The Power of Scripture

"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. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." - Hebrews 4:12-13

This week, as part of the Really? Series, we tackled the idea "The Bible is Bogus." The Bible is the best-selling book every year, and has been around for a long time. But any metric we typically use to verify the authenticity of manuscripts, the Bible has the best record. But there are still those that believe it's just a book--one written by human authors and containing the wisdom of man.

We believe something different. While, yes, the Bible was written by men, its inspiration and wisdom comes from a different source. " All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17) It is our guide, God's word given to us and the way He communicates His will to us.

Even those who don't believe understand the power of Scripture. That was one of the interesting pieces of "The Book of Eli," a film starring Denzel Washington centered on the last copy of the Bible in a post-apocalyptic world. Some Christians like to claim that it's a faith-based film. I think that's a stretch from the intent of the filmmakers. They understand what the Bible is, fundamentally, but it doesn't mean anything to them. While Denzel Washington brings some of his faith to the film, it's not a great theological story.

But it is interesting to watch the exchanges between Washington's Eli, a devout believer, and Gary Oldman's Carnegie, a man who sees the power of the Bible in a different way. They have an exchange about it, where Carnegie says he grew up with the Bible and knows its power. But he wants to wield that power, and Eli knows that isn't right.

Carnegie tells his men of the Bible, "It's a weapon. A weapon aimed right at the hearts and minds of the weak and the desperate. It will give us control of them." He sees it as a means of controlling people. Eli sees the Bible as something else, as a guide to hear from God about how to live his life. And he shapes his journey and his actions around what he reads in Scripture.

That is the power of Scripture. It is alive and active, it penetrates our hearts and minds...if we let it. I love what Pastor Tim said, that when we read the Bible, it's also reading us. So many times I've heard someone say that it was like the passage that morning was chosen specifically for them. It's because the Word of God is alive and active, and it speaks to us to guide us. In that sense, any passage can be chosen just for us because God speaks to us, if we're listening.

There are plenty of academic arguments that can be made about the veracity and authenticity of Scripture, but the power of the Bible is the impact it makes on people. And that is something you have to experience for yourself, if you can open your heart and mind.