The Beauty of the Bible

This week's topic in the Carnival of Beauty is one that I could not resist, for it is something that I think about often, something that I hold in my hand daily, something that thrills my heart like little else, and this is why.

The Beauty of the Bible is a very tangible expression of the Beauty of God Himself, for it is His self-revelation, expressed in His own Words. All that we may know of what we are to believe about Who He is, of His Purposes and Plans for His creation and for man is contained in the Scriptures. All that we need to know about our duty before God is contained in the Scriptures. Both the Westminster Confession of Faith and the London Baptist Confession of Faith begin with the Scriptures, for without His Word contained in the Scriptures, we have nothing sure to confess.

While it is true that all creation proves the existence of God, it is within the revealed, unchanging, inerrant Word of God that we may know and understand the great salvation that He has accomplished in Christ. It is sufficient for all of man's needs, and for all times, places, and cultures. All can come to a saving knowledge through the reading of His Word; young or old, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, wise or foolish, for it clear in the matter of salvation. And yet the depths of His Scripture are unfathomable for even the most spiritual, the most highly educated, the most deeply committed Christian, for the depths of His Word reveal the depths of our Holy God! We can go to His Word each day and learn something new about our God, our salvation, ourselves, and our eternal destiny.

And, oh!--the wisdom of God in revealing Himself and His ways in written form! Being written, it is preserved, set, defended from alteration or modification. Being written, we can study it, meditate upon it, hold it in our hands, take it along with us, share it, give it, rely upon it's familiar and comfortable passages, be forced to face the difficult and convicting challenges.

Had He left it for us to re-tell by word of mouth, who would want to face up to the truth of the certainty of death, the certainty of judgment, the wrath of a Holy God? Who would remember or place value on every aspect of God's revelation of Himself? Left to ourselves, our understanding of God would quickly descend to tradition and superstition, for as the Puritan, Thomas Adams said, devotion without instruction winds itself into superstition. And that instruction resides within the pages of God's Holy Word.

We have His Word. He has revealed it to men, inspired by His Spirit, and we have the Holy Spirit of God to help us as we read.

Do you love God? Then love His Word. Drink from it deeply. Meditate upon it. Let it be your constant companion. Meet Him there.