In Other Words — The Whole Bible (UPDATED)

The Word of God well understood and religiously obeyed is the shortest route to spiritual perfection. And we must not select a few favorite passages to the exclusion of others. Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian.”

~ A.W. Towzer ~

When reading this quote and considering how to “attack” it, two words jumped out at me—”religiously obeyed.” I’ll get back to that in a minute, so bear with me.

The Holy Bible, the entire Holy Bible, was given to us by God and is fully pertinent to our Christian experience. What if our forefathers had only adopted part of the Constitution? Who would have made the decision which parts to cut out? How would our country be different with only part of the Constitution enabled? What if, when building your home, the architect kept only the “important” parts of the specs? How would he/she decide what to ignore?

Both these scenarios are silly, but they make my point. What mortal can determine that God’s purpose in giving us the Bible is no longer valid? Many people discount the Old Testament as unneeded because we no longer live under The Law after Christ’s sacrifice. How can it be unnecessary? The history, the prophecies, the examples of Godly lives, the consequences of sin—these are all pertinent and always will be.

Man cannot achieve spiritual perfection by understanding and religiously obeying the laws of God. Any set of rules or cultural moires can be religiously followed. The missing factor is relationship—the heart experience. Not only do Christians try to follow God’s Word, we have a personal relationship with our Creator; we hear His voice.

A few years ago I met a young woman from China who had been in the states about 2 weeks. When she was a very small child, she visited her aunt, who told her about God. She became a Christian and had to hide that fact, even from her parents, until her arrival in the U.S. She had never owned a Bible. She had never been to church. Her Christian experience and knowledge came solely from God. Wow! Think on that one for a minute!

We obey God’s laws because we love Him, an act of giving rather than of doing it to reward ourselves with “spiritual perfection.” God instructs us in II Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God….” It is God speaking to us Who brings the Scriptures to life–the living, breathing, ever-teaching Word. As we study and increase our faith and our relationship with Him, God grows us toward that ultimate goal of spiritual perfection in our eternal lives. In the meantime:

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
Proverbs 9:10

That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged.
Deuteronomy 6:2

Visit Chocolate and Coffee to read her take on the quote and to leave your link along with the other participants.