Articles
What Jesus Thought of Scripture / Do You Have Enough Friends?
What Jesus Thought Of Scripture
(by Don Hooton)
The connection of Jesus to Scripture is essential to a Christian’s thinking because Scripture is essential to our faith. What we believe about Scripture often influences what we believe about Jesus. Still, what Jesus believed about Scripture should influence what believers think of Scripture. What He thought we should think. There is no better place to show Jesus’ high view of Scripture than at the time when Satan tempted Him.
He believed Scripture was the words of God. After Satan tempted Him to turn stones to bread, Jesus answered him and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD’” (Matthew 4:4, NASU). What He is saying is that this writing is in fact that which proceeds from God. Paul says the same. In 2 Timothy 3:16, the Greek, theos (NT:2316) “God,” and pnein (NT:4154), “to breathe,” say that “All Scripture is” indeed “inspired of God” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). It is the breath of God Himself. The words of inspired men, those words both spoken and written, are indeed the word of God (c.f. 1 Thessalonians 2:13).
He believed Scripture does not contradict itself. After Satan tempted Him to throw Himself down from the temple’s peak, Jesus’ response to his charge that Scripture guaranteed His own protection was “On the other hand, it is written” (NASU). Jesus believed that the Scripture the devil quoted could in no way contradict the Scripture He knew said that you could not tempt the Lord. Truth harmoniously fits together. One truth will not contradict another. Otherwise, it is not truth at all. If one Scripture says that “baptism now saves you,” how can any other Scripture teach otherwise? One Scripture will not contradict another.
Last, Jesus believed Scripture was empowering. When Satan tempted Jesus to worship him, Jesus courageously responded, “Get out of here Satan” (4:10, NLT), clearly showing that Scripture empowers us to resist temptation. Although He was God’s Son, He stood face to face with the devil himself. Coupled with faith and what Scripture said, Jesus could, in essence, tell the devil to get lost. Scripture is not merely the inculcation of dogma. Rather, it “was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the enouncement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4, NIV). Further, “all Scripture…is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living, so that the person who serves God may be fully qualified and equipped to do every kind of good deed” (2 Timothy 3:16-17, TEV). The Bible raises our confidence and capability to say “no” to the works of darkness.
Christians who follow Christ need to see Scripture the way He did. Scripture is the words of God in the Word of God. Scripture is truth and does not contradict itself. And Scripture as truth empowers us to live right. No longer should we meander through the paths of indecision that leads to exalting human opinion in religion. We need to speak where the Bible speaks – because that is what Jesus did.
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of Life, (for the Life was revealed, and we have seen it and bear witness, and show to you the everlasting Life, who was with the Father and was revealed to us), that which we have seen and heard we declare unto you, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And we write these things to you so that your joy may be full” (1 John 1:1-4).
Do You Have Enough Friends?
(by Jason Cheney)
My friend Andy has more than three times as many friends than me on Facebook. This fact makes me think maybe I don’t have enough friends. Do you have enough friends?
Most of us are content with the amount of friends we have. I am content going over to the same people’s homes every time, having them into my home exclusively, and being involved with only them socially. It’s uncomfortable and difficult to have strangers over! I have to be on my best behavior. Plus, I don’t know what I can say and not say around them. And what if they say something I disagree with?
The problem with rarely having new people over is that God has asked us to constantly interact with new people: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:2). And “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Peter 4:9). Also, “Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality” (Romans 12:13). Hospitality means literally “Love of strangers.” We might say hospitality means “Love of making friends,” because they won’t be strangers once we show them hospitality.
I know you love the friends that you have. They are a blessing from God. "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity" (Proverbs 17:17). "A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother" (Proverbs 18:24). "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" (Proverbs 27:17). We are filled when around friends, but often feel drained around new people. We trust our friends and have chosen them carefully to guide us and protect us on our journey to the heavenly country. But many strangers don’t share our personal strengths and disciplines, and we feel vulnerable and uncomfortable around them.
So why does God want us to love strangers? Hasn’t He blessed us with enough wonderful friends?
I think we know. He left us here to work. In a friendship, we have a mutually beneficial relationship with the other person. It feels good to us, and it feels good to them. But when we show hospitality, the relationship is one of total service to the other person. We are putting ourselves “last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35).
There’s a member of this church who has never spent time with you outside of this building. Will you have them into your home and develop that friendship? Next time you are planning to have people over, will it be someone you know or a stranger who needs your service to find the Lord? What is the percentage of people coming into your home who are strangers?
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