Tuesday's Top Ten PLUS Ten: What I Believe About the Bible

Happy Tuesday :) This week has been one of the most challenging for me, simply because I don't want to leave anything out that I feel is important. It's one of those situations where you feel like you are going to give your answer, but later on think of 5 better ones. As far as I can tell though, my top ten list is solid. So here are the top ten things I believe about the Bible...and remember to hop on over to BecKyle's list as well!

1. I believe that the Bible is 100% true. In other words, it is infallible. Psalm 19:7 "The law of the Lord is perfect". 

2. I believe that the Bible is timeless. The truth in it will never become void, or out-of-date. It will and always will be definite truth, no matter how long ago it was written.

3. I believe that the Bible is sufficient. 2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."

4. I believe that the Bible is inerrant, meaning without error. It should never be taken from or added to. Proverbs 30:5-6 "Every word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in him, Do not add to His words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar."

5. I believe that the Bible is fixed, certain, and will not change. Every promise in the Bible has either been fulfilled, or is waiting to be. God always keeps His word and it will not ever change. Being perfect, He doesn't even have the ability to go back on His own word.

6. I believe that the Bible points back (or forwards I guess:) ) to Jesus. Jesus was the final and ultimate word of God, the most important part. John 1:1-5 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."  That's Jesus it is talking about! If you jump down to later in the chapter it also says.. John 1:14-15 "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." Isn't that so cool!! Jesus was the final Word of God!

7. I believe that the Bible points to sovereignty at every turn. Ah. Wonderful and beautiful sovereignty. Whether it is obvious like this...Isaiah 45:7 "I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things" or less apparent- I see sovereignty throughout it all.

8. I believe that the Bible is food. No no no, not literal food of course, but more important than that. It is a necessity.Something to be desired, and hungered for. Deuteronomy 8:3 "And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord" 

9. I believe that the Bible is active, and no not because of Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (as I learned very recently) because that passage is another time that the Bible says "the word of God" and means Jesus!!! Yay Jesus! But anyways, I believe that the Bible is active because of 1 Thessalonians 1:5 "because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power" This book isn't just words!! It is effective and active.

10 I believe the Bible is beautiful. I do not mean "oh wow that was nice and made me feel really good" because if you think that about the whole Bible, you're not getting it. It irritates me when I hear the Bible called "the greatest love letter ever written" because it wasn't written to us for 1, but for 2 because it's not what you expect as a love letter. Not mushy gushy wishy washy feelings, but truth. And that truth can hurt. Just like the verse quoted above (2 Timothy 3:16) the Bible is used for things like reproof and correction as well. Now don't get me wrong, God loves more than we can even wrap our minds around, and everything (even the conviction and the correction and all of that) is done out of love to discipline and sanctify us..I just don't like the way it's setting your expectations when you think the Bible is all rainbows and daisies. And yes, it is beautiful. Very beautiful! The sanctification process is definitely not always fun-but it is always purposeful and it is for His glory and our good. I call that beautiful.

Thanks for reading! Before you go, don't forget to hop on over and read Becky's list. :)