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What price could we put on the Bible? Just how could we measure its value? David wrote that God's word was "more precious than fine gold" (Psa 19:10 In communist nations disciples are willing to pay a month's wages for a Bible and risk government harassment in so doing. This may seem strange to some Americans who have never taken time to read one of the numerous Bibles in their home. There are many values that flow from God's holy book, each of which provides an incentive to study it diligently.
Consider some of these values:
Practical Value: "The Scriptures teach us the best way of living, the noblest way of suffering, and the most comfortable way of dying" (John Flavel). "The Bible is the one book to which any thoughtful man may go with any honest question of life or destiny and find the answer of God by honest searching" (John Ruskin).
Personal Value: "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Ps. 119:105). Other books were written for our information, but the Bible was given for our transformation.
Educational Value: "I believe a knowledge of the Bible without a college course is more valuable than a college course without a Bible." William Lyon Phelps "The opening of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple" (Ps. 119:130).
Literary Value: Again we quote from Dr. William L. Phelps, former president of Yale University, from even a literary point of view (the Bible is) the greatest book in the world." The famous English author, Charles Dickens, wrote, "the New Testament is the best book the world has ever known or will know." Our American patriot, Patrick Henry, said, "There is a book worth all other books which were ever printed."
Social and Civic Value: "For more than a thousand years the Bible collectively taken has gone hand in hand with civilization, science, law--in short, with the moral and intellectual cultivation of the species, always supporting and often leading the way" (Samuel T. Coleridge). The brilliant Thomas Jefferson wrote, "I have always said. . .that the studious perusal of the sacred volume will make better citizens, better fathers and better husbands."
Political Value: "The Bible has been the Magna Carta of the poor and the oppressed" (Thomas H. Huxley). Jesus said, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). "It is impossible to mentally or socially enslave a Bible reading people" (Horace Greeley).
Religious Value: "The Bible is the only source of all Christian truth, the only rule for the Christian life, the only book that unfolds to us the realities of eternity" (Sir M. Hale). Peter expressed it thusly, "Lord, to who shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life" (John 6:68). "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect thoroughly furnished unto all good works" (II Tim 3:16-17).
Eternal Value: "Do you know a book that you are willing to put under your head for a pillow when you are dying? Very well that is the book you want to study when you are living. There is only one such book in the world" (Joseph Cook). It is amazing how few infidels are found on the death-bed. All men instinctively reach for the hope set forth in the Holy Bible. Jesus warned, "The word that I spake, the same shall judge him in the last day" (John 12:48).
In the apostle John's visions of the judgment he saw all the race of man before the judge of the universe with "the books opened and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books. . . " (Rev 20-11-12).
With Immanuel Kant we affirm, "The Bible is the greatest benefit which the human race has ever experienced." The question is what use are we making of this marvelous book? Why not begin your course of Bible study today.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
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