Is the Bible Relevant?
by Dennis Abernathy
How relevant is the Bible in today’s world? Some think it isn’t relevant at all. But I submit to you, that if the Bible is not relevant, then God is not relevant, because God cannot be separated from His Word! Thankfully, many millions of people, however, are still finding the Bible relevant to their lives and problems. That is one reason it is still the best-selling book.
It has been said, “The Bible has not been tried, and found wanting; it has been found difficult, and not tried.” How true that is. The reason some think the Bible isn’t up-to-date is because they dislike its answers. The answers work, but they aren’t always easy answers. For some, nothing is relevant unless it is easy, self-indulgent, and self-justifying.
Others just assume the Bible must be out-of-date because it wasn’t recently written. They forget that human nature, and human problems, haven’t changed at all. They also forget that God could foresee modern problems long ago, and give the world a message relevant to any age. Then there are many others who just do not know what the Bible really teaches. They listen to skeptics and others who misrepresent the Bible’s teachings. They see weird TV evangelists who exploit religion by perverting the Bible’s teachings. They may even have opened the Bible at random and unsuccessfully sought an answer, but they themselves really don’t know the answer. So, it isn’t surprising when someone unaware of the Bible’s true teaching doesn’t perceive its value and relevance.
The Bible is actually as up-to-date as tomorrow’s newspaper. Furthermore, it will still be relevant when tomorrow’s newspaper is forgotten! First Peter 1: 25 says the “Word of the Lord endures (abides) forever.” Isaiah 40: 8 says: “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.” A bumper sticker reads: “God said it; I believe it; that settles it.” But it should read: “God said it; that settles it; I believe it.” When God speaks in His word that settles it whether one believes it is relevant or not! I recommend that you read God’s Word regularly, and live your life by it, and you will see its relevancy.
Think on these things.