For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

 

You will never have the power to live a full and fruitful godly life until you choose God’s Word as your final authority. Do you want power over temptation? Over that draining circumstance that you can’t conquer on your own? God’s Word has the power.

So let me ask you: Have you made the choice that God’s Word will be your authority? Haven’t all Christians accepted the Bible as their authority? Well, no, they haven’t. Sadly, instead of making the Bible their authority, many people treat the Bible as one of several sorry substitutes:
(Here’s three from the book . . .)

Some People Treat the Bible as an Hors d’oeuvres Tray

If Kathy and I came over to your house for dinner, I bet you that we wouldn’t be in the door five minutes and you’d offer us a tray of some hot goodies. I’d look at the tray and say, “That one right there looks really good. I’m not sure what that one is, but it probably has too many calories . . . There, that’s the one I want.”

This is how a lot of people treat the Bible. They pick and choose whatever suits their taste: “I really like that part in Romans 8 about how much God loves me, and I really like that part in 2 Corinthians 12 about how “My grace is sufficient for you,” but I don’t like the part over in Galatians 2 about “I have been crucified with Christ.” I’ll skip the part about forgiveness, or repentance, or hell.

The Bible is not your authority as long as you’re picking and choosing the parts you like.

Some People Treat the Bible like Rental Car Insurance

I would guess that most people waive the extra rental car insurance. If you’re like me, you think to yourself, The rental car costs plenty already. Now they want me to add $35 a day for the insurance? I haven’t had an accident in ten years. What are the chances that I’m going to have an accident today? Slim. No, I don’t want the insurance.

A lot of people treat the Bible like that. I guess in an extreme emergency I’m going to want the Bible, but I doubt I’m going to have a crisis today, so I think I’ll pass. Technically, you should get up and spend some time in God’s Word, but instead you grab a cup of coffee and rush out the door. I’ll probably be OK today without it. Some people treat the Bible like rental car insurance.

Some People Treat the Bible like a Seat Belt

Do you wear your seat belt? Yes, of course you do, but why? Well, because it’s the law. I think it’s because of that crazy bell that won’t quit ringing until you click it. If you could get behind the dashboard and rip that bell out, I think you’d wear your seat belt a lot less.

Some people treat the Bible like that. Yeah, I read the Bible because it’s the law. And also because I can’t get the guilt to quit ringing in my ears if I don’t. So to silence the alarm in your head, you spend a few minutes in the Bible every day. But then the Bible isn’t your authority, it’s a nuisance you have to handle.

Instead of an authority to guide your life, these are ways people minimize the Bible:

” An hors d’oeuvres tray where you can pick or choose.
” Rental car insurance, that you’re glad to have, but only in an emergency.
” A seat belt, a nuisance that cramps your style.
” How sad. If this characterizes your thinking in any way, come back to the priority of God’s Word in your life and let it be your authority.

 

Excerpt from 10 Choices: A Proven Plan to Change Your Life Forever, Chapter 4, I Choose the Bible as God’s Word. For more on James’ upcoming book, visit 10Choices.org.

© 2008 Walk in the Word

On this day...

• Forgiven Souls Have the Greatest Cause to be Humble by J. C. Ryle - 2014
• Psalms 42:9 - 2007
• - 2007
• Your thoughts are not His thoughts - 2007