The Astounding Perfect Book

Is There Really a Perfect Book?   

I have read many books – none of them perfect. As a writer and editor, I often spot mistakes in spelling, grammar, inconsistencies, or vagueness in books and articles I read.  I feel like some writers have difficulty making their point. Looking back on things I have written in the past, I realize that I could have written them better.  We writers are fallible humans.

I have only found one book that is perfect.    I find it to be astounding in so many ways.

Imagine This…

Let’s pretend that we find 40 different writers from different backgrounds, experiences, and locations.  We give them an assignment to each write a chapter of a book about God.  But they may not consult with one another.  When they finish, they will send their chapters to an editor who will put them all together.

What do you think?  Will the editor end up with a perfect book in which the chapters support each other to make a cohesive book?  She will have to decide what will be the opening and closing chapters.  Will all of these chapters agree with what the other writers wrote? Will it be a perfect book?

No way!

But the 40 writers of the perfect book were not only different in the ways our writers are different, but also they were not even all alive at the same time.

Yes, you guessed it.  The perfect book is the Bible.

It took over 1500 years for all of the books of the Bible to be written.  If it were not for God leading and directing the writers, the Bible would have never turned out to be the astounding perfect book that it is.  He gave them His messages to write, allowing them to write in their own style.  If you want to know the history of how the books of the Bible were accepted as the official Scriptures, see this article: Who decided which books to include in the Bible? 

 The Perfect Book is Always Relevant

Did you ever begin reading an old book and never finish because it just wasn’t relevant to you?  I have.  But the Bible, though ancient, isn’t like that.                   

Have you ever experienced reading a part of the Bible and found that it was relevant to your particular situation at that time?  It happens to me all the time.  I could be reading a section that I have read many times before, but suddenly it comes alive.  It relates to whatever is going on in my life or to thoughts or feelings that I’ve been having.

Scripture verses speak directly to me.  They bring light, life, and understanding.  They give me direction.  Often a verse or a phrase jumps out at me, giving me perspectives that I need right at that moment.

Everyone who comes to God with an open heart when reading His Word will experience how relevant it is to his or her own personal life. It speaks truth and wisdom. Scripture brings peace in a chaotic, uncertain world. It applies to all generations. It’s the perfect guide to help us find our way through life.

For a very old book, it’s relevance is absolutely astonishing!  There is no other explanation than that the Bible is truly God’s Word.

A Book That Doesn’t Have to be Read from Front to Back

Can you imagine going to your bookshelf, pulling out a book, opening it randomly, and reading just a part of it?  If it’s a story, it won’t make sense.

The Bible is God’s story.  No matter where you open it to read, before long you will find something that speaks to your heart.  Yes, there is great value in reading the Bible through from beginning to end.  But sometimes we just want to find some inspiration or encouragement.  We  may open the book randomly or decide to read a particular book of the Bible.

God speaks to us through His story, in whatever part we are reading.  That is unique to this perfect book!

This Best Seller is Read by Millions Every Day

No other best-selling book is daily read by millions of people all over the world.  No other book is constantly being translated into other languages and new versions. No other book influences people to dedicate their lives to putting unwritten languages into written forms and teach the people who speak those languages to read – all for the purpose of translating the Bible so that people can have God’s Word in their heart languages..

Just think of how many English translations and paraphrases of the Bible we have.  Then think about how many books, articles, blog posts, songs, sermons, etc. have been written about the Bible or parts of it. I wonder how many Bible verse memes have been made. On social media, we see far more quotes from the Bible than from any other book.

No other book, except this perfect book, contains such a wealth of life-giving material that no one could ever finish writing about and explaining every part of it.  Holy Spirit continues to give different people revelation about parts of the Bible so that they can write about it, speak about it, make videos about it, pray it, sing it, podcast it, and so much more.  It is an unending source!

As a writer of devotionals and articles about the Bible, I never run out of something to write about.  All I need to do is read a little of the Bible, and ideas of what to write flow.  No other book inspires me like that.

The Only Book that Contains the Full Revelation of God 

The Bible is God’s word, revealed to us for our instruction and guidance. It is full of truth and tells us all we need to know about Him and His plan for us.  It reveals His perfect will and perfect plan for the world.  And it describes His work in the lives of people down through the ages.

The Bible is one-of-a-kind in world literature. It’s the only book that has God’s full revelation and His plan for us. From creation to re-creation, from past to future, from God’s commandments to His promise of salvation through Jesus Christ – each part is inside this amazing book. Its truth unlocks life’s mysteries, giving insight and knowledge. Plus, it shows the certain path to joy and peace.

No wonder people gather in groups around the world to study this amazing book!  You could attend Bible studies over the course of your whole life and never exhaust new understandings of Scripture.

God Has preserved the Bible     

Parts of the Bible were written in one of three different languages – Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. Even though the writers had different backgrounds, lifestyles and cultures, Holy Spirit inspired them. Every book of the Bible builds upon the same theme – redemption through Jesus Christ.  The Old Testament prophecies are fulfilled in Jesus.

The Bible has books about history, poetry, law, and prophecy. It’s a unified narrative that people have trusted for generations. People have carefully safeguarded the content over time. They meticulously transcribed it on scrolls and manuscripts. Once printing presses were invented, copies of the Bible became available to ordinary people. As fragments of old manuscripts have been discovered, it has been confirmed that the message of the Bible has been preserved throughout the ages.

Its truth stays precise from generation to generation. The Bible is the source of God’s message. We can trust its guidance for our lives today.

There is so much more that I could say about the Bible.  Perhaps I’ll say more in another post.  But my question is, are you reading, studying, and meditating on the Bible?  If not, will you start?

Having a head knowledge of these things is not enough.  It comes down to opening your heart to invite Jesus Christ to rule your life.  When you do that, His Holy Spirit comes to live with your spirit.  He will make the Bible come alive to you.  It will speak to you as never before.

I invite you to dig into God’s Word.  Jesus uses Scriptures to change you and to cause you to grow as a Christian.

If you are not sure yet that you believe the Bible is God’s Word.  I challenge you to ask God to reveal it to you.  Then read through the gospel of Mark or John, inviting God to speak to you through it as you read. He will!

by Karen S. Roberts

Please comment below to share how the Bible has helped you or how it speaks to you.