The multitude of different church buildings downtown in every city stands as a sad reminder of religious division and confusion. In man’s loss of unity, he is tempted to blame God and His word, the Bible. Men conclude that, since we do not understand the Bible, then the Bible cannot be understood. This is a most serious and fundamental error. Furthermore, it is a personal attack on either God’s goodness or His ability to communicate to men. The Bible declares plainly that it can be understood.
The Bible gives a man all the truth that he needs to please God: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (II Timothy 3:16-17). Even though we do not have the complete record of what Jesus did on earth, we have what we need to understand, believe and be saved. “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:30-31). It is the truth that will make us free as Jesus said,”If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31,32). Jesus has provided that truth for us today in the pages of the Holy Bible.
It is clear from the Bible itself that God intended for us to understand and obey it. Paul said, “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:17). He also made it clear that God’s revelation of the Bible through Him could be understood upon reading. “… How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)” (Ephesians 3:4).
Some parts of the Bible are more difficult than others. Peter said, “…Even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; as also in all his epistles speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction” (II Peter 3:15-16). Even though it takes more study to understand some of the scriptures, you will notice in this passage that God neither condoned or excused the error that was taught because of Bible misunderstanding. He rather pointed out that the misusers of the Bible brought their own destruction. People will be lost in hell because they misuse the scriptures to teach error.
In a time of flooding religious error and misunderstanding of the Bible let us not blame God and His word, but with great determination find the truth revealed within the pages of the Holy Bible and unite on that truth to salvation. May God richly bless our efforts to know and do His will.
– by Dwight McGee