CALEDON HILLS FELLOWSHIP

Back To The Bible

Back to the Bible

Back To The Bible

By Pastor Bill

Last Sunday we brought in the New Year by calling ourselves back to the Bible for 2012. This is relevant for every one of us, whether we’re men or women, adults or children, leaders or followers, sick or healthy, more educated or less, working or retired, new Christians or seasoned veterans – all of us. Six of you asked for the eight points to my message, so I have listed them at the bottom of this weblog with their biblical proof texts.

In order to help unclutter and unconfuse our lives I suggested in my introduction that we sift through all of reality until we’re left with the most significant eternal values possible, and then aim to live in the light of them. I conclude there are only three:

1) our eternal God (Job 36:26; Psalm 90:2);
2) our fellow humans all of whom have eternal destinies (Matthew 25:46); and
3) the eternal word of God (Psalm 119:89; 1 Peter 1:25).

Accordingly, if we cling to these three eternal values of God, people and Scripture, then not only do we simplify our lives but we better clarify all that is impermanent, perishable and earth-bound. Not that we should aim to exit this world in order to abstain from the things of this world, but with these core eternal values in mind we hold the interpretive keys to evaluating all fads, activities, media, purchases, plans, dreams, ideas and ambitions. Contrary to popular belief, to be heavenly minded is to do the most earthly good, because when we live in the light of eternity we prioritize God, His Word, and others ahead of ourselves, and thus, who God is, what people ultimately need, and what the bible teaches, transforms us so that increasingly we become most relevant, opportune and practical for the glory of God.

Therefore, at the onset of 2012, we have spotlighted “eternal value number three”: the abiding word of God forever settled in heaven. In Acts 2:42 we have a thumbnail, a “jpg file” if you will, of the early church’s essential practices, the first of which was that “they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching.” Let us follow their model with equal resolve. Luke also records how the Bereans “were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11). Some churches are more biblical than others. Let us be like the Bereans placing God’s word above every opinion, idea, tradition, policy, procedure, book or sermon. My Berean appeal to all of us this year concerning the word of God is quite simple: pick it up, size it up, and eat it up. Refuse to be forgetful, aimless, and undernourished because…

1. The word of God is a consuming fire (Jeremiah 5:14);
2. The word of God is a judging hammer (Jeremiah 23:29);
3. The word of God is a penetrating sword (Hebrews 4:12-13; Ephesians 6:17b);
4. The word of God is a germinating seed (1 Peter 1:23);
5. The word of God is the milk of basic teaching (1 Peter 2:2);
6. The word of God is the meat of deeper teaching mixed with practice (1 Corinthians 3:1-2; Hebrews 5:12-14);
7. The word of God is a light for direction and protection (Psalm 119:105); and
8. The word of God is a mirror for self-understanding that leads to change (James 1:22-25).

Love,
Pastor Bill