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That Book

by Jerry Ousley
4/21/2023 / Devotionals

THAT BOOK

By Jerry D. Ousley

The year was 1536 AD, the town, Filford, England. A small man is escorted to a rough, thick stake firmly planted in the ground. The hangman quickly wrapped the rope around his neck and the man was heard to say in a last gasp of breath, “Lord! Open the king of England’s eyes.” With that, the life was strangled from him after which the fagots for the fire were stacked below his feet. His body was quickly consumed in the flames.

Of what sort of hideous crime was this man guilty? Simply that he had been convicted of blasphemy for translating the Bible into the common language of the people, thinking it not a crime that every man should be afforded the opportunity to read its sweet promises. He was William Tyndale. He died for that Book. Why would brilliant people such as he die for that Book?

In our present day, many have proclaimed that it is “just a book. What is so special about the Bible?” Some have even gone so far as to say that it is a book of lies, written by men wishing to mislead people and restrict them so they can control their lives.”

But I ask again, “Why would people hazard their lives and think it worth dying for, if it is just a book?” Perhaps a simpleton? Maybe someone who needs a crutch on which to lean? But most of those who have given their lives were well educated people; men and women of means who had nothing to gain with their sacrifice. People far from simpletons who gave their all for their living, breathing LORD of lords and King of kings. And by the way, every man and woman alive needs a crutch, needs to lean on something. Yes, of course, it was compiled over a period of approximately fifteen hundred years. It was written by many different men. By the time Jesus was on the Earth the Old Testament had already been determined by the Jews. Paul said that the Jewish people had been entrusted with “The oracles of God.” In other words, they were the caretakers of the Word of God. They may have rejected Jesus as the Messiah, but they had been assigned as the protectors of the Old Testament word.

By the time of Jerome (around 400 AD), many accounts had been written about Jesus and the Christian faith. Not all of them coincided with the true account. Just as with the Old Testament, there are always men who want their names recorded in history and write fantastical accounts in order to gain the ear of the population. But those with whom God had committed the truth of the New Testament, popularity was not a concern. Their soul mission was teaching and preaching only what God had given. I believe that Jerome was acting under the influence and anointing of God when he became the first to assemble the Bible in the Latin language with the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament. It became known as the Latin Vulgate. It became the standard of Scripture.

As seems to always be the case, men are seeking ways to control others and so the Church, under the direction of the Catholic Pope of that day, were the only ones educated in the lost language of Latin. The common people were scarcely educated, if at all. Learning Latin was the farthest thing from their minds.

As men began to interpret the Latin text into the common language of the people, the religious leaders were threatened and so began to persecute and execute those men who saw the great need to bring the Word of God to the people. And by the way, there is yet to be proven even one scientific fact that does not support the Bible. Yes, popular theory discredits the Bible. But there has never been a proven fact that has not supported the Word of God. And I will step out on a limb and proclaim that there never will be a fact – a proven fact, that does not support the Bible. That’s because God created all things. All facts are merely discoveries of what God already knows.

Okay, so much for the history lesson. Armed with these facts we must once again stake our lives on the truth of the Bible. Not religious teaching. Not rules and regulations. Not to control people and make them do what we think they should do. But to teach and preach the truth of the Gospel. We must study the Bible so as to not proclaim our opinion but only what “thus saith the Word of God.”

It seemed to the Jewish leaders of Jesus’ time that He was there to destroy the law given to Moses by God. But in the words of Jesus as found in Matthew 5:17-18, “Do not think that I came to destroy the law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” Jesus confirmed that the Old Testament was indeed God’s word and would not be replaced or destroyed. But it would be fulfilled by Him.

Paul wrote in II Timothy 3:16-17 that all scripture is given to man by God’s inspiration. That includes the entire Bible, not just selected portions. The words were written in the style of the writer but they were directed by the Holy Spirit. Inspiration is related to breath. So, the scriptures are God-breathed. Just as God breathed the breath of life into man, so did God breath out the Bible to men. Man became a living soul, and the Word (Jesus Himself – See John 1) is made alive in the souls of men. This is why men choose to give their very lives for its pages – we are akin to it because of the Breath of God!

Paul also wrote that it is given for doctrine – factual teaching – not so that we can interpret as we see fit, to form it to what we believe. It is given to teach us the true doctrine of God. The Bible does not mean many different things. There is only one meaning of the scripture and it is our duty to study it and conform our lives to the truth of its teaching.

It is also given for reproof – to convince sinners of their need for Christ and to convict Christians to purge from their lives those things unlike God. It isn’t for me to say what those things are aside from what is actually taught in the Bible, but the Holy Spirit in the lives of individual believers will inspire us to weed them from our lives.

The third purpose is for correction – to not just convince us of wrong but to also show us those things that will enhance and improve our lives. After salvation we need to grow in Christ and that includes being corrected.

Finally, it is to instruct us in righteousness. We become righteous only through the blood and sacrifice of Christ. We become dead to sin and given new life in Jesus Christ. Are we instantly perfect? Not by a long shot. It is a learning and growing process. We do it in Christ Jesus. In this way the man of God (which includes every person, man or woman), the one chosen by God to speak His word, whether called as a pastor or us everyday believers who are His called witnesses, are thoroughly equipped and trained to do the work of God.

So, there you have it. It is now in our hands. What are we going to do with it? How are we going to let the Bible become sacred in our hearts? What are we going to do with the truth it teaches us? Read it and you will know.

Jerry D. Ousley is the author of ?Soul Challenge?, ?Soul Journey?, ?Ordeal?, ?The Spirit Bread Daily Devotional and his first novel ?The Shoe Tree.? Visit our website at spiritbread.com to download these and more completely free of charge.

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