In 1984, I lost a football bet. That’s not unusual. Many people lose. But the payment for losing the bet was not monetary. I had to show up to church.
Not to squelch on a deal, l showed up to a very large church totally trashed from a party and had left just hours prior. I came with my long hair, a torn t-shirt, shorts, and smelling like alcohol and pot. What’s ironic is I had stopped drinking in 1982, and I never smoked. That tells you the kind of party I hosted.
After the sermon about the redemptive plan of salvation through Jesus Christ, I went directly to the College Pastor and told him he was a liar, ignorant, and he didn’t know what he was talking about. He was gracious and strong at the same time.
“Thank you for your input but have you ever read the bible from cover to cover?” He asked.
“I’ve read some but not all of it,” I replied.
He continued, “Do you know how the Bible was put together? And do you have any idea why so many people throughout history have believed in its contents?”
A little shocked by his response, I sheepishly said, “No.”
Then with a kind but strong voice, he said, “Go back and read it from cover to cover and study how the Bible came to be. Then come back, and let’s have this discussion.”
“Okay,” I said mildly.
He responded, “Good. You see, you have come with a knife to this debate, and I have a bazooka. It wouldn’t be pretty.”
By then I was determined to take on his challenge and said, “I’ll do that. And I’ll prove your Bible to be false.”
I studied how the Bible was put together for the next four months. I learned about canonicity. I studied ancient documents. And, yes, I read the Bible from cover to cover. I found the Bible to be true. It is the inspired word of God soon after I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior.
As I matured in my faith, I saw the sad reality that very few believers know the Bible. This ignorance is not bliss. This lack of knowledge causes a lot of confusion.
The Bible is the root to our faith. And just like a tree that receives nutrients, water, and stability from its roots, the Bible gives us spiritual nutrients, living water, and stability during the worst storms of life.
Without Biblical roots, a Christ-follower will be culturally driven, enamored by the world, and develop into a control freak, which brings stress and doubt. With Biblical roots, the follower of Christ will become Biblically driven, on fire by Jesus, and give control to the One who is in control, which brings peace and confidence.
It is imperative for all believers in Jesus Christ, to know the Bible. In our “ROOTS” series, I ask and answer three questions. They are the same questions I asked myself many years ago.
- What Is the Bible?
- Why Trust the Bible?
- Why Apply the Bible?
