
                            BIBLE     


The ÿBible is the most popular book in the World.  ÿEach year ÿit 
tops ÿthe "best sellers" ÿlist (even though they won't list ÿit).  
It ÿhas been estimated that billions of Bibles have been produced 
in ÿthe ÿpast 375 ÿyears.  ÿSome say that the ÿnumber ÿof ÿBibles 
printed ÿover ÿtime would provide one for each man, ÿwoman, ÿÿand 
child ÿthat lives on the earth.  ÿWhat is the one ÿcharacteristic 
about the Bible that makes it so popular? Simply answered, "It is 
the Word of God!" 

The ÿBible ÿis ÿGod's message to mankind.  ÿSome ÿcall ÿit ÿGod's 
"loveletter" to the human race.  Christians say it is infallible, 
without ÿerror in the original text.  ÿIts critics, ÿÿof ÿcourse, 
don't ÿagree ÿsaying the Bible was written by men, ÿthat ÿit ÿhas 
errors, ÿand it is not completely true. ÿBut let me give you some 
thoughts ÿon why I believe the Bible to be the "very ÿwords ÿfrom 
the mouth of God." 

I.  There Must Be A Bible. 

God has declared the that those who obey Him will go into Heaven, 
but ÿthose ÿwho ÿchoose not to obey will ÿbe ÿthrown ÿinto ÿHell; 
therefore, ÿÿthere must be a Bible.  ÿSince God has declared that 
those ÿwho keep His righteous standard will be blessed, ÿthen ÿHe 
must provide man with the "Standard."  ÿBecause God has a burning 
Hell for those who disobey, ÿthen He must provide the Book of the 
Law, ÿÿdeclaring when man has wronged God. ÿThe Bible must ÿexist 
because God holds man accountable. 

II.  The Bible Must Be Without Error. 

Since ÿGod ÿis ÿresponsible ÿto provide ÿman ÿwith ÿthe ÿ"perfect 
standard," by which to live, He must be sure it is without error.  
A ÿstandard that has errors in it is not a standard at all.  ÿCan 
you ÿimagine trying to measure with a ruler that is less than ÿor 
greater than 12 inches?  ÿIf the Bible has errors then how is man 
supposed ÿto ÿknow ÿwhat God truly wants him to ÿdo?  ÿÿNo, ÿÿthe 
expected ÿstandard ÿfrom God must also be perfect in order to ÿbe 
effective. 

III.  The Bible Must Be Easy to Understand. 

Can ÿyou imagine your boss giving you an order to carry out, ÿbut 
he tells you in Russian or Chinese?  How could you be expected to 
obey him?  ÿIt wouldn't make any difference if it was a 100% true 
statement; if you can't understand it, ÿthen it is meaningless as 
a directive.  No, the Bible has to be readily understood in order 
for ÿGod to hold us accountable.  ÿNow this doesn't mean that ÿwe 
must ÿÿunderstand ÿevery ÿlittle ÿdetail ÿabout ÿthe ÿBattle ÿÿof 
Armageddon, ÿor know the exact meaning of the number "666."  ÿBut 
it ÿdoes mean that in the areas essential to daily living and the 
fundamental ÿtruths ÿof the Christian Faith, ÿthe Bible ÿmust ÿbe 
readily understood by all who seek truth in their hearts.  ÿThere 
is ÿonly ÿone interpretation of every passage of Scripture, ÿÿbut 
often times many applications. 

A ÿBible that is open for various interpretations is no ÿstandard 
at all, and again God would not expect man to obey it.  ÿThe Word 
of God is  clearly written and simple to understand.  ÿI ÿuse one 
basic ÿassumption ÿwhenever I read the Bible, ÿÿ"If ÿthe ÿliteral 
meaning ÿof ÿthe ÿverse makes sense, ÿÿthen ÿstop ÿright ÿthere."  
However, ÿif the literal meaning does not appear to match up with 
what we can understand, then I assume God is using a "picture" of 
something else to make it more clear to me. 
      
The ÿgreatest ÿproof of the truth of the Bible in my life is ÿthe 
simple fact that "it works!"  I ÿremember back to the days before 
my ÿsalvation ÿand realize that the new life I now live has ÿbeen 
the ÿdirect result of reading the Bible and trying to do what ÿit 
says to by God's strength.  ÿMy life is completely changed and it 
has been transformed by the Living Word of God--The Bible. 

Tony Capoccia ÿBible ÿBulletin ÿBoard Box 115 Galveston, IN 46932 
Modem (317) 452-1535                           June 12, 1986