers study so much and still disagree on some clauses and their applications; else there wouldn’t have been much use of the courts to interpret the constitution even though the Judges often may not have been part of those who drafted the constitution.
In most cases we can’t work by the literal sentences; we certainly need the Holy Spirit to interpret in each situation. He was there in the drafting and understands the intent. It was inspired by Him in the first place. The Bible itself says that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God”. (2Timothy 3:16).
The Scriptures
As a literary composition, the Bible is the most remarkable book ever made, containing different forms of literature-history, biography, poetry, proverbial sayings, hymns, letters, laws, parables, prophesies, and several forms of human expression. Where man is considered as God’s product, then like every manufacturer does, The Bible becomes “Owner’s Manual” where the purpose and use of life is laid out. Described as Blessed Information Bringing Life Eternal, it certainly contains Basic Information Before Leaving Earth, urging it’s readers to accept salvation, freely, having been paid for by a sinless Christ. The BIBLE is the only Book by which you may know certainly the future; It is the only Book that satisfactorily
answers the questions, ‘Where did I come from? Why am I here? Where am I going?”
Renowned Scholars and leaders have said of the Bible thus:
Sir Isaac Newton (1643 –1727): “There are more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history.” … “I have a fundamental belief in the Bible as the Word of God, written by men who were inspired. I study the Bible daily.”
John Wesley (1703 –1791): “This Book (the BIBLE) had to be written by one of three people: good men, bad men or GOD. It couldn’t have been written by good men because they said it was inspired by the revelation of GOD. Good men don’t lie and deceive. It couldn’t have been written by bad men because bad men would not write something that would condemn themselves. It leaves only one conclusion. It was given by divine inspiration of GOD”
George Washington (1732 – 1799): “It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.”
Patrick Henry ( 1736 -1799): “The Bible is worth all other books which have ever been printed.”
Napoleon Bonaparte (1769 –1821): “The Bible is no mere book, but it’s a living creature with a power that conquers all who oppose it.”
Victor Hugo (1802 –1885):“England has two books; The BIBLE and Shakespeare. England made Shakespeare, but the BIBLE made England” “I have found in the BIBLE words for my inmost thought; songs for my joy, utterance for my hidden griefs and pleadings for my shame and feebleness”
Horace Greeley (1811 –1872): “It is impossible to enslave mentally or socially a Bible-reading people. The principles of the Bible are the groundwork of human freedom.”
Phillip Brooks (1835 – 1893): “The BIBLE shows how the world progresses. It begins with a garden, but ends with a holy city”
D.L. Moody ( 1837 – 1899): “Sin will keep you from this Book. This Book will keep you from sin”
Woodrow Wilson (1856 – 1924): “A man has deprived himself of the best there is in the world who has deprived himself of this knowledge of the Bible
I particularly take interest in F. J Dakes tribute to the Bible (1961). He says “
This book reveals the mind of God, the state of man,
The way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers.
Its doctrines are holy; its precepts are binding,
Its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable.
Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy.
It contains light to direct, food to sustain, and comfort to cheer you.
Man should read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy.
It is the travelers map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilots compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s charter.
Here too, heaven is opened, and the gates of hell disclosed.
Christ is its grand subject, our good its design,
And the glory of God its end.
It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet.
Read it slowly, frequently, prayerfully, meditatively, searchingly, and study it industriously.
It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure.
It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever.
It involves highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor,
And condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.
Owned it is riches, studied it is wisdom; trusted it is salvation;
Loved it is character; and obeyed it is power.
The Word of God
A little girl repeating the Twenty-Third Psalm said it this way: “The LORD is my Shepherd, that’s all I want” .
Understanding the essence of the existence the Bible in our day is very necessary if it must be put to appropriate use, in misdirecting its power, some people place it under their pillow to ward off nightmares, others make incantations and even swear by it, while some make the search for lacuna, their preoccupation, such as the diversionary for question of who Cain got married to. As the inspired word of the SOVERIGN God who has the right to chooses what He wants to reveals, He is at liberty to keep any other detail secret as recorded in Deuteronomy 29:29 which says “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.”
The essence of the Book of Books in our domain is clear; that it simply contains all that is needed to get guidance from God, understand His thoughts for mankind and reconcile man to God. We will certainly agree that the volume of the bible is too small to keep complete historical accounts of even some of our local dynasties, how much more the whole earth.
Studying the Bible is an education in itself that not only informs, but also transforms the reader. The completeness and awesomeness of the bible is reflected in its brevity of words, yet for clarity and sometimes emphasis, it still has to repeat certain stories and injunctions. It may not have listed all that constitutes sin in today’s world, but how more precise would such list have been, than the summarization in James 4: 17 “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”
For me the Bible simply reveals the mind of God for me at every instant, and His Holy Spirit as the interpreter of the verses beyond what is literally written. Indeed “ … the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life” 2Cor 3:6.
Samuel Hanotu Kwelle (May 2012)
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