A PASSION FOR THE WORD OF GOD.

Since Sorrow never comes too late,
And Happiness too swiftly flies.
Thought would destroy their Paradise.
No more; where Ignorance is Bliss,
'Tis Folly to be wise.

Thomas Gray’s – “Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eaton College”

They say ignorance is bliss, that is, sometimes one is more comfortable if one doesn’t know something… Maybe so for some things of this world but being ignorant of the Word of God is not bliss.

Paul tells the Corinthians to not deceive themselves, to stay focused and stop sinning; that some of them have no knowledge of God and they should be ashamed (1Corintians 15:33,34).  There are other imperatives found in Scripture to know God.

Many Christians, and non-Christians alike, display a dismal ignorance of Scripture. As shown by polls in America, the most quoted “verse” from the Bible is God helps those who help themselves. Not only is this verse not in the Bible, (though it is found in the Qu’ran), but it is directly opposite what the Bible actually teaches. We talk today of being computer-illiterate, but that will not have an adverse effect on our life, really.  But what about being Bible-illiterate, what does the Word of God say to that?

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

 Because you have rejected knowledge,
I also will reject you from being My priest.
Since you have forgotten the law of your God,
I also will forget your children. (Hosea 4:6)

This is an indictment by the prophet leveled against Israel, but it can also be leveled against us today.  Jesus told the Sadducees:

But Jesus answered and said to them,

You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. (Matthew 22:29)

Should it never be said of us by God Himself that we error and perish for lack of knowledge.

A PASSION FOR THE WORD OF GOD

THE AUTHOR OF THE BIBLE

It is important for one to know who wrote the Bible – The Scripture is unique in that it has two levels of authorship.

I.              THE HUMAN AUTHOR

Each book of the Bible has at least one human author, and on occasions more than one. These authors are sometimes identified at the beginning of the book, as in Ephesians, and Jeremiah; Sometimes at the end of the book, as in the Gospel of John; sometimes not at all as in Genesis and Hebrews. Yet through scholarly investigations the most likely writers have been identified.

It is a valuable exercise to acquaint oneself with the writer(s) of the particular book, if he is known, as well as the identity of those to whom the author was writing to.

Each human writer has his own writing style and emotional background, which reflects the contents of his book.

II.            THE DIVINE AUTHOR

Though the Bible is a compilation of 66 books penned by 40 different human agents, the Bible is emphatic that behind each human author is the Holy Spirit Himself.  If that is not taken into account the Bible then is nothing more than a window into the past and no more relevant than a high school history book or a farmer’s almanac is for us today.

What makes the Bible unlike any other book is the level of authorship – God Himself – inspiring the human writers.  Emphasis is placed on the word inspired.  The Holy Spirit is not only the source of the inspiration, He weaves the threads of the Bible into one resounding theme: The action of God to realign human lives to His purpose and will.  God delights in the expressions of His perfections, making these expressions of His own perfections His end, He makes Himself His end. (Jonathan Edwards, The End For Which God Made The World)

2Timothy 3:16 says that: “All Scripture is God breathed useful for training, teaching… so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

As in answering a true-false question in an exam, if any part of the answer is false, the whole answer is considered to be false.  Equally then, with the Bible this is also true. If any one word or sentence is false, then everything written in the 66 books is false and the Bible becomes just another window to the past.

EL PREMIO

HAS PERDIDO TU PARTE DEL PERMIO?

Parece que mucha gente, al escuchar la palabra pecado, converten en agresividad defensiva. ¿Es porque la palabra es a menudo connotada por culpa? Por supuesto, si hay un sentimiento de culpa más que probable proviene de una sensación de convicción. ¿Sin embargo, la palabra "pecado" que parece ser repudiado por el pueblo, de dónde viene? Sin entrar en un largo estudio sobre el origen de la palabra traducida del hebreo y griego que reflejan muchos matices y sutilezas del "pecado" que se ve en sus vidas; Me gustaría   conformar con lo que mejor puede describir "pecado". En el hebreo, uno "pierde el blanco"; en el griego, uno "pierde su parte del premio." Las Escrituras nos dice que todos pecaron (perdió su parte del premio) y están destituidos de la gloria de Dios, (Romanos 3:23)

Todos nacen con la naturaleza para ser rebelde. Esta condición es heredada a través de Adán; su naturaleza interna se transformó por su "pecado" de rebelión que trajo la muerte espiritual y la depravación, que pasó a todos los que vinieron después de él. Este carácter pasó a todos en la misma forma que todos nosotros heredarán las características físicas de nuestros padres. Todos son pecadores no porque pecamos; pecamos porque somos pecadores.

No sólo todos han heredado la naturaleza del pecado, pero también ha sido imputado el pecado a todos por la ley de Moisés, es decir, los mandamientos de Dios dada a Moisés. Entonces  hay pecados personal que se cometen cada día por todos. Debido a la naturaleza de pecar todos tienen pecados personales desde  inocentes "falsedades" a asesinatos y otros actos horrendos que se han cometido. Todo el mundo está condenado tres veces a causa del pecado heredado, imputado y personal.

Cada persona que ha vivido y está viviendo ahora y que va a vivir "perdió su cuota del premio." han errado el tiro y están destituidos de la gloria de Dios. Están espiritualmente muertos y lo será para toda la eternidad.

¿Hay una forma de salir de este dilema? ¿Somos todos  condenados desde el momento de nuestro nacimiento a una vida de condenación eterna? Bueno, sí todos están condenados a una vida eterna de la muerte espiritual, que es estar separada de Dios. Sin embargo, hay una vía de salida al dilema de la condenación eterna. Dios mismo ha dado la solución. El pecado heredado, imputado y personal ha sido crucificado en la Cruz de Jesús. Ahora es "redención mediante su sangre, el perdón de los pecados, de acuerdo con las riquezas de Su gracia" (Efesios 1:7)

La mejor parte de esto es que es gratis. No hay trabajo, no hechos obligatorios, ni preguntar si posiblemente lo ha hecho lo suficientemente bien  para ganar tal vez el premio de vida eterna y comunión con Dios, el creador de todo lo que existe. Muchas "religiones" tienen dogmas y doctrinas de las obras, que es herejía. La palabra de Dios dice que por gracia es uno salvado a través de la fe y que no de uno mismo; es el regalo de Dios, salvación y fe, no de las obras para que nadie debe presumir de sí mismo o a sí misma, (Efesios 2:8-9; énfasis del autor).

Dios ha amado tanto, ( aún, y siempre será- no es un hombre que mienta, ni es un hijo del hombre que El debe cambiar su mente;  Habla y no actuar?, ¿prometa y no cumple?- Núm. 23:19), al mundo que dio a su hijo unigénito para que todo aquel que en él cree no se pierda, mas tenga vida eterna (Juan 3:16). Y, ¿quién confiesa con su boca que Jesús es Señor y cree en su corazón que Dios le levantó de los muertos, esa persona será a salvo, (Romanos 10:9) es decir tendrá la vida eterna, ha ganado su parte del premio, pego al centro del blanco.

A Passion for the Word of God

In the third century Antony of Egypt commented, "Be astounded that God should have written to us."  The believers in the first, second and third centuries would be amazed at how easly Christians today can buy a Bible, and I am sure just as astonished at the casual attitude most "Christians" hold towards the Word of God. The scrolls and parchments that recorded the Word of God were treasured items beyond any comparison.

But the Bible is an open book for all; that is the intention of God. Here He has invested within the pages of this book a complete description of His will and plan. It is the living Word of God, never changing, always revealing. What makes it alive?  The receptivity of your heart.

Jesus told a parable which described four kinds of hearts. He said that the Word of God was like the seed sown by the farmer. Some of the seed fell along the path and trampled on and the birds came along and ate the seeds. Some fell on the rocks but because it was hard ground, when it came up it withered and died because it had no moisture. Other fell among the thorns that grew with it and chocked it. Then some fell on good ground and it came up and yeilded a crop a hundred times more (Luke 8:4-15)

Four hearts are described in this parable:

•  A calloused heart - hardened against God's Word;
• A shallow heart - one with little depth for God's word to take root;
• A distracted heart - a heart pulled away from God's Word in  many different directions by desires and wories;
• An open heart - one receptive and responsive to the Word of God.

The question now is, what kind of heart do you have?  The heart of a person can be hardened by continually refusing to obey the promptings of God's Spirit or by putting up barriers because of hurts or emotional wounds.  It may lack depth by not maintaining a daily intimacy with God in prayer and being obedient to His word in face of difficult circumstance (Romans 15:4).  One may be distracted by the cares of the world yet by responding to the promises concerning material concerns one can clear the fieldof any distractions to the Word of God (Matthew 6: 24-34; Hebrews 13: 5-6).

The prophet Hosea said to "sow for youselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until He comes and showers righteousness on you" (Hosea 10:12).  It doesn't matter the conditon of your heart, the Holy Spirit has been sent to help you plow up the ground of your heart to prepare it to receive the Word of God.  In fact He not only will help you plow, He will plow for you! God's word will expose the thoughts and attitudes of your heart, just as a plow exposes the bad ground (Hebrews 4:12).

An open heart is the result of the action of God's Spirit plowing constantly, exposing God's Word. An open heart to God is part of what means to be a new creation in Christ Jesus.