Sacred Scripture… “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: ” ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” Matthew 4:6
Moreover a man or woman’s head can be full of Scripture, while their heart is empty of grace. We see this in the pompous Pharisees of Jesus’s day and unfortunately we experience this today with self-appointed prophets. People who profess Christ and then twist the Bible to get their way are on a slippery slope paved with pretense, pride and destruction. So be like the early Christians and verify the Biblical teaching you receive.
“Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11). Serious students of Scripture hold accountable their teacher with their own study and research. Even Paul’s teaching was validated.
Above all, beware of those who use the Bible to justify their unholy behavior. It is wrong to live an immoral or unethical lifestyle, but it’s worse to claim the Bible supports this unseemly activity. The approach of distorting truth is as old as our enemy the devil. Churches who accept this low view of Scripture have a high tolerance for sin, and sadly a community of true believers ceases to exist if everyone is called a Christian.
Therefore, use sacred Scripture as a sacred trust. Learn it, memorize it, share it, but most of all quietly apply it as the Lord’s transforming power in your life. Quoting the Bible is your defense against the devil and his lies. It builds your faith when you are fearful and it leads you into wise decision-making. The Bible is your bridge to knowing God’s will.
Am I a good steward of Scripture? What verses do I need to memorize and apply?
Related Readings: Job 23:12; Psalm 91:10-12; Luke 24:8; John 2:22
Transformational Living
What did I learn from the Lord in today’s Bible reading? How will I respond?
