As saved ones, we should at least have a basic knowledge concerning certain matters, such as, there is God, Jesus is our Savior, we are sinners, our sins have been forgiven, and we have the Lord’s life in us. In addition, we should further know how the Bible came into existence, how it was handed down, how it was translated, and what its functions are. We should also know who Christ is. Is He God or is He a man? What was He in the past, and what will He be in the future? Not only so, we should know the development of Christianity on earth. What is the “old religion”? What is the “new religion”? What is the Catholic, or Roman Catholic, Church? What is the Greek Orthodox, or the Eastern Orthodox, Church? We need to have a basic knowledge of all these matters.
Christians all acknowledge that the Bible is God’s word, God’s speaking. Not only so, the Bible is God’s speaking to man through human language. The Bible comes out of God and is God’s own speaking, yet God speaks by words that are intelligible to man. Because man understands only the human language, and because God desires to speak to man, God must use a language which man can understand. We may compare this to the way we use the appropriate language to express our ideas to a foreigner; even though we speak in a foreign language, the content is still our thoughts.
There are several great matters in the universe. The first matter is God’s creation of heaven and earth, which is an evidence of God’s existence. That God created all things proves His existence. Everyone recognizes that the creation of the universe, the existence of the universe, is a great miracle. The universe is so mysterious and so great, yet it came into being through creation and is upheld and borne by Christ. This great matter proves the existence of God.
The second great matter in the universe is God’s speaking. God, indeed, created the universe; however, if God merely uses the universe to prove His existence, it would be difficult for man to fathom and believe. Therefore, God came in to speak to man. The creation of God is the verification of God, whereas the speaking of God is the explanation of God, the making known of God Himself by His speaking. For example, I have something in my pocket, but if I do not say anything about it, then you will have to make all kinds of guesses as to what it is. Some might be partially right and others might be totally wrong, but no one can be absolutely correct. However, once I explain what it is, then no one needs to guess; everyone will know what it is.
In the same way, the Bible is an explanation. The universe is the creation of God, whereas the Bible is the word of God, the explanation of God. The creation is God’s work, and the word of God is His explanation. His word clearly tells us where the universe came from, what its course is, and where it is going. It even tells us in detail where man came from and where he is going. This is the Bible. Anyone who really knows the Bible will confess that it is the word spoken by God to reveal Himself, the universe and all of creation, and even the relationship of mankind with God.
God is a speaking God; He reveals Himself to man by His speaking. Those who do not know God might say that everything is really a mystery. Those who know God, however, can understand His revelation because they have the Spirit within and the Bible without. The universe is laid open to them, and the matters of the universe are as clear as crystal. If God had never spoken to mankind, then we would not know how to go on while we are living on earth. Hebrews 1:1-2a says, “God, having spoken of old in many portions and in many ways to the fathers in the prophets, has at the last of these days spoken to us in the Son.” God spoke to the fathers in the ancient times. Now He is speaking to us. Moreover, God does not only speak, but He speaks continually. This is truly a sweet and wonderful thing.
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