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How Do We Love the Bible?
(Part 2)
1. We _trust_ The Bible .
Proverbs 28:26
26 hose who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.
A. It is encouraging that archeology _supports_ the Bible.
• Noah’s Flood is the most common ancient story/myth anywhere, ever. It’s found in early Indian writings, Assyrian, Mayan writings, Peruvian writings, Akkadians writings, and ancient African writings.
• There are many Biblical names that are found in other writings–one that really stands out is that of wicked king Omri, who is mentioned in Assyrian writings. In fact, we know more about Omri from Assyrian writings than we do from Biblical ones–but clearly, according to Assyria, Omri was King of Israel as the Bible claims.
• Every year, more names and places are corroborated. “Jerub-baal” is the nickname given to Gideon in Judges 6:31–32 after Gideon destroyed an altar to the pagan god Baal. It means “Let Baal contend with him.” It’s also the name found written on a pottery jug fragment excavated at Khirbat er-Ra'i, a site near Tel Lachish in southern Israel.” It is dated to within 100 years of Gideon’s lifetime.
There are many reasons to believe these were real people and real events witnessed by real people, and passed down to us with real accuracy.
B. We are tempted to trust the _experts_. And to some extent, we _should_, but not _blindly_. Did you know that “Today, the majority of American children spend five to eight hours per day in front of a screen and less than one hour per day outside.” Some experts were saying in times past that screen time should be started as early as possible with infants–I just saw in the news that “For children under the age of 2, television screen time is associated with sensory differences later in toddlerhood, according to a new study.”
C. Wise Christians _trust_ the Bible. Proverbs 3:5-6
English Standard Version
5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
2. We Obey The Bible
A. Learning is the first step in obeying. After learning comes _doing_.
James 1:22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
B. We willingly _submit_ ourselves to God’s Word.
James 4:7 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”
C. We accept the _struggle_ rather than run from it.
Mt. 16: 24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?
3. We Delight in the Bible
• We Draw our _Comfort_ from the Bible.
2 Cor. 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
• We Draw our _Inspiration_ from the Bible.
Psalm 40:8 “I desire to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart”
• We Draw our _Goals_ from the Bible.
Philippians 2:3–4 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
• We learn to _want_ what the Bible says to want.
Psalm 73:25 “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you”
• We learn to _dislike_ what the Bible says to dislike.
Although the Bible teaches us that God is loving, His love does not overlook sin. In upcoming verses (Proverbs 6:17–19), Solomon lists some of the sins God hates. These are echoed elsewhere in the Bible. Isaiah 61:8 says the Lord hates robbery and wrong. Zechariah 8:17 points out that He hates the planning of evil in the heart against one another. Revelation 2:6 declares that He hates the works of the Nicolaitans.
• We learn to _walk_ as Jesus walked in the Bible.
1 John 2:4-6 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
Sources: Susan Bauer, History of the Ancient World, W.W.Norton; 2007, p. 14.
https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2021/december/biblical-archaeology-top-10-discoveries-new-artifacts-2021.html
https://firsttee.org/2019/03/20/turn-off-the-monitor-turn-on-the-fun/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAnfmsBhDfARIsAM7MKi0tKuKnQVRH_VXS22k-wqj9tlAisU2JqvkPoMfXDwrI-EEbZq33rAQaAo10EALw_wcB
https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Wellness/screen-time-kids-2-linked-sensory-differences-toddlerhood/story?id=106174071
https://www.bibleref.com/Proverbs/6/Proverbs-6-16.html
