Timeless Truths for a New Generation
2 Timothy 3:15
From childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
One of the tragedies of our contemporary culture is that people are not convinced of the Bible's worth. I have often shared with our congregation the burden that people in the 21st century do not believe the Bible has anything to say to today's generation.
Six hundred Christians from a wide range of cultures were questioned, and it was discovered that 25% read their Bible more than once a week, and most of the remaining 75% don't read it at all. Did you catch that? Over half of so-called "Christians" today do not even read their Bible! The president of the research group summarized the findings of the survey:
People aren't reading the Bible because they think it is irrelevant to everyday life. Many people, even those who read the Bible, do not see the Scriptures as containing instruction and answers that deal with the everyday problems they face. They think of the Bible as they would a cookbook. It is a wonderful thing for putting together thirty-person dinner parties, but it doesn't have any recipes in it for tonight's dinner for the family. It's great for special occasions but not for everyday situations.
Is the Bible relevant today? In the 21st century, is the Word of God still as powerful as it was in Hebrews 4:12, when it was described as "living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword?" Is our Bible today the same divinely-inspired book that Paul spoke of to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, praising it as "profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work"?
The answer is yes!
The Bible that we hold in our hands today, translated from the original languages and passed down to us over the centuries, is just as profitable for every aspect of our lives in the 21st century as it was for believers in the first century.
If you've paid attention to history, you'll understand that except for technological advances, the world hasn't changed much. People will always be people, and as Solomon wisely said in Ecclesiastes 1:9, "There is nothing new under the sun." As long as there are people to inhabit the world, there will always be a dire need for truth and direction for living.
Praise be to God who has given us both in His Word! Perhaps the reason Christianity has taken somewhat of a "new face" in the present century is because we have forgotten whose face we are supposed to reflect. The Bible is clear—if we want to know God and His Son, Jesus Christ, He has been revealed in Scripture. His Word is not just a to-do list of spiritual chores, or an informative historical document; it is the way we can know Him and show Him to an unbelieving world.
Scripture is God's Truth to mankind in every generation, and it never grows old . . . it's timeless!
Prayer Point: If you have been taking God's Word lightly, having fallen into the belief that it is no longer relevant, confess that to God and ask Him to show you your desperate need for it. Then, thank him for calling men throughout the centuries who were willing to face death and persecution, so that you and I could have copies of the Bible in our own language.
Extra Refreshment: 2 Timothy 3—a promise that mankind will forsake truth in "the last days."
Many ministries today expound on life and illustrate with Scripture;
we’re committed to expounding on Scripture and illustrating with life!
