Why should we know God's Word?

In our day and age where anti-intellectualism runs rampant in the visible church, it is not surprising to see poll after poll verify what students of scripture have known for many years. The visible church does not know much about the scriptures they profess to believe in. This is sad considering many saints during the Reformation period lost their lives for the sake of being able to read and study God's word. Not to mention the many passages in scripture that speak as such:

Isaiah 66:2 This is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.
John 8:31-32 Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
Psalm 19:7-8 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
Psalm 119:9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.
Psalm 119:11 I have hidden Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.
Psalm 119:103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
Psalm 119:130 The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.
Psalm 119:162 I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil.

The posts on this blog will address essential Biblical doctrines of the Christian faith. You can find much of the background for the posts here. My prayer for these posts is that the people who read them will be encouraged to open their Bibles and not just read a verse or two, but learn them and indeed, be transformed by them. As Jesus prayed, "Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth." (John 17:17). This is my prayer as well.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Wisdom to Treasure

As I continue to contemplate wisdom and it's priceless value for life, it never ceases to amaze me how God endowed certain men throughout history with a seemingly endless supply of wise words.  I understand God promises to give wisdom to those who do not doubt (James 1:5-6) and we should be striving daily to feast on its fruit (Proverbs 8:19), but even then, there are those whose lives were enriched through and through.   Charles Bridges was one those.  You can learn about him here.

We are called to incline ourselves to the words of the wise (Proverbs 22:17), so drink from the well of wisdom today that springs from Charles Bridge's commentary on Proverbs 9:10-11:


Proverbs 9:10-11. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom:  and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.
            The repetition of this weighty sentence (Proverbs 1:7, Job 28:28, Psalm 111:10) deepens our estimate of its importance. The fear of the Lord was a lovely grace in the perfect humanity of Jesus. (Isaiah11: 2, 3.) Let it be the test of our "predestination to be conformed to his image." (Roman 8:29) It is the genuine spirit of adoption. The child of God has only one dread—to offend his Father; only one desire—to please and delight in him. Thus is the fear of the Lord connected with his love. ‘The heart that is touched with the loadstone of Divine love, trembles still with godly fear.’ If this temper is the beginning, it is also (as the word imports) the head—of wisdom—not only its first rudiment, but its matured exercise. It is obviously combined with the knowledge of the Holy One.  For if men did but know his holiness--who would not fear thee, 0 Lord?" (Revelation 15:4) Days multiplied were the Old Testament reward. (Proverbs 3:2, 16; 4:10; 10:27.) And truly the value of life is only realized in the knowledge and service of God. Inconceivably joyous to us is the prospect of years of life increased into a boundless eternity—infinite desires; fully satisfied, yet excited unceasingly to more full and heavenly enjoyment.
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