Our View of the Word

In his book Growing Your Faith, Jerry Bridges states, “One who delights in the law of God sees the Bible not just as a book of rules that are difficult to live by but as the Word of his or her heavenly Father who is the God of all grace and deals with him or her in grace.”

The Bible contains many rules and instructions for life. Many of them are difficult to obey because of the world we live in and the natural bent of our hearts. But the Bible is much more than a rule book. It is the very words of our eternal, sovereign, loving God.

Consider what it would be like to know all of the rules of the game of basketball but never play it. You would know you have 10 seconds to bring the ball up over half court, 3 seconds in the offensive lain under the basket, 5 seconds to pass the ball in bounds, etc… What if this was all head knowledge, but you never played the game of basketball and experienced the excitement and thrill of the game? I think this would be lifeless and lacking true joy for the game.

Viewing the Bible as just a rule book would be much worse. The Christian life would be about following the rules, checking off items on a to-do list, and staying in line. It would lack life and meaning. It would be far from the genuine Christianity God wants for us.

God is full of grace and truth. He has bestowed on us undeserved kindness in many forms – sending his Son to die for us, calling us to be his son or daughter, continuing to conform us to the likeness of his Son. He does speak the truth to us, love the truth, and outline the truth in his Word. Our God is full of grace and truth, and we need to be too.

Commit today to view the Bible as words from your Heavenly Father. Seek a vivacious Christian faith and life that is motivated by love for God and views the Word as God’s grace to you.

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