If I should be privileged to offer a single piece of advice to mankind – realistically expressed intermittently on an individual basis – then the first and foremost principle I might present would be to engage seriously and consistently with the Word of God. As God’s most direct revelation of Himself, Scripture is an objectively invaluable resource for every person. For the believer, this is an essential factor in their sanctification, being the primary way in which God communicates His will to us. Even for the unbeliever, the Bible holds valuable truths that help contextualize the world and its inhabitants according to His plan. While the true goal of Christ, and thus those grafted to Him, is salvation by redemption, few things further this cause more efficiently than a standard reliance upon His Word.
Ideally, the Church is meant to represent Christ to the world, and by their example inspire others to seek God themselves. The Holy Spirit works in the faithful heart to cultivate both the desire and ability to effectively accomplish this ministry, and also instigates repentance in those that respond. But while His work is the key to the situation, His Word is means by which He clarifies it. God has chosen to reveal Himself in multiple ways, but none so clear and extensive than in the inspired Scripture. By so instilling His will into a stable format, He has preserved it against corruption and abuse. It thus serves as a standard for believers to guard against deception and to inform them as to sanctification and edification, an indispensable tool of faith.
In the case that the Church comes up short in its ministry, the Bible also serves as direct testimony of God to the unbeliever. The Holy Spirit’s written testimony stands independent of its dispensation, and even condemns the heresies of those who unfaithfully proport Christ for the purposes of deception. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. (Isaiah 40:8) Regardless of what forces may come against the cause of Christ from without or attempt to corrupt it from within, the Bible remains as the foundation of truth to fall back upon. It is for this reason that the integrity of Scripture remains a central conflict of assailment by dissenters; yet for all their efforts, it has remained untarnished.
The longest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 119, an ode to the merits of God’s Word. Stanza after stanza extols the benefits one reaps from His recorded precepts and promises, from the testimony He has made of Himself. For the core of Scripture is the revealed character of God, and there is nothing in the world or beyond that brings greater fulfillment then to know God better. The second stanza, “Beth,” (verses 9-16) succinctly captures the heart of the psalm’s message:
How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your Word. With my whole heart I seek You; let me not wander from Your commandments! I have stored up Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against You. Blessed are You, O LORD; teach me Your statutes! With my lips I declare all the rules of Your mouth. In the way of Your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on Your precepts and fix my eyes on Your ways. I will delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your Word.
Be diligent in devotion. TTT