Scripture Alone

MEMORY SELECTION: “Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.” —Romans 15:4

SELECTED SCRIPTURE: Galatians 2:15-21; 3:23-29

THE Bible is the inspired Word of God. It was written by many “men of God” over a long period of time, yet its message is harmonious and meaningful. Its record provides us with an account of the divine plan concerning the preparation of the earth as a home for man. It tells of the creation of Adam in the likeness, or image, of his Creator, and of the disobedience of our first parents to the divine law, plunging their lives and the lives of their yet unborn offspring into the condition of sin and death. It reveals God’s plan for the recovery of the human race from that hopeless condition, by the ransom sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Bible places emphasis on the call, through the present Gospel Age, of those who will take up their cross and follow him. It states that this faith class, during the future “times of restitution,” will have the great privilege of sharing with their Redeemer in the work of restoring mankind to the original relationship with God which was lost in Eden.

We rejoice in these great facts from the Word of God because we know that they are true. They give us strength and a means of direction in our consecrated lives; and as a basis of our study, they provide us with hope and inspiration. As we study the Bible we learn to rightly divide the Word of truth, and we ask assisting grace and guidance from God that we may better understand what his will and purpose is toward us. Appropriating that Word to our lives, we thereby grow in knowledge and character development; for, as the Apostle Paul asks, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”—I Cor. 3:16

Our Lord Jesus, while on earth as a perfect man, was well acquainted with the Scriptures. He devoted much of his time and attention to meditation and to the study of the Word of God, and his example should give us courage to press on as his followers. From that great storehouse of truth we read concerning Jesus that “he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written [Isaiah 61:1-2], The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”—Luke 4:16-19

And when he had spoken, Jesus “closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister [attendant, Diaglott], and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” (Luke 4:20-21) Truly, one of the great milestones in the plan of God had been reached—and it had been prophesied by the Prophet Isaiah many years before.

Jesus was the central figure in the plan of God for the recovery of the human race from sin and death. Having been baptized in the river Jordan by John the Baptist, and having studied the Hebrew scriptures, he knew that the passage from the pen of Isaiah was a prophecy concerning himself. He knew that his earthly commission was to preach the truth to the poor sin-sick world.

The same privilege of preaching the truth applies to all the Lord’s footstep followers during the present time. For all those who have taken the name of Christ there is the same responsibility of proclaiming the fundamental truths to all who have an ear to hear. This is a responsibility in that we must dedicate our all in doing the will of the Heavenly Father, and in giving others the message of truth, even as we once received it from one of the Lord’s ministers.

The Scriptures have enlightened the lives of all who have heeded the glad tidings of joy. Indeed, it has been a “ray of purest light, beaming through the depths of night.”

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