Most of us can point to a book that encouraged or influenced us in some way. However, there is a book that is unique from all others. Unlike the shelves of volumes someone may have on a bookcase or find in a bookstore, this book is divinely inspired without error and completely true. Not only that, but it is a book that is living and active, with the power to change lives.
This book is the Bible.
Humans penned the Bible's words, but they were moved along by the Holy Spirit. Thus, Christians refer to the Bible as the Word of God because it was breathed out by the Lord (2 Timothy 3:16). Like all the other words spoken by the Lord, His book bears lasting fruit and does not return empty (Isaiah 55:11).
Wherever the Bible is read, memorized, and spoken, people are never the same. As Amy Carmichael observed in her book, Thou Givest… They Gather: Truths Gleaned From the Word of God, “The amazing thing is that everyone who reads the Bible has the same joyful thing to say about it. In every land, in every language, it is the same tale: Where that Book is read, not with the eyes only, but with the mind and heart, the life is changed” (CLC, 1958, p. 13). God’s Word has borne spiritual fruit and will continue to do so. Today, Scripture can transform our lives just like it has done for many others in the past.
How does this happen? There are countless ways Scripture can impact us, but here are five specific ways the Bible can transform our lives forever.
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1. Knowledge of the Gospel
In Scripture, we find a story that is filled with both horror and hope. Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth to live among us, fully God and perfectly man. He never sinned but spent His life loving and serving others. However, the religious leaders of the time did not like Jesus. They arrested Him and handed Him over to the Romans to be tortured and crucified. In love, He laid down His life for us, taking all our sins onto Himself and dying in our place on that bloodied cross. Two of His followers placed Him in a tomb, their hopes gone. How would He set up His kingdom now as the promised Messiah?
But then, the unexpected happened. The women went to His tomb early on the third day and found the stone rolled away. They announced the good news: He is risen! Death was not the end. Jesus Christ was resurrected.
This story, known as the gospel, is not some fanciful tale. It is historical and true. Christ died as our substitute as an atoning sacrifice, was buried, and rose to life on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). He defeated sin and death. From that time onward, His followers have been proclaiming the good news and urging people to believe – to trust in Jesus’ death and resurrection to receive salvation.
Salvation means that we have been set free from sin’s bondage. No longer are we separated from God and hell bound. In Christ, people receive the gift of eternal life, a relationship with the Lord that will never end (John 10:28; 17:3). Believers will still die, but because they trust in Jesus, they will live (John 11:25).
Individuals should recognize that the gospel, which is found in the pages of the Bible, is life-changing. Once a person places faith in Jesus, his or her life is forever transformed. A Christian has a new life with an assured hope that will never fail.
Although reading all of Scripture introduces a person to God and His great story, if that person does not trust in Jesus for salvation, then all the knowledge they could amass does not matter. Learning about what Jesus did for humankind and what that means for individuals is vital for someone who has never put their trust in Christ.
So, if you do not know Jesus, start your Bible reading journey in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). The truth you encounter there has the power to change everything for you – if you will believe.
2. A New Perspective of Life
How a person thinks and views the world before they know Christ changes drastically, though sometimes gradually, once becoming a believer. This perspective shift is like cleaning a dirty window. When dirt, residue, and stains cling to the glass, everything outside looks distorted. But everything changes when it is cleaned. People can look out of the glass with clarity to see the trees, sky, and clouds beyond.
Although sin can still distort our thinking at times, God works in the lives of believers to change our viewpoint. He does this as we study His Word. As Paul explained in 2 Timothy 3:16, the Bible teaches, rebukes, corrects, and trains us. Scripture exposes the lies of the world and reveals the truth about reality. Quickly, we find old paradigms turned on their heads.
For instance, the world tells us to strive to the top and put ourselves first. Pushing people out of the way and stepping on them to make it up the ladder of success is fine, as long as we get what we want. Our dreams and desires take priority. In contrast, the Bible teaches something different. People become first by becoming last (Mark 9:35). The greatest is the servant, not the money-grabbing opportunist (Matthew 23:11). The abundant life is only found in Jesus, who calls us to lay down our wants and dreams, willingly giving all for Him (Matthew 16:24). Loving others sacrificially, even to the point of death, is the goal – not stepping on others and shoving them aside.
Even decades after we have been born again, we can discover the Holy Spirit using the Bible to transform our thinking about an issue or area in our lives. Ideas are flipped, and the world’s distortions are scrubbed away. We are left with a perspective that is increasingly clearer and more biblical.
And with that renewed outlook comes a transformed approach to life, one that is focused on glorifying Christ instead of self.
3. A Place to Turn for Encouragement, Comfort and Guidance
Where do you go, and to whom do you turn when you feel alone, sad, or uncertain? Perhaps your mom has always been there to talk to you, offer a hug, or sit with you as the tears flowed. Or encouragement is only a phone call or text away because a friend or loved one consistently shows up for you.
But what about the times when those people are busy or occupied with other things? What happens when your mom dies or the friend no longer answers the late-night call? Where do you turn, then?
A person who has placed faith in the Lord knows that they are never alone, even if no one is physically present. He has promised to be with us always (Matthew 28:20). Also, He has given us His Word filled with promises and encouragement that we can cling to during challenging times.
During those sleepless nights when we are consumed by worry and fear, we can remember what God has said. Many passages, including Psalm 55:22, Matthew 6:25-26, and John 14:27, can bring us comfort if we pause to dwell on them. Even if no one else is available, we can turn to God’s living Word and find encouragement.
Opening the Bible in times of uncertainty or decision-making is also important. The advice of others could make us confused or lead us to a wrong decision. At times, our friends and family do not have all the information needed to help guide us. The Bible, on the other hand, is always effective in directing us. As Psalm 119:105 states, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (NIV). Whenever we are seeking guidance, we can always look to the Bible for help.
Having the Bible at our side, whether in the form of a printed copy or online version, changes things. No longer must we wonder whom we will turn to in times of pain or need. God is with us, and He uses His Word to strengthen, comfort, and guide us.
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4. Ongoing Spiritual Growth
Not only does the Bible tell us the life-changing news of Jesus’ death and resurrection and change our perception of life, but it also continually gives us fresh gifts. We receive encouragement by reading Scripture, and then something else happens. As we fill our hearts and minds with the truth of the Bible and obey the Lord, we begin to experience spiritual growth.
The Bible is not just another book, and it is God-breathed. It is living and active, having the power to transform our lives (Hebrews 4:12). When we study Scripture, meditate on it, and seek to obey it, we grow in Christ and become more like Him. He uses the Bible to help us learn more about Him and to renew our thinking. No one can remain the same if they regularly read God’s Word and apply it.
In Psalm 1, the person who intentionally and consistently meditates on God’s Word is compared to a tree planted by streams of water: that person will be fruitful (Psalm 1:1-3). God wants us to grow tall and strong, firmly rooted in Him. The more we fill our lives with the truth of His Word, the more we will mature and bear good, spiritual fruit.
Of course, reading Scripture daily and applying it to our lives requires discipline. Our sinful flesh will fight against our efforts, tempting us to believe that social media is a more enjoyable way to spend our mornings than reading the Bible. Or to only read the parts that bring us a warm, fuzzy feeling and ignore the hard stuff, like helping the poor and avoiding harmful language (Proverbs 28:27; Colossians 3:8).
Spiritual growth comes from the work of the Lord, but we also have a part. We must be intentional, for no transformation can occur if we disregard the Bible. Our roots will remain shallow instead of growing deep, and our leaves will wither. To thrive, we need God’s Word.
5. A New Purpose
At one point or another, most of us wonder about our purpose in life. The media tells us it is to find “the one” and fall in love. Even within Christian circles, it is common to hear people discussing their perceived purpose of getting married and having children.
But what is our purpose? Did God just put us here to populate the earth? Well, in the beginning, that was one reason (see Genesis 1:28). However, the Bible tells us more directly why we are here and presents us with a mission grander than any of us could imagine.
In the book of Isaiah, we learn that we were created by God for His glory (Isaiah 43:7). This means that in everything we do and in any state we find ourselves, whether married or single, we are called to glorify God with our lives. Such a purpose is amazing when we consider that God does not need us. Yet, He wants us to honor and bring glory to His Name through the way we live.
Connected to this purpose is the Great Commission, which applies to every Christian. As followers of Jesus, we are all commanded to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). In doing so, we share the gospel with others and disciple them so they, too, can live for the glory of the Lord. One day that mission will be completed at Christ’s return. Then, we will worship the Lamb of God with people from every nation, tribe, people group, and language (Revelation 7:9-10).
God’s Word is transforming the lives of people around the world. Whether they read from a mobile device, the pages of a leather-bound book, or meditate on the few tidbits of Scripture they have memorized, the Bible never leaves anyone the same. They experience life where there was once only death. Their focus shifts from worldly to eternal. They live for Christ’s glory instead of self.
The Bible is a book unlike any other and the most important one anyone could ever read. Perhaps it’s time to crack the cover.
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Originally published Friday, 07 June 2024.