Today, disbelief that the Bible is the inerrant WORD of God is on the rise among evangelicals. A George Barna Research study, exploring the religious beliefs of adults in the 12 largest denominations, revealed that only 41% believe in the total accuracy of the Bible. And more alarming, 85% of students at America's largest evangelical seminaries do not believe in Scripture's inerrancy. In the 18th century, Voltaire declared, “If we would destroy the Christian religion, we must first of all destroy man’s belief in the Bible.”
Disregard for doctrinal soundness is prophesied for end times. Preaching contemporary ‘how-to-be-better’ messages, born out of the 1960’s “felt needs” and “seeker sensitive” movements, has become common fodder in most pulpits. As one pastor said, “you have to scratch people where they itch.” Perhaps he hadn’t read Paul’s warning against preaching to “itching ears” (1 Tim 4:4).
Greg,
ReplyDeleteDavid's testimony of hiding God's Word in his heart cannot be a shared experience by any (or the many) who have bought into the idea that they can be Christians and still be the center of their own world. "...That I might not sin against God" is the other half of that verse and as a result of the failure to do the first part the second part is also out of reach.
On multiple occasions throughout the Psalms David spoke of his love for all of the Scripture that he possessed. It was within the confines of its doctrinal structure that he took delight and comfort. Our culture of today wants nothing to do with anything "confining," so we find it easy to dismiss the requirements of God for life and godliness as is found in the only reliable record of His heart--the Bible.
Hence, there is no value found in reading, hearing, pondering, absorbing, and applying God's Own testimony to our lives. We sin by filling our hearts with ourselves so that there is no room for Anyone else to impact our thoughts or feelings or decisions. And we wonder why our brand of American Christianity is sterile.
To hide God's Word in our hearts requires that we read it with purpose; and not only should we commit it to memory but also commit it to action. That way it will take on it's own life within us and we will live it's truth by default. The Bible is after all a living document because it is the written form of the LIving God. And that should count for more than it does in our society. The price we will pay will be greater than we can afford for our disdain of its claims upon us.
Stan
thanks for your addition to this post. Yes, it is a Living Document!
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