Instructions Included

From the Aug. 3rd reading

What scriptures have you tossed out? What teachings of the Bible have you dismissed?

SCRIPTURE:

READ: John 5:36-40

John 5:39-40   You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. (NIV)

OBSERVATIONS:

• Jesus was addressing the Jewish religious leaders – they diligently studied the scriptures (Old Testament)
• They thought that if they could comprehend (understand) the words of the text, they would gain a share in the world to come.[i]
• These very scriptures testified about Him – O.T. prophets
• They claim to know scriptures, but they refused to recognize the promised Messiah
• They would not come to Him
• They had their own way!

APPLICATION:

• We need to use scripture to point others to Him
• We need to diligently study scripture, but be open to its teaching
• We need to know what we believe, and why

MOTIVATION:

This past week I had a very interesting conversation with a man that stopped by my office for assistance. During our conversation he shared that he read the Bible every day, and that he believed that he had a loving relationship with God. I felt led to share the gospel with him, and discovered that he only accepted portions of the Bible. He believed in the God that he imagined Him to be, and not the “God of the Bible”. He shared that he only believed in a loving God, that there was no such thing as sinful man, and that there was no hell. So I asked him which portions of the Bible did he think were inspired. He quickly replied, “all of them.” I attempted to show him what scriptures said about God, that He is a God of love, but that He is also a just God. I told him that God does not allow the guilty to go unpunished. He was not willing to accept that as truth because it did not fit into his picture of who God is. As he was leaving I challenged him with this: If God is only love, and if there is no such thing as sin, then why did Jesus have to die?

This passage in John shows that Jesus was dealing with this same problem, and it has not changed. People still want to formulate who God is in their own minds, and if scripture does not agree with their idea, then they ignore the scripture. One author said it this way, “Similarly many people today think Bible study is an end in itself rather than a function leading to the knowledge of God and godliness.”[ii] There are people in our churches today who only want to hear what is acceptable in their minds. We study what Paul has to say about marriage and divorce, and we say, “Well Paul doesn’t understand my situation”, or “Things are different now. This doesn’t apply to us anymore.” We quickly toss out scriptures that don’t fit within our paradigm, and we dismiss biblical principles simply because they are inconvenient.

The Jews were famous for ignoring much of what God told them, and so are many other religious people. Unfortunately, we meet people weekly that think God’s Word doesn’t apply to them or their situation. They say things like, “God is a loving God, and would never say that!”

So, let me ask you: What scriptures have you tossed out? What teachings of the Bible have you dismissed? Examine your heart and ask His Spirit to show you what verses you have crossed off.

PRAYER:

Ask God to reveal areas in your life where you have ignored His teachings. Then ask Him to give you the strength to be obedient to all of it.

Each week’s Monday Motivation is taken from the reading schedule found in the Life Journal. If you are ready for the next step in your discipleship, then order yours today or see me for a copy. www.lifejournal.cc

If you would like help in growing in your faith, or if you would like to know how to have faith in Him, then please contact us at (928)636-2949 or email me at pastorguy@cvgrace.com

[i] Blum, E. A. (1985). John. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 292). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

[ii] Blum, E. A. (1985). John. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 292). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.