The Scriptures – The Disciple-Making Lifestyle

It is small wonder that there was an immediate response to Peter’s preaching. Reflect on the fact that even a large number of rabbis soon professed their faith in the Savior following the resurrection and Pentecost. Thousands finally perceived that Jesus actually was Israel’s long-awaited Messiah!

Following the Lord’s resurrection, the Apostles minds were opened “…to understand the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:45) When Jesus appeared before them in bodily form, the wonderful fulfillment of the prophecies in the Torah began to be understood (Luke 24:27). He explained to them, “These are My words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” (Luke 24:44) Soon they would also receive His promised power of the Holy Spirit (See Acts 1:8).

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Because the Holy Spirit lives in the hearts of all born again believers – today and as well as in the first century, the principles for clear Biblical understanding remain the same. If you ask the Lord to open the Scriptures so you can better serve Him and faithfully obey, He will definitely do it. Furthermore, in asking Him for this understanding – you will greatly please Him! Such prayers mean that you want to know Him more closely and enjoy His fellowship.

Remember what happened on the road to Emmaus. Our risen Savior said, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and enter into His glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” (Luke 24:25-27) First and foremost the entire Bible points to the first and second comings of Christ!

The Scriptures explain the past, and reveal the future, so make them your daily priority. You will never exhaust their depths or fail to grow by reading them.

The same Old Testament verses personally explained by Jesus to the disciples following His Resurrection are in our Bibles today. The source of truth concerning the Messiah’s first coming is literally at our fingertips to read and study. The Scriptures are ours to enjoy, understand, and apply to our daily lives.

There are no words in Holy Scripture that are too small to be important. Jesus said, “Scripture is to be our daily bread” (see Matthew 6:11, 4:4). Physically, the smallest morsel of food that we eat still provides nourishment and the same is true spiritually.

In Ephesians chapter one, the Bible provides an excellent example. The two small words “in Christ” clearly convey a deep spiritual meaning. It is “in Christ” that the Father planned for Christians to be made holy and blameless in His sight. (See Ephesians 1:1 & 4).

For another example, in 1 Corinthians 12:13, the Bible says, “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free….” The single word “into” in Paul’s sentence provides the verse’s profound meaning. This is why Scripture should be read very slowly and prayerfully, giving attention to its words and phrases with the goal of personal application. There is no shortcut to spiritual maturity. Each day provides a new opportunity to read God’s Word and grow.

Clearly, the Judeo/Christian Scriptures which were written by 40 highly diverse authors covering a period of 15 centuries, have no similarity with the man-made literature principally produced by a single religious author. Consider as examples Joseph Smith’s Book of Mormon, or Muhammad’s Koran. Add to this the Hindu scriptures with countless gods, Buddhism with its impersonal ethereal concept of god, plus ancient Greek and Roman mythology with their many gods all made in man’s fallen image. Nothing was ever consistent!

Only the Bible presents a clear unified theme of One Holy God of grace who slowly revealed His purpose and nature through chosen writers beginning with Moses in about 1400 BC and ending with the Apostle John in 90 AD. This unified process was as miraculous as the message itself, and neither would have been possible apart from – God!

In reference to itself, the Bible declares, “For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12).