He is Counting on You

It is told that when Stanley started across the continent of Africa, he had 73 books in 3 packs weighing 180 pounds. After he had gone 300 miles, he had to throw away some of his books as fatigue set in. Eventually, he had but one book left — The Bible. It is said that he read it through three times during his journey. God is counting on you to rightly divide The Bible. In this, an age of division, there is a need for people to rely on The Bible. Too much confidence is placed in what the preacher says or believes. So many times we have experienced this answer to a religious question: “My preacher says…” Oh so very seldom do we hear: “the Bible says...” There is need in this turbulent world for people to cast aside the complex books of men and search the scriptures daily as did the people of Bearea. (Acts 17:11). Why should we rely on The Bible for spiritual authority? The basic answer to this question lies in the fact that The Bible is the Word of God. For centuries the blows of skepticism and disbelief have rained harmlessly on this grand old book. Voltaire boasted that it had taken twelve men to set up Christianity, but he would prove a single man could overthrow it, He also said that in a hundred years The Bible would be a forgotten book. Poor foolish man! Show me another book that has weathered such criticism and nearly 2,000 years after it is written — it is the best-selling book in history. Show me another book that has been ordered burned by governments, but many years afterward remains a best seller. The Lord is counting on you to stand-up on his behalf. Many “hide their heads” about what to believe. Many appear to believe that it doesn’t matter “what your faith is… if you believe in Jesus.” But hear what Jesus said: “Preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:16). Note that what was to be preached was to be believed — the words are gospel. Jesus also said that man is to live by every word that from God (Matt.4:4). Yes. It matters what we believe, for saving faith “cometh by hearing and hearing the word of God” (Rom.10:17). The kind of faith one possesses matters as well. James said that “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26). A dead faith cannot give spiritual life. Faith that saves also obeys. Paul wrote of “faith that works by love” (Gal.5:6), and that is the only kind of faith that will save. Jesus asked, “Why call me Lord, Lord; and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). We might as well hide our heads in the sand if we try to claim Him as Lord and Saviour while failing to obey Him (John 3:3-5). Salvation by faith is predicated on obedience. “He is the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him”(Heb.5;9).