The Purpose of Biblical Literature and
The Importance of the Good News
Ray Luff
Today there is an abundance of things being said and written in the name of Christ, to the point where many grow weary of reading it all. King Solomon warns, "be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh." (Ecclesiastes 12:12) Much of what is being said today is not only time-consuming but often also leads nowhere. Only the Bible is of importance for everyone and its Author wishes also to be the author and finisher of our life.
In the preceding verses to the one above, we read, "the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs. The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth. The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd." (Ecclesiastes 12:9-11) Christian Literature should convey the word of God. Here are a few important things to look for:
- How much is scripture quoted? The more Christian books written to teach us are peppered with quotes from scripture, the better.
- Does the writing help reveal the meaning of the scripture or does it attempt to force it into what the author wants it to say? The latter occurs when the writing jumps all over the place to argue its perspective, using several texts that may or may not apply. Alternatively, the writing can conveniently leave out part of the passage being quoted to try to make it teach something that it is not intended to teach. A preacher once quoted from 2 Timothy 2:15 which says "Study to show yourself approved unto God”. He stopped there and said he had always been told that this referred to the Bible. But then he went on to say that it also means God could be pleased with our study of Mathematics, Science, etc. His conclusion was even worse – that is, that God was not interested in Christians that knew their Bibles but in Christians that got involved in the pursuits of the world while setting a good example. May sound good, but it is not what this Scripture is saying at all. One has to read carefully the full verse of scripture that states, "Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15) A slight misrepresentation by the preacher, wouldn’t you agree? The Apostle Peter adds this thought with respect to ‘forcing’ the scripture, "they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction". (2 Peter 3:16)
- One should also be aware of the impact of paraphrasing earlier versions or original manuscripts of Scripture. It is commonly agreed that the more one paraphrases the Bible the further removed one gets from the actual words that God has decreed. While the intent of those words is not necessarily incorrect in some cases, the truth is, its depiction is more reflective of the paraphraser’s mind rather than that of God. [For more on various Bible versions, email me at rayluff@rogers.com, and ask for my book, "Illumination or Illusion - A Comparison of Newer Bible Versions". ]
Christian Literature that is intended to teach us the Word is important but it must limit itself to revealing the Word of God (the Bible) being careful to neither add more nor give us less. "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
It is our desire that the Pastors and Teachers, who represent us or are taught by us, along with the donors that partner with us, might manifest Christ because of their intimacy with God's Word. To that end, we try to regularly offer a Good News (Gospel) message in our communications. There are so many ways to explain God's Good News. It is our hope many have accepted and obeyed what the Bible says about our need for a Saviour. In Romans 3:23 we read, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” And John 3:16 tells us what we can do about it: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
You may be a friend of ICC and its work, but if you have never invited the Lord Jesus Christ to come into your life, prayerfully consider how we or other sincere Christians you know can help you to do so. Call our office and just ask for someone to assist you in talking about Christianity or becoming a Christian.
If you have done that, then we want to be sure you will gain insights into how to effectively communicate why you did what you did to others so that their family and friends might also be persuaded to become born-again believers. As Christians, Jesus wants to have intimate fellowship with us, which includes reading and studying His Word (the Bible) so that we can manifest Him and the Father, in our lives.
Well-written Christian literature, as we’ve indicated above, should always help us understand God's Word better – moving us towards acceptance of Jesus as Saviour or towards growing as a Believer once we have accepted Him -- nothing more, nothing less.
Ray Luff is a freelance Christian writer and past President of ICC international
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author
and do not necessarily represent those of ICC International.
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