… no prophecy of Scripture [Bible] comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God … 2 Peter 1:20-21 ESV

By: Scott Schuler

What should we consider to be the foundational core of the Christian faith?

I recall reading the Bible for the first time. I was in my 20s and I’d set out with great intention to understand God’s Word. Troubled by my life’s direction and coming to God with many questions, I opened the Bible and turned to page one. While fascinated and quickly absorbed by the extraordinary Word of God, I still struggled to connect what I read to what I was going through. How can a book written thousands of years ago be relevant today?

I decided then to dive into the Bible. Discovering the truth of God’s Word has now been my passion for over 30 years. Studying the Bible as a missionary in Ukraine, I read it five times in nine months, as the relevance of God’s Word and consistent message throughout became clear: Jesus is the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6 ESV).

Today, as a Christian teacher and mentor, I have learned that many people struggle with some of the same questions I had. As followers of Jesus we must understand that the foundational core of our faith is the Bible. This is the basis from which our beliefs, hope and future are grounded. Yet many non-Christians and Christians challenge the relevance of the Bible. Why is this? Let’s break this issue down.

What the Bible Is Not.

The Bible is not only a history book. While the Bible records key components of our faith – Judaism in the Old Testament and the birth of Christianity in the New Testament – to view it as a history book makes it difficult to see its relevance and application to modern day challenges.

The Bible is not open for man’s flawed interpretation. Leaving the Word of God open for erroneous interpretation becomes an argument in semantics. Why? Because no prophecy of Scripture [Bible] comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God … 2 Peter 1:20-21 (ESV). People and cultures change, but God and his Word never do.

Instead we must allow scripture to interpret scripture. It is when we read scripture through the lens of the entire Bible, allowing clear passages to interpret confusing ones, that the Bible becomes applicable, For the word of God is alive and active (4:12).

What the Bible is.

The Bible is relevant because it is alive. When we read the Bible as Paul, the author of Hebrews wrote, For the word of God is alive and active (4:12) it becomes vital to life. A scripture that we’ve read ten times may take on a completely new meaning.

The Bible is God’s GPS for the Christian faith. We have one life and relatively little time to travel the path that God has set before us. The Bible is our roadmap, for All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching … reproof … correction … training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV).

The Bible comes alive to us when we believe by faith it is God’s Word, just like we believe in Jesus by faith. The words on each page become the foundational measure by which all steps that God places on our journey are measured.

What do you believe about the Bible and its relevance today in the Christian faith and in our culture? Share your thoughts.

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