Living in Increase (Part 1) - Increase in Understandingনমুনা

Week 1: The Purpose of Scripture

The Case for Scripture

Welcome to Living in Increase! Throughout the year, we will engage in a daily devotional that will help us live in the increase God has for us. This month’s theme is “Increase in Understanding,” and we will start by studying the purpose of Scripture together.

“Scriptures” are the sacred writings of the Christian faith in the Bible (God’s Word), and our beliefs about God and His Word matter. Our belief in God is the most important and influential belief we wrestle with throughout our lifetime. This belief in God is shaped and undergirded by what we believe about the Bible; therefore, it is essential to consider what the Bible says about itself and the role it should play in our lives. For example, those who believe the Bible is inerrant (incapable of being wrong) will not approach the Bible in the same way as someone who does not believe in the accuracy of the Word of God.

We learn about the character of God through the written word (the Bible) and the Word made flesh (Jesus, as seen in John 1). What you know about the attributes of God will shape your life and expectations of God, which is why it is essential to believe that the Bible is true! Let’s consider these phrases:

“Thus says the Lord”
“The Lord God says”

These phrases are spoken throughout the Old Testament by prophets, as seen below:

Isaiah 66:1: “This is what the Lord says, “Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool. Where, then, is a house that you could build for Me? And where will My resting place be?”
Jeremiah 32:15: “For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Houses and fields and vineyards will again be purchased in this land.’”
Ezekiel 21:26: “Thus says the Lord God, ‘Remove the turban and take off the crown; things shall not remain as they have been. Exalt that which is low and abase the high.’”

These passages exemplify why the Bible is regarded as God’s Word. We also see this in the New Testament when the Apostle Peter tells his intended readers that people distort some of Paul’s letters just as they do with the “rest of Scriptures” (2 Peter 3:16). This proves that the Apostle Peter regarded Paul’s writings as part of Scripture.

The Apostle Paul also says in his writings to Timothy that “all Scripture is inspired by God and beneficial for teaching, for rebuke, for correction, for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

So, I know some of you have heard this a thousand times. Others may be tempted to rely only on their experiences and what they’ve heard about God to shape their beliefs. This year, I hope that we all realize the importance of knowing our faith through the learning and understanding of Scripture. You might wonder, “How does this change me?” or “What do I do with this information?” Well, we often hear that we are to “love God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength.” Sometimes, we tend to ignore the “mind” in this phrase. Our love for God should push us to understand the God we claim to love. We will spend an eternity learning, fellowshipping, and enjoying the God of the universe. Ultimately, the purpose of Scripture is to increase our knowledge of God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit. By increasing in understanding, we will learn to love God and His Word more.

Ruby Washington

Action Step: Find a friend and choose a Book of the Bible to study from beginning to end, verse by verse.