Using the Bible

PSALM 19:7-11

ONE of the essentials of the Christian life is to make proper use of the Bible, for it was provided by the Lord to guide and strengthen us in the doing of his will. Its “exceeding great and precious promises” are the inspiration of our hope of glory, and its outline of the divine plan of salvation reveals God’s loving purpose to bless all the families of the earth. (II Pet. 1:4) The poet has well said that the Bible is a “boon most sacred from the Lord,” and although it has already revealed much of the divine plan, it is a “mine” of truth which is deeper than the human intellect can ever go; and as throughout the years we continue to search new and rich gems of truth are continually found.

In verse 7 of our lesson the marginal translation informs us that the “doctrine of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul.” Doctrine simply means teaching, and it is through the Bible that we are taught the will of God. One illustration of our relationship to the Lord is that of pupils who are being taught by him—taught to do his will and to put it into practice in our daily lives. As pupils, we are also being trained for a great future work—the work of reigning with Christ and of being co-judges with him during the thousand years of his mediatorial kingdom.

The Psalmist declares that the teaching of the Lord restores our souls—literally, our lives. The first application of this is with respect to our passing from death unto life, which has been made possible through the blood of the atonement. The teachings of the Bible reveal the wonderful provision of life through Christ and how we can benefit from it.

“Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” the apostle writes. (Rom. 5:1) The Bible tells us that “faith, if it hath not works, is dead.” (James 2:17) Therefore, in order to be reconciled to God and to have peace with him through Christ, it is essential that our faith be demonstrated by a wholehearted consecration to do God’s will. It is when we thus present ourselves to the Lord, fully surrendering our wills to him, that the merit of the blood is made available and we have “justification of life.” (Rom. 5:18) Thus by obeying the teachings of the Word, our lives are restored—we are brought out from under condemnation in Adam, and into life in Christ.

There is another sense also in which the teachings of the Bible restore our souls, our lives. Due to human imperfections and the difficulties of the way in which we walk—the “narrow way”—there are times when we may become discouraged, temporarily weary in welldoing.” (Gal. 6:9) Paul also speaks of this as being “wearied and faint in our minds.” (Heb. 12:3) It is in such times that the precious teachings of the Word of God can “restore” our courage and give us grace to continue on. But this also is dependent upon our earnest study and application of the Lord’s teachings, by faith making them our own, believing that the Lord will fulfill all his good promises.

“The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart,” the Psalmist continues. These are the great principles of his law by which we are governed. They are “right,” our lesson declares, and it is because we recognize this that we rejoice in them. If we considered them burdensome and unjust, we would be vexed by them and would render obedience only by constraint. If, then, we rejoice in the “statutes” of the Lord, it is an evidence that we have made progress in the way of truth and righteousness.

David explains that the commandment of the Lord is “pure” and that it enlightens the eye. The quality of purity is that of being unmixed, or unadulterated. God’s commandments are wholly righteous, and if we are undivided in our devotion to them, they will indeed be an enlightening power in our lives. Jesus said that if our eye be single, our whole body shall be full of light. (Matt. 6:22) Singleness of purpose in doing God’s will is one of the essentials of remaining in the path of the just which “is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”—Prov. 4:18

The “fear” of the Lord mentioned in verse 9 has more the thought of reverence than of actual fear or dread. A proper reverence of the Lord is the “beginning of wisdom,” and such a reverence is pure, or “clean,” a reverence that is sincere and wholehearted—not inspired by selfish motives. Too often the tendency is to think of the Lord only from the standpoint of what he can do for us, but this is not “clean” reverence. We should, indeed, appreciate God’s goodness to us, but we should adore and reverence him because of his majestic glory alone, regardless of what it may mean to us as individuals.

The judgments of the Lord are “truth,” the marginal translation states; that is, they are in harmony with the truth of the divine plan, therefore are both just and loving. It was a great truth that was declared to our first parents when they were told that disobedience to divine law would result in their death, for the wages of sin is death. (Rom. 6:23) When they disobeyed, God’s judgment came upon them in keeping with this truth. God’s judgments have always been in keeping with his truth, and will continue to be so until his plan of redemption and salvation has been fully consummated.

If we truly appreciate all the teachings, or doctrines, of the Word, and respond in the spirit of full devotion to their outline of the divine will, they will indeed be considered by us as more valuable than gold, and sweeter than honey. There is nothing of sufficient value to which we can properly compare the doctrines of the divine plan. By them we are “warned,” the Psalmist declares, and “in keeping of them there is great reward.”

ACTS 8:26-35

THE story of Philip and the Ethiopian is always filled with interest to Bible students. In today’s lesson it serves as a connecting link between the Old and New Testaments. The Ethiopian was reading from the prophecy of Isaiah when Philip joined him in his chariot. When asked by the evangelist if he understood what he read he responded, “How can I, except some man should guide me?” This has been true in the experience of all the true followers of the Master.

The prophets of the Old Testament wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit and did not understand the full truth of what they recorded. (I Pet. 1:10; II Pet. 1:21) Jesus and the apostles, inspired by the Holy Spirit, brought to light the hope of life and immortality contained in the written Word, the “Book.” (II Tim. 1:10) But even beyond this, God’s arrangements have been for his people to help one another in the understanding of the Bible. For this purpose he gave some to be “pastors,” some to be “teachers,” and some to be “evangelists.”—Eph. 4:11-13

None of us is able to interpret the Scriptures entirely without the aid of others. Some mistakenly say that they do not want a man’s ideas, forgetting that when they place their own interpretation on the Word of God, it is merely the best conclusion their own human minds are able to reach. True, we do not want a human being, even in the Vatican, arbitrarily to dictate what is truth and what is error, and brand as heretics to be eternally tortured those who do not agree. But we are to manifest humility by endeavoring to learn from others, especially from those whom the Lord has manifestly used to serve his people with “meat in due season.”

The Lord used a “man”—Ananias—to instruct the great Apostle Paul. The Lord also gave Paul special revelations of truth. This was because he was one of the inspired Twelve. But the apostles were the last ones whom the Lord has specially inspired in this manner. All of his teachers since the apostles died have been merely teachers and pastors who have served as helpers in understanding the inspired Scriptures. And in this connection, how wonderfully he used “that servant” in this end of the age in helping his people to gain a knowledge of present truth!

In the ministry of Philip to the Ethiopian, we are given an example which we all might follow. He explained the Scriptures to his pupil in such a manner as quickly to bring him to the point of consecration, and when asked by the Ethiopian if he could be baptized right away, Philip readily agreed. This is one of the proper uses to make of our knowledge of the truth. When we explain it to others, it should not be merely to inform them of the divine plan, but also that by its influence they might be turned to the Lord and their desire to serve him quickened into full consecration to do his will.

QUESTIONS

What is the purpose of the Bible, and can we hope ever to understand all that it contains?

How do the doctrines of the Bible restore our souls?

What are the “statutes” of the Lord, and how do they rejoice our hearts?

How does the commandment of the Lord enlighten the eye?

What is the “fear” of the Lord, and in what sense is it “clean”?

How can it be said that the judgments of the Lord are “truth”?

Was the inability of the Ethiopian to understand the Bible without a teacher limited to him, or is this true of all who seek to know the Lord?

What good example did Philip give us in his ministry to the Ethiopian?

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