Why Men Oppose the Bible

Many who articulate an opposition to the Bible do so by dismissing it as merely "a book written by men."  Of course men were the vessels used by God.  Still others claim the Bible is simply an ancient relic and not valid for modern times.  However, I submit there is something much deeper that causes men to oppose the Bible.

Here are four reasons men oppose the Bible:

1) The Bible contains the law of God - this reveals man's sin

2) The Bible proclaims the judgement of God - punishment for man's sin

3) The Bible depicts God as Sovereign - and man is not (and we desperately want to be)

4) The Bible asserts that the only way to God is through Jesus Christ - not works, religion or man's goodness

The irony is that these are some of the very things that we all need to know and understand.  When the Holy Spirit brings us to the point of repentance and faith, these four truths become foundational in our understanding of God, His grace and who we are in Christ.  And God has provided all of this and preserved it for us in His Word.  "Take up and read!"

A Proverb A Day

One of the simplest and useful ways to read the Bible can be found through a daily visit to the book of Proverbs. There is a treasure trove of wisdom on a wide variety of subjects and it never gets old.  Since there are 31 chapters in Proverbs you can very simply read one each day throughout the course of one month.  I have done this for years, on and off, and have always been blessed.  God's Word is like that isn't it?!  In His providence we are often guided to a passage that speaks to us, "right where we live."

On another very good blog I discovered some helpful insights for reading and applying Proverbs.  Please take minute to read them, I think they will bring some clarity too. You can find them here.

Of course there are 65 other books contained in God's Word and all of them are "profitable" for our daily use.  However, it is easy to get stuck in our studies or to be unsure of where to go next.  So perhaps you would benefit from a proverb a day.  Start now and plan to read a chapter in Proverbs every day for the next month.  Let me know how it goes.

The Biblical Christmas Story

The four gospels that open the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) all contain a reference to Jesus' Birth, which is the Christmas story.  Each of the accounts are different as each were written for different audiences, from different perspectives.  However, the primary aim is the same.  All four gospel writers are conveying the truth that Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, was uniquely born.  Jesus took on human flesh and identified with His creation so that ultimately He could redeem the lostness and brokenness of mankind.

John captures with great depth the story of Jesus' incarnation when he boldly states, "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)  In the Old Testament days God would display His glorious presence among the nation of Israel in the most holy place, first in the tabernacle and later in the temple.  This symbolic, shining light was the closest the people, through the ministry of the high priest, would ever really come to God Himself.

All of that changed in Bethlehem.  The glory of God, in the person of Jesus, came down to dwell among us.  That baby in the manger changed everything!

This is the story of Christmas. For those who have come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior, it is up to us to "Go Tell it on the Mountain...that Jesus Christ is born!"