“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” (2 Timothy 3:16 NLT)

Some truth never changes.

I don’t remember whether Mom and Dad explained the importance of what I was watching on the television or not, but I remember watching with great interest. Just shy of nine years of age, I sat in the den of a church parsonage and stared at a small black-and-white television. The date was July 20, 1969, and American Neil Armstrong was about to be the first man to set foot on the moon.

Although I didn’t know it at the time, I discovered later that many people didn’t believe that anyone was on the moon. I suppose that they still thought that scientists couldn’t launch a space machine and land it on the moon — much less that someone could walk on it. So, despite evidence to the contrary, some didn’t believe.

In giving instructions to a young minister, Paul reminded Timothy about the nature of God’s Word. He, too, would encounter some who would not believe its message, despite evidence to the contrary.

Almost 2,000 years of history haven’t changed anything. Opinions about the Bible vary. Some believe every word to be accurate, while others think that nothing is true. Many are in the middle. They believe that it records truth where faith and some historical matters are addressed but have no confidence when it speaks of scientific things and many historical events. For them, it’s mostly a collection of myths, legends, and fairy tales.

We have only two choices when it comes to God’s Word: it’s either truth entirely or not truth at all. If we can’t trust what it says about scientific and historical matters, how can we be sure that it speaks the truth when addressing issues of faith?

Accepting God’s Word is an act of faith, just like belief in Jesus Christ as Saviour. We must believe that God breathed the words and that those words show us the way that He wants us to live, think, and speak. Measuring our actions and attitudes by the Bible’s teachings shows us where we need to make changes. Believing its teachings and promises and watching them being fulfilled in our life reinforces its validity. What we think about God’s Word will show up in our lifestyles.

What do you believe about the Bible?

Prayer: Father, give us the courage to take the step of faith by believing that the Bible is Your trustworthy Word to us. Amen.

Copyright © 2023, by Martin Wiles <mandmwiles@gmail.com>, first published on the PresbyCan Daily Devotional presbycan.ca  
Greenwood, South Carolina, USA

Used with the permission of PresbyCan and author.