The word of God is timeless

Published 12:00 am Friday, November 4, 2016

The timelessness of the Bible, throughout the ages, never ceases to fill me with wonder and inspire praise and devotion to the glorious God who gave it. It has been my practice for a long time to make sure that I read from the Bible every day. Just as those noble Bereans, what greater service could we do for ourselves than to “search the Scriptures daily” (Acts 17:11)? Paul told Timothy that the word of God thoroughly equips us to be the people God would have us to be (2 Timothy 3:16, 17). Peter said that in the word of God we have “all things pertaining to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3).

That principle of God’s word – that in it we have everything we need to live holy and righteous lives for eternal salvation – is just as true today as it was when it was first written. The word of God is timeless! That is, the principles of the Bible are not limited to a specific point in time. They are always true and applicable for living life as God created it to be lived.

What had me thinking on this particular truth about God’s word was a passage I recently read in Psalms. As part of my daily reading, I read a chapter from Psalms (i.e. one psalm) and a chapter from Proverbs. If you do that, you will read Proverbs twelve times a year and Psalms a little more than twice a year. Many have the habit of reading the Bible through in a year, or many start with that goal in mind anyway, which is a great goal to have. I would encourage you to add one chapter from Psalms and one chapter from Proverbs to your daily reading also. The timeless wisdom in these books can make a powerful impact on our ability to “discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:14).

The specific passage that impressed me with the timelessness of God’s word was Psalm 94:20-21. “Shall the throne of iniquity, which devises evil by law, have fellowship with You? They gather together against the life of the righteous, and condemn innocent blood” (NKJV). As I read that, it really jumped out at me because of the current situation in our own country. Of course, the psalmist was referring to things taking place at his time in his country. The corruption in the civil leadership of his country was causing the righteous to be oppressed and the helpless to be destroyed (Psalm 94:1-7). These wicked rulers had no thought of God and they didn’t think God cared what they were doing. The Bible repeatedly speaks of the deplorable state of a nation whose leadership does not fear the Lord (Proverbs 11:10, 11; 16:12; 28:12, 15, 16; 29:4, 14; et al).

What a blessing it is to live in a country where we the people have the opportunity to choose for ourselves those who will be our leaders! We need to make sure that we are choosing people who will uphold the rule of law in the fear of the Lord.

When we choose lawless leaders who think they are above the law, the nation will surely suffer for it. Look at all the innocent blood that has been spilt just by the single “law” allowing abortion almost without restriction. What more “innocent blood” could there be than that of the unborn child? Yet, due to having leaders on a “throne of iniquity,” so to speak, they have devised “evil by law”! They have made it legal to kill the most innocent of all human beings.

How many laws have we seen proposed in recent years “against the life of the righteous”? From the “throne of iniquity,” we the people have allowed people to come into positions of power in our country that try to legislate our religious liberties away from us. They want to make it “against the law,” and have in some cases, for those who follow God’s word to exercise their beliefs in their public life. We are told that we must keep our religion at home, we are not allowed to practice our beliefs in the workplace, at school, or anywhere out in public – not even in our own businesses! Now you tell me, what is that? That is “the throne of iniquity” devising “evil by law”! That is a leadership actively oppressing the righteous observance of God’s word! Such leadership has no fellowship with God and, as a result of such leadership, the people will suffer. That is just as true now as it was when Psalm 94 was written!

How wonderful is God’s timeless word! Let us continually pray to God that we would be able to get people into positions of leadership in our country who truly believe in and follow these timeless truths.

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Norm Fields

Contributing columnist

Norm Fields is the minister for the Church of Christ Northside meeting at 1101 Hogansville Road in LaGrange. He may be reached at 706-812-9950 or BibleQnA@NormFields.com.