This morning, as my Thursday custom is, I was studying for this Sunday’s teaching at CrossHope Chapel and sensed a need to share some thoughts on this verse: “And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.” 1 Thessalonians 2:13 (ESV)

It occurred to me that over my years of ministry I have found people to fall into one of three categories when it comes to how they accept the Bible…

1) They accept the Bible as nothing special or not different than any other “holy” writ or may even be hostile to it.

2) They accept the Bible as sacred but yet remain uncommitted to reading or studying its words or message.

3) They accept the Bible as the inspired authoritative word of the living Creator God and put priority in believing, reading, or studying it as God’s personal word to them.

In 1 Thessalonians 2:13, Paul is saying that they received the word of God as do those in the third category. They accepted it as the inspired, authoritative word of God to them personally.

This is how we ought to receive the Bible today. None of us can benefit from it’s teachings or be moved by its Spirit unless we accept the Bible as the personal authoritative word of God. Like going to a physician for a cure, unless we receive the prescription in compliance to the doctor’s healing regiment, we have no course of healing.

Please settle in your heart and mind, that the Bible is the Word of God.

The Bible was inspired by the Spirit of God (2 Timothy 3:16) and written by men of God as the Spirit of God spoke through them (2 Peter 1:20-21).

The Bible is different than any other literary work because it is unlike any other in its character, content, construction, and cost.

The Bible has caused its writers to face martyrdom, its believers to shed blood, its readers to experience persecution, and it has summoned the Son of God from Heaven to life as the Son of Man on earth.

The Bible has been banned, assaulted, villainized, outlawed, and subject to systematic destruction, but yet it remains.

The Bible has multiplied in its availability, it is published at record numbers, and it is found in languages that cover the entire the globe.

The Bible is holy, pure, and perfect (Psalm 19:7-9), and its highest aim is the testimony of the Savior of mankind, the Lord Jesus Christ (John 5:39-40).

The Bible has its Author always present with it, because it is not just here to be read, but it is here that it may read us.

Just as the Bible was birthed through mankind (2 Peter 1:20-21) as the inspired Word of God, so was Jesus birthed through mankind (Luke 1:35) as Living Word of God (John 1:1, 14).

Just as the Lord Jesus live’s forever (Romans 1:25) so the written Word of God will live forever (Psalm 119:89).

Let those who hate the Savior hate the Bible, but as for us, let’s hold to the Bible as the Word of God, as “a lamp” to our walk and “a light” to our direction (Psalm 119:105), and as word of the Lord that will “endureth for ever” (1 Peter 1:25).