Editorial November 24, 1980 Issue

The Book of Life—a library for all

BEULAH M. ROEGGE

"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" John 10:10; is the Christly theme, articulated so clearly in this statement of Jesus and found throughout the inspired writings of the Bible. This Book of books, so often referred to as the Book of Life, exposes the meagerness of materiality as it unfolds to its readers the satisfying content of a spiritually oriented life. Millions have found despair edged out by a new self-respect and love of living, as the truths of the Bible revealed God's goodness and nearness to them and their own true relationship to Him as His children.

It is not surprising that the life-giving messages of the Bible arouse opposition of the last enemy itself, which would deaden those messages with doctrine and bury them under mounds of creed. The Christ can and must be present at every Bible reading. Actually, it is the Word of Truth to which these sacred pages bear witness, that constitutes the true consciousness of man. And it is this one Christ that both impels us to read and tells us the spiritual import of what we read. When we open our Bibles, we may find it good to put aside every preconceived notion of what we will get out of this reading and follow Truth where Truth leads.

Intellect is subservient to, but not voided by, the Christ. Our Christly intelligence keeps us from misreading human history recorded in the Bible as divine events. We're enabled to recognize that an Old Testament writer's recounting of a bloody battle which he perceives as God slaughtering His enemies may contain as yet only the faintest glimmer of the God that is Life itself. Such accounts of history may record the triumph of a more righteous nation over an idol-worshiping one. But to say that God kills is to betray a yet undeveloped understanding of God, and we need to recognize this if the Bible is not to be perverted to justify evil in the name of good.

Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.

Send a comment to the editors
NEXT IN THIS ISSUE
Article
A closed door
November 24, 1980
Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit