What first comes to mind when you think of the Bible? A book of truth and wisdom? A blueprint for life? A book that can cause pain and bring comfort at the same time? Sometimes we think the Bible “works” in a certain way … only to be frustrated, confused, and even hurt when we expect it to be something it’s not meant to be.
Although the Bible is a story of love that points us to Jesus, it has also been used as a source of:
-Controversy
-Disagreement
-Debate
-Pain
-And a weapon against others
The Bible has been the source of true comfort, hope, joy, and love for some of us. But unfortunately, the Bible has also caused others pain, sorrow, sadness, and confusion. So much of how we have experienced the Bible comes down to how it has been shared with us.
When we see the Bible as something that points us to wisdom and ultimately to Jesus, it can be a source of true inspiration. We all live, but sometimes we just survive. God wants us to live fully alive.
I have come that they may have life and have it to the full. John 10:10 (NIV)
Here is another translation of what Jesus said.
I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of. John 10:10 (Message)
How does the Bible inspire us to live fully alive? But, before we dive into how the Bible inspires, here are some things to remember:
The Bible:
-A collection of 66 books
-Written by forty different people
-On three different continents
-Across a span of 1500 years
-Utilizing a variety of writing styles
So when we read the Bible, it is essential to understand its context. This general understanding that the Bible was written in a different time and place than where we are right now is simple and vital. Every detail in the Bible is not always clear, even to the best of Bible scholars. And there are various interpretations of important Bible passages. But we can surely know that the Bible points us to wisdom and ultimately to Jesus. How does the Bible inspire us?
1. The Bible tells us how to discover our identity.
We all have multiple roles. For example – I am a: Daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother (Mimi), friend, author, speaker, and coach.
The challenge is to know which role is my identity. When I know which one is my identity, the others become roles I play within that identity. Here is my current understanding of my identity.
I am a child of God.
I am a child of God who happens to play many roles.
But my identity is that I am a child of God.
The Bible is clear that we are beloved children of a Holy God. The Bible is a love story in which God is the pursuer and humans play hard to get. God wants us - but humans are unsure, confused about our feelings, and antsy teenagers who are never sure what we want. God is entirely focused on us - and we are mostly fully focused on ourselves.
The Bible is the story of how God pursues people.
- Creation
- Fall
- Redemption
- Restoration
Ultimately, God sent Jesus to earth to die for us, taking the penalty for our sin. So we are insured a relationship with God if we so choose. That story is nicely summed up in John 3:16-17.
For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world but to save the world through him. John 3:16-17
We are constantly pursuing love - genuine, eternal, unconditional love. From the moment of birth, we need love to survive. What toddler doesn’t cry out “Look, mom” and “Watch me, dad!” These children are asking, “Do you love me?” We are all seeking love, all the time, every day. The disciple John says it this way:
This is real love – not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. 1 John 4:10
From Romeo and Juliet to West Side Story to the Titanic movie - we long for a good love story. And all the better if the love is somehow hard to attain. These stories speak to us because that is how we were designed - to love and be loved.
And once the question “Am I loved?” is answered with a resounding “Yes!” we are then free to live fully alive. So the Bible tells us who we are – beloved children of a Holy God- an inspiring game changer.
2. The Bible inspires us to grow in our character.
The Bible points out sin - when we miss the mark of God’s best for us.
In the Old Testament portion of the Bible, God gave the Israelites laws through Moses. Most of these laws are moral and social laws. The ten commandments are the summary of those laws. I call them “God’s top ten list.” They were given to show people how to live in the right relationship with God and each other. Again, the word for “sin” refers to any time we “miss the mark” of God’s best for us. When sin is exposed, it points out our need for a savior, someone who can make up the difference, bridge the gap, and solve the problem between God’s holiness and our sin.
In the new testament, Jesus enters the picture and takes on the penalty for our sin, freeing us to live as imperfect human beings in a right relationship with a Holy God. Moreover, because Jesus takes our sin on himself, we are righteous – which means we are right with God - and that is great news! Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the law. These laws no longer are our “rules” to live by. Jesus is the “relationship” to live by.
I knew the rules when I got married. Dan is the only man for me. My loyalty is lived out in my commitment to encourage and build him up. I could go on, but you get the idea. I kept the rules then. But now, I don’t need the rules because I have a relationship with my husband that keeps me in line. So the rules are still worth following, but we now follow them through a relationship with Jesus.
As a parent, there are rules for your kids. For example, don’t go out in the street. It’s a rule. Just don’t do it. It is for your good, your protection, and your safety. But every single toddler tests this rule from time to time. They want to be in charge but do not yet have the wisdom to understand that playing in the street is a bad idea. Eventually, this is not a rule we constantly say to our kids because as they grow older, they don’t need this rule. They now have the wisdom to know that playing in the street is not a good idea.
Eventually, God’s relationship with people grows, and the laws and the rules are fulfilled. We can now rely on wisdom to live life in God’s way, which is how our relationship with God grows from rules to wisdom.
And now, instead of trying to DO right all the time, we try to BE right with God. So, Paul tells the Galatians - we are now inspired to live fully alive and empowered to live fully through the fruit of the Spirit. But the Holy Spirit produces this fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-23
The Bible inspires us to grow in our character - and the keyword is US. But, unfortunately, this is where I think we sometimes get it wrong. I think we take the Hebrews verse about the Word of God being a sword, and we use it against others. We take the Bible – and say this is the Word of God, and I will use it to expose you rather than using it to expose ourselves.
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and Spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
The Bible becomes a weapon when we use the Bible as a sword to expose others instead of a mirror to expose ourselves. Then the Bible can repel and hurt others rather than be an invitation to live fully alive. Jesus warns against this when he says:
And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! Matthew 7:3-4
When sin is released from our lives - we grow in our character. When we grow in our character, we find freedom. Scripture isn’t simply meant to give us a list of rules and regulations but to lead us to wisdom, Jesus, and a fulfilled life.
First, the Bible inspires us to discover our identity. Second, the Bible inspires us to develop our character.
3. The Bible inspires us to fulfill our calling.
After we answer the question, “Am I loved?” our second question is, “Am I Valuable? Will my life matter? Is there a purpose to my existence? A purpose bigger than me?” We start out making life entirely about us. Make me happy and comfortable. I am the center of my universe. Life is all about me. But it is not long before just having what we need and want falls short. Life is so not about me. God not only designed us to matter, but he also gifted and called us to matter.
The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Romans 11:29
You can run – but you cannot hide from the need to matter. The call and the gifting matter. God designed us to make an impact - to do something that matters. The desire to make a difference is given to us by God. Although God created us with a need to love and be loved, he also created us with a desire to serve the world and make an impact.
God has called each Christ follower to a group of people and gifted each follower to serve that group of people. It may be serving on the staff of a church, reaching people across the world, or simply getting to know the people in your community. Community includes family, neighbors, your church family - and the city where you live.
I am not just in those communities of people. I am called to reach, serve, and love those people.
Conclusion
The Bible inspires us in three ways:
1. Helps us discover our identity.
2. Helps us grow in character.
3. Helps us fulfill our calling.
The Bible inspires and leads us to direct intimacy with God, an intimacy that changes us now and keeps us for eternity.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
Mary Southerland is also the Co-founder of Girlfriends in God, a conference and devotion ministry for women. Mary’s books include, Hope in the Midst of Depression, Sandpaper People, Escaping the Stress Trap, Experiencing God’s Power in Your Ministry, 10-Day Trust Adventure, You Make Me So Angry, How to Study the Bible, Fit for Life, Joy for the Journey, and Life Is So Daily. Mary relishes her ministry as a wife, a mother to their two children, Jered and Danna, and Mimi to her six grandchildren – Jaydan, Lelia, Justus, Hudson, Mo, and Nori.