Long ago the man I ended up marrying who would have been the first to admit he did not have a fancy vocabulary used a word people these days don’t often use and said something plain, simple, vital, incredibly challenging – and true.
“The Bible is not a smorgasbord,” he told me emphatically.
Smorgasbord? A buffet. In other words, a pick-and-choose meal whereby you can decide to eat everything you want to eat and never mind the rest.
Why did He tell me this? Back in those days I pridefully, foolishly, unwisely, dangerously, and ignorantly thought it was okay to read the Bible and believe and put into practice what I wanted – and ignore the rest.
In essence, I decided to believe what I liked and was comfortable and I thought was reasonable and good – and turn my back to the rest of it because it was hard, not good in my estimate, not pleasing, not comfortable, etc.
Friend, THE BIBLE IS GOD’S WORD. THE BIBLE IS TRUE. THE BIBLE IS TRUTH. The Bible is to be read, heard preached, meditated upon, and LIVED BY. In other words, LIVED ACCORDING TO.
No matter what we think or feel, no matter what anybody else says, no matter what society thinks, or the media says, no matter what the devil tries to convince us of, THE BIBLE IS TRUTH. And everything else in life needs to be measured against it.
If you are treating the Bible like a buffet, picking and choosing what to believe and live according to as I once did before God set me straight, please stop right away.
Turn from your sins, believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and in His death and resurrection, surrender yourself to the lordship, rule and reign, and control of God almighty, ask for and be filled with the gift of God’s Holy Spirit, read the Bible daily, and LIVE BY THE WHOLE TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD! Yes, ALL THE TRUTH!
“The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.” Psalms 119: 160 NKJV
“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” John 17:17 NKJV
“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”” John 8:31-32 NKJV
“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” 3 John 1:4 NKJV