WHAT DOES THE BIBLE S
AY?
A weekly column of the Robison Street Church of Christ, 301 Robison Street. Send your questions to P.O. Box 846, Edna, Texas 77957.
website - ednachurchofchrist.org We encourage your questions. All inquiries will be kept confidential
For many people, the Bible is a mystery. When an opportunity to discuss God’s word comes they struggle to understand what they read or hear. When a difference in interpretation arises they claim that no one can know which interpretation is correct. They conclude the Bible cannot be understood. But is that the case? Can we understand the Bible?
When God began speaking to Moses, giving the Law to the people of Israel, Moses read from the Book of the Covenant and the people said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient” (Exo. 24:7). Why would God reveal something to Moses and have it read to the people that they could not understand? Why would the people agree to be obedient to something that they could not understand? God expected the people to hear and learn what the Law said and to obey it. This implies they could understand what God was communicating to them in His word (Neh. 8:8).
In the New Testament, we see this same concept again and again. On a number of occasions, Jesus asked people about their understanding of the Law of Moses (Mt. 12:3, 5; 19:4; 22:31). Jesus expected that people could understand God’s word. The apostle Paul reminded Timothy to continue in what he had learned and believed and how “from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation” (2 Tim. 3:14-15). If Timothy, as a child, could understand the Bible then certainly we can read and understand what has been written.
It is unreasonable to believe that God would reveal His will in written form and command us to read and understand it and then, at the same time, make it too difficult to understand. Paul told the Ephesian Christians they could read and understand God’s word (Eph. 3:4). In fact, they were commanded to do so (Eph. 5:17) and thanks be to God, we too can read and understand the Bible.
– Phillip Stuckey – [email protected] “Come and see. Come and hear the good news of the Gospel. We meet at the corner of Robison and Church Streets on Sunday at 9:30 AM for Bible classes for all ages and 10:30 AM for worship and again at 6:00 PM for worship. We also meet on Wednesday at 7:00 PM for Bible classes for all ages.”
