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- Herausgeber: Bible Study Books
- Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
- Sprache: Englisch
- Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017
"Search the Scriptures." John 5:39 "How do you read it?" Luke 10:26 Next to praying, there is nothing so important in practical religion as Bible reading. God has mercifully given us a book which is "able to make us wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." (2 Tim. 3:15.) Learn to read and interpret the Bible. By reading that book, we may learn . . . what to believe, what to be, what to do; how to live with comfort, and how to die in peace. Happy is that man who possesses a Bible! Happier still is he who reads it! Happiest of all is he who not only reads it but obeys it, and makes it the rule of his faith and practice! Nevertheless, it is a sorrowful fact that man has an unhappy skill in abusing God's gifts. His privileges, and power, and faculties, are all ingeniously perverted to other ends than those for which they were bestowed. His speech, his imagination, his intellect, his strength, his time, his influence, his money instead of being used as instruments for glorifying his Maker are generally wasted, or employed for his own selfish ends. And just as man naturally makes a bad use of his other mercies, so he does of the written Word. One sweeping charge may be brought against the whole of Christendom, and that charge is neglect and abuse of the Bible. To prove this charge we have no need to look abroad: the proof lies at our own doors. I have no doubt that there are more Bibles in Great Britain at this moment than there ever were since the world began. There is more Bible buying and Bible selling, more Bible printing and Bible distributing than ever was since England was a nation. We see Bibles in every bookseller's shop, Bibles of every size, price, and style; Bibles great, and Bibles small Bibles for the rich, and Bibles for the poor. This neglected Book is the subject about which I address the readers of this paper today. Surely it is no light matter what you are doing with the Bible.
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Summary
BIBLE READING
"Search the Scriptures." John 5:39
"How do you read it?" Luke 10:26
Next to praying, there is nothing so important in practical religion as Bible reading. God has mercifully given us a book which is "able to make us wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." (2 Tim. 3:15.)
By reading that book, we may learn . . . what to believe, what to be, what to do; how to live with comfort, and how to die in peace.
Happy is that man who possesses a Bible! Happier still is he who reads it! Happiest of all is he who not only reads it but obeys it, and makes it the rule of his faith and practice!
Nevertheless, it is a sorrowful fact that man has an unhappy skill in abusing God's gifts. His privileges, and power, and faculties, are all ingeniously perverted to other ends than those for which they were bestowed.
His speech, his imagination, his intellect, his strength, his time, his influence, his money instead of being used as instruments for glorifying his Maker are generally wasted, or employed for his own selfish ends. And just as man naturally makes a bad use of his other mercies, so he does of the written Word. One sweeping charge may be brought against the whole of Christendom, and that charge is neglect and abuse of the Bible.
To prove this charge we have no need to look abroad: the proof lies at our own doors. I have no doubt that there are more Bibles in Great Britain at this moment than there ever were since the world began. There is more Bible buying and Bible selling, more Bible printing and Bible distributing than ever was since England was a nation. We see Bibles in every bookseller's shop, Bibles of every size, price, and style; Bibles great, and Bibles small Bibles for the rich, and Bibles for the poor.
There are Bibles in almost every house in the land. But all this time I fear we are in danger of forgetting, that to have the Bible is one thing and to read it quite another.
This neglected Book is the subject about which I address the readers of this paper today. Surely it is no light matter what you are doing with the Bible. Surely, when the plague is abroad, you should search and see, whether the plague-spot is on you. Give me your attention while I supply you with a few plain reasons why everyone who cares for his soul ought to value the Bible highly, to study it regularly, and to make himself thoroughly acquainted with its contents.
J.C. Ryle, 1878
CHAPTER 1
I. In the first place, there is no book in existence written in such a manner as the Bible.
The Bible was "given by inspiration of God." (2 Timothy 3:16.) In this respect, it is utterly unlike all other writings. God taught the writers of it what to say. God put into their minds thoughts and ideas. God guided their pens in setting down those thoughts and ideas. When you read it--you are not reading the self-taught compositions of poor imperfect men like yourself--but the words of the eternal God. When you hear it, you are not listening to the erring opinions of short-lived mortals--but to the unchanging mind of the King of kings. The men who were employed to compose the Bible, spoke not of themselves. They "spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." (2 Peter 1:21.)
All other books in the world, however good and useful in their way, are more or less defective. The more you look at them--the more you see their defects and blemishes. The Bible alone is absolutely perfect. From beginning to end, it is "the Word of God."
I shall not waste time by attempting any long and labored proof of this. I say boldly, that the Book itself is the best witness of its own inspiration. It is utterly inexplicable and unaccountable in any other point of view. It is the greatest standing miracle in the world. He who dares to say the Bible is not inspired, let him give a reasonable account of it, if he can. Let him explain the peculiar nature and character of the Book in a way that will satisfy any man of common sense. The burden of proof seems to my mind to lie on him.
It proves nothing against inspiration, as some have asserted, that the writers of the Bible have each a different style. Isaiah does not write like Jeremiah, and Paul does not write like John. This is perfectly true--and yet the works of these men are not a whit less equally inspired. The waters of the sea have many different shades. In one place they look blue, and in another green. And yet the difference is owing to the depth or shallowness of the part we see, or to the nature of the bottom. The water in every case is the same salt sea. The breath of a man may produce different sounds, according to the character of the instrument on which he plays. The flute, the pipe, and the trumpet, have each their peculiar note. And yet the breath that calls forth the notes, is in each case one and the same. The light of the planets we see in the skies is very various. Mars, and Saturn, and Jupiter, have each a peculiar color. And yet we know that the light of the sun, which each planet reflects, is in each case one and the same.
Just in the same way the books of the Old and New Testaments are all inspired truth--and yet the aspect of that truth varies according to the mind through which the Holy Spirit makes it flow. The handwriting and style of the writers differ enough to prove that each had a distinct individual being; but the Divine Guide who dictates and directs the whole, is always one. All is alike inspired. Every chapter, and verse, and word--is from God.
Oh, that men who are troubled with doubts, and questionings, and skeptical thoughts about inspiration, would calmly examine the Bible for themselves! Oh, that they would act on the advice which was the first step to Augustine's conversion, "Take it up and read it!--take it up and read it!" How many Gordian knots this course of action would cut! How many difficulties and objections would vanish away at once like mist before the rising sun! How many would soon confess, "The finger of God is here! God is in this Book, and I knew it not!"
This is the Book about which I address the readers of this paper. Surely it is no light matter what you are doing with this Book. It is no light thing that God should have caused this Book to be "written for your learning," and that you should have before you "the oracles of God." (Romans 3:2; 15:4.) I charge you, I summon you to give an honest answer to my question. What are you doing with the Bible? Do you read it at all? How do you read it?
CHAPTER 2
II. In the second place, there is no knowledge absolutely needful to a man's salvation, except a knowledge of the things which are to be found in the Bible.
We live in days when the words of Daniel are fulfilled before our eyes, "Many run to and fro, and knowledge is increased." (Dan. 12:4.) Schools are multiplying on every side. New colleges are set up. Old Universities are reformed and improved. New books are continually coming forth. More is being taught--more is being learned--more is being read--than there ever was since the world began.
It is all well. I rejoice at it. An ignorant population is a perilous and expensive burden to any nation. It is a ready prey to the first Absalom, or Catiline, or Wat Tyler, or Jack Cade, who may arise to entice it to do evil. But this I say---we must never forget that all the education a man's head can receive, will not save his soul from Hell, unless he knows the truths of the Bible.
