Building Bible Confidence: Part 17

This is the final post in our series on Building Bible Confidence. We hope you've been edified.

Part 17: A Survey of the New Testament

Introduction: Spiritual Cravings

Could you imagine going a day without eating or drinking anything? Some people might, but most of us wouldn’t like to try. What about two days? Three? How about a week with no food or water? After a few days, our bodies would begin to shut down; and if we didn’t find nourishment, soon we would die.

It is human nature to eat and drink. Our body craves sustenance when we are hungry and thirsty. Our spirits also need nourishment. The word of God is food for the soul. It has been compared to milk for the spiritually young and solid food for the spiritually mature (Hebrews 5:13-14). The Bible says:

The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. […] They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb (Psalm 19:7-8, 10).

The Bible is described as sweeter than the honeycomb, according to the psalmist. This spiritual connection to food is something that all people understand. We know hunger and thirst. What would happen to us if we were to starve our spirits? It may not feel like physical hunger, but the consequences of not feeding our spirits with God’s word are very real.

Hunger & Thirst

When Jesus began the Sermon on the Mount, He listed out a series of spiritual blessings for character traits His followers should seek. Among the characteristics of Jesus’ disciples was this admonition:

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled (Matthew 5:6).

One way to satisfy the hunger and thirst for righteousness is to feed upon God’s word. How does a person who has not been in the habit of reading the Bible learn to spiritually crave the word of God?

Read the Bible in a consistent way. Every person will have a different practice. Some prefer to read the Bible in the morning; others at night. Some like to read only a few verses; others prefer reading whole chapters or books. Some read every day, others read as often as they can. The important lesson is that we spend time reading and studying the Bible in a consistent way. It may begin from a sense of duty, but as we consistently read and study, we will begin to delight in the message that God has given us.

Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight, (Psalm 119:77, NIV). 

Pray for God’s help to understand the Bible. Jesus told His followers, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you,” (Matthew 7:7). Why not ask, seek, and knock for God to help us understand? The Bible records a prayer of a man who asked for God's help to understand the Bible:

Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law, (Psalm 119:18).

Share the Bible with other people. Christians can share the Bible together; learning and encouraging each other with the word of God (Acts 2:42). Another way we can share is by reading the Bible to those who cannot read at all. We can also read the Bible with people who have never heard any part of it before. The Bible can be an intimidating book to people who have never read it. Sitting and reading together can be an encouragement to those who are unfamiliar with the Bible.

Obey what God has said. What a wonderful way to recognize God’s authority! When we read and obey, we are showing God that we understand He is in control. When people read the Bible and disregard its teachings, they are not just denying words on a page; they are denying God. We should all do our best to understand and obey God’s will (Psalm 119:11).

Be Like the Bereans

A high compliment given in the Bible comes from a little city called Berea. This town had a group of Jews who were serious about their faith and about their Bible study. Listen to what the Bible says about them:

Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things

 were so. Therefore, many of them believed, (Acts 17:10-12a)

When Paul preached, some believers in Berea searched the Scriptures in order to find out if what Paul was saying was consistent with the Old Testament Scriptures. They did not accept something because Paul was a great preacher. They didn’t believe because it would give them some sort of physical benefit. The Bible says they were more fair-minded, or noble, than the city of Thessalonica where Paul had previously preached. The Bereans were more noble because of the way they respected the Scriptures.

The Bible student should seek to be fair-minded like the Bereans. No one should obey a man because he is a good speaker or writer. The number of college degrees, honors, titles, or popularity a religious leader has are not enough if this person shares only his opinions. Even resources that we use to aid our Bible study must not contradict the Bible. (This includes the Pure and Simple Bible Series that you are currently studying.)

Be like the Bereans: Study the Bible daily and find out what God’s plan is for mankind. When people teach God's word, search the Scriptures. When people share spiritual opinions, search the Scriptures. Be noble minded and find out what the Bible says.

Series Review

God is pleased when we are faithful to His Word. When we consistently, lovingly, and humbly open the Bible, we will find that our faith, knowledge, and love for God and all mankind will grow. This study series was designed to introduce you to the word of God. The Bible is not for an elite group of people but for everyone. 

When we read the Bible, we have confidence based on the evidences that it comes from God. What a wonderful comfort it is to know the great care God has put into the Bible. The unity of the Scriptures and consistency of the documents offer compelling evidence for divine inspiration. Fulfilled prophecy that is documented to be hundreds of years between the prophecy and the fulfillment is another evidence. Also considered were outside references of history and scientific foreknowledge that show God is behind these Scriptures.

When considering the evidence, the Bible student can determine that the Bible comes from God. If God has spoken, then we must submit to God's authority. We have considered that God's word speaks with objective authority and that we do not have the authority to change it. Rather, through a common understanding of the Bible, Christians everywhere can unite and worship God in spirit and truth.

Once Bible students have determined that the Bible speaks with God's authority and they choose to submit to Him, they can map out the Bible and understand the two sections: the Old and New Testaments. A survey of these testaments allows Bible students to appreciate the "big picture" of God's word.

This life can be confusing, difficult, and frustrating. The peace and comfort the Word of God provides is deep and profound. It guides us through the darkness, and gives us hope when we are lost. May God bless us as we continue to study His Word.

All scripture is given by inspiration of God (2 Timothy 3:16).

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path (Psalm 119:105).

*This article was taken from The Bible Series, a twelve-part study written by Jonathan Edwards. This study is available for free PDF download at www.pureandsimplebible.com