Jump start # 661

Amos 8:11-12 “Behold, days are coming,’ declares the Lord God, when I shall send a famine on the land, not a famine for bread for a thirst for water, but rather for hearing the words of the Lord. People will stagger from sea to sea and from north even to the east; they will go to and from to seek the word of the Lord, but they will not find it.’”

The days of Amos were tough times spiritually. The people of God were not committed and dedicated to God. Sacrifices became meaningless and the people didn’t seem interested. God would not tolerate such lifeless worship. One of the things God was going to do was remove His word from the land. There would be a famine for the word. Times would come when people would seek the ways of God but not be able to find them.

In many ways we witness a famine of Biblical knowledge in the land today. People just do not understand the Bible, yet they speak as if they are experts. The lack of fundamental basics is disturbing and worse when folks state things so proudly that illustrate this ignorance of the word.

The recent controversy concerning Chic-fil-a is a great example of this. From the talk shows to national columnists, people of knowledge are showing that they have no knowledge of God’s word. It is embarrassing to hear of such wild statements that cannot be supported by the Bible.

For instance, in the past few days, I have found these:

• “Jesus Christ never said anything about marriage.” False. Try Matthew 5 or 19 to start with.

• “Jesus never defined a marriage.” False. He did. Read Matthew 19 where He quotes Genesis 2 and states a man and his wife.

• “Jesus never said anything about homosexuality.” False. He did. The apostles wrote the commandments of Jesus (1 Cor 14:37). In Romans, homosexuality is called unnatural.

• “If we use the Bible, then we must bring back slavery.” False. I don’t know where this is coming from. Every society that has had the Bible taught has ended slavery.

• “Using the Bible makes women second class people.” False. I expect this is a misunderstanding of what “submission” is. The New Testament gave women privileges that they never had before.

• “God doesn’t care, He just wants us to be happy.” False. He does care, and He wants us to be holy before happy. 1 Peter 1:16 says to be holy as He is holy.

• “Jesus is compassionate and loving. He would never reject anyone.” False. His parables show people being cast out for not wearing wedding attire or for burying money in the ground or for showing up late to the wedding. He taught that if a person rejected His word, they rejected Him. He said if we love Him, we will keep His commandments.

• “If we are going to start turning to the Bible, then we can’t eat certain foods.” False. The Old Testament food restrictions that applied to Israel are not part of the New Testament. This is a misunderstanding of the Old Testament and the New Testament.

It is disturbing to hear people claiming to know the Bible, misuse it so much. The knowledge is often superficial and shallow. Now all of this leads to a consideration of us.

We need to know the Bible. Not a second-hand, I heard a preacher say once, type of knowledge. We need to grasp what the writers are saying. We need to understand the circumstances and we need to be able to teach people the correct knowledge of God’s word.

Shallow knowledge will produce only a shallow faith. Shallow knowledge is dangerous because it doesn’t ward off Satan nor protect a person against error. There is just enough knowledge to make a person think he is right, but not enough to really grasp the message. The Bible ought to move us to God and change us. It is powerful when used correctly.

Liberal theology today teaches that the sin at Sodom was not homosexuality but a lack of hospitality. That doesn’t fit the story nor what God actually said. With just a little Bible and a huge agenda people can move God to supporting the very things He is against. They have changed the Bible instead of changing themselves. By doing this, they have taken the holiness out of the word, they have deflated it’s power, they have watered down it’s promises and they have made the Book of very little value.

How well do you know the Bible? How well is the Book transforming your life? Jesus said that man shall live on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Every word…important…powerful…life changing.

We may be in a spiritual famine right now. Will you survive? It’s been said, ‘the Bible that is falling apart belongs to a person who is not falling apart.”

Roger