Is the Bible Relevant?
Is the Bible Relevant: An Unchanging Standard
Is the Bible relevant to my life? Can a book that was completed over 1900 years ago be relevant to the struggles of today? The Bible is the objective source of revelation from God and it remains relevant to the issues faced in the world today. It contains God plan for humanity—now and in the future.
The Bible serves as a safeguard against falsehoods and provides God’s guidance on numerous topics. In addition, it answers mankind’s questions regarding the purpose of life, personal destiny or why they were born. The Bible gives humanity answers on how to discover purpose/direction in life, overcome trials and infirmities, achieve peace with others, and obtain salvation. These things are among the most relevant of all human questions.
Hebrews 4:12 explains: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” The apostle John declares that “The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:17).
The Bible proves that though cultures and societies are always changing, God does not change. Hebrews 13:8 reminds us that He is “the same yesterday and today and forever.” Though not every illustration in the Bible is specifically what we face today, the situations certainly contain God’s truth and guidance that can be applied in every generation. His Word sets an unchanging standard by which we should live to achieve a better, blessed, and righteous life.
Is the Bible Relevant: The Accuracy
A key factor in whether the Bible is relevant is its accuracy. How does it line up with today’s archeological discoveries, history, manuscripts, etc.?
- Archaeology - In Josh McDowell's classic treatise on the historical evidences supporting the Bible's veracity, renowned archaeologist Nelson Glueck is quoted as saying, "It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever controverted a biblical reference."1
- History - The Bible describes places, people, and events in various degrees of detail. It is essentially an historical account of the people of God throughout thousands of years. Dr. John McRay, Professor of New Testament and Archaeology at Wheaton University in Illinois, explains about one of the Bible’s authors: "The general consensus of both liberal and conservative scholars is that Luke is very accurate as a historian. He's erudite, he's eloquent, his Greek approaches classical quality, he writes as an educated man, and archaeological discoveries are showing over and over again that Luke is accurate in what he has to say."2
- Manuscript Evidence - Dramatically, when the Bible manuscripts are compared to other ancient writings, they stand alone as the best-preserved literary works of all antiquity. F.F. Bruce declares: “There is no body of ancient literature in the world which enjoys such a wealth of good textual attestation as the New Testament.”3
- Prophecy – Author Randall Niles says, “I discovered over 1,000 prophecies in the Bible. Of those, an astonishing 668 of them have been fulfilled and none have ever proven false (three seem to be unconfirmed). The others focus on events that are supposed to take place in the future.”4
Is the Bible Relevant: Wisdom And Revelation
The Bible is the most relevant resource we can turn to when seeking wisdom and revelation. “All Scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
Godly wisdom comes not just from knowing what the Bible says, but applying it to life. For instance, Noah was given the instructions to build the Ark. He was told what kind of wood to use and the exact dimensions to build it. After receiving all God instructed, what if he had not boarded the boat? Noah was given the wisdom to not just build it, but to heed the call of “all aboard.”
Through His Word, God gives us wisdom and revelation. It is our freedom to choose whether or not we heed what He has for us. The relevance of the Bible shows us what God provides, most importantly the revelation of the Gospel of Christ Jesus and all He does for us. If you don’t know Him, invite Him into your life today.
“The Bible contains a great deal of accurate and relevant information. The Bible’s most important message—redemption—is universally and perpetually applicable to humanity. God’s Word will never be outdated, superseded, or improved upon. Cultures change, laws change, generations come and go, but the Word of God is as relevant today as it was when it was first written. Not all of Scripture necessarily applies explicitly to us today, but all Scriptures contain truth that we can, and should, apply to our lives today.” – www.GotQuestions.org
1 McDowell, Evidence that Demands a Verdict, Here's Life Publishers Inc., 1979, p. 65.
2 John McRay, quoted by Lee Strobel, The Case For Christ, Zondervan, 1998, p. 129.
3 F.F. Bruce, The Books and the Parchments: How We Got Our English Bible, Fleming H. Revell Co., 1950, 178.
4 Randall Niles, author of www.allaboutthejourney.org/bible-prophecy.htm
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