All Christians will agree that the Bible is the standard of truth for Christians. Since it is, then obviously, the way to see if something is true is to see if it lines up with the Word of God. Each Christian has the responsibility to prove everything they hear by the Word and by the witness of the Holy Spirit to its truth.
“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
Today, the world has no enduring standard. Every man does what is right in his own eyes, as Israel did in the day of the judges (Judges 17:6). A multitude of standards abound in the 20th century, ranging from the many cultic and false religious standards to our current cultural “standards.” Much of the confusion in the world today comes from this one thing: Society has abandoned the one standard of truth, which is the Bible. Since the Word of God is the final authority on all things, thus the world’s standards all are doomed.
“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12).
Jesus said in Matthew 7:24-27 that things built according to worldly standards will fall when storms come. Christians are not exempt from the storms of life. However, if our foundation is on Jesus, the Rock, then we will continue to stand and not be blown away when the storms come.
The Christian’s standard has a two-fold nature: the written Word (the Bible) and the Living Word, Jesus Christ (John 1:1-14). We will not be able to discern truth from error nor to stand on the truth that is Jesus and live according to the truth that is the Bible — unless we are totally committed to God (1 John 4:4-6). If we are committed to God, we will obey Him (John 7:17, 14:21-24).
A true disciple and learner of Jesus is one who continues to obey the truth given to him (John 8:31,32). Disciple is the root word for discipline. Undisciplined lives reveal rebellion in them. Any rebellion should be repented of and given up in order to be a true disciple of Jesus. Since Jesus returned to Heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father (Acts 7:56; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:3), the Holy Spirit is now our Teacher (John 14:26). In addition to speaking to us through the Word and directly to our hearts, the Holy Spirit speaks to us through our spiritual leaders. Also, He speaks to us through the books and lives of other Christians; however, He remains the Teacher. God has supernaturally protected the Bible down through the centuries, and no other work on earth has been preserved in this way. Men have tried to destroy it, and wars have been fought over it, but it remains today.
The promises and principles of the Word have been proven to work in individual lives in every age and culture (Hebrews 13:7,8). In studying the Word, we must keep our focus on the theme of the Bible — which is the redemption of man through the death of Christ on the cross and His resurrection. Those who make something other than this theme the focus of their lives, ministries, and teachings will fall into error. This is how many cults have gotten started: by using parts of the Word out of context with the whole Bible. The purpose of the Bible is to bring the knowledge of God’s redemption plan to mankind. The Holy Spirit inspired men to write of Jesus, in order that we might become like Him.
“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:29-32)
Bottom Line: We need to be “biblically correct,” not “politically correct.”
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