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diff --git a/docs/howto/unicode/how2-importance.docbook b/docs/howto/unicode/how2-importance.docbook new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8464528 --- /dev/null +++ b/docs/howto/unicode/how2-importance.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,311 @@ +<chapter id="h2-importance"><title>Importance of God's Word</title> +<para>Understanding God's word is of great importance to all who call on +God's name. Study of the Bible is one of the primary ways that we learn to +communicate with God.</para> + +<sect1 id="h2-importance-unique"><title>A Book that is Unique</title> +<para>The Bible stands alone in many ways. It is unique in:</para> + +<itemizedlist> +<listitem> +<para> +popularity. Bible sales in North America: more than $500 million per +year. The Bible is both the the all-time and year-to-year best seller! +</para> +</listitem> +<listitem> +<para> +authorship. It was written over a period of 1600 years by 40 different +authors from different backgrounds, yet reads as if written by one. +</para> +</listitem> +<listitem> +<para> +preservation. F. F. Bruce in <emphasis>Are New Testament Documents Reliable?</emphasis> +compares New Testament manuscripts with other ancient texts: +</para> +</listitem> +</itemizedlist> +<table> +<title>Comparison of New Testament manuscripts with other ancient texts.</title> +<tgroup cols="5"> +<thead> +<row> +<entry>Work</entry> +<entry>When Written</entry> +<entry>Earliest Copy</entry> +<entry>Time Lapse</entry><entry>Number of Copies</entry> +</row></thead> +<tbody> +<row> +<entry>Herodotus</entry> +<entry>448-428 B.C.</entry><entry>900 A.D.</entry> +<entry>1300 years</entry><entry>8 +</entry></row> +<row> +<entry>Tacitus</entry> +<entry>100 A.D.</entry><entry>1100 A.D.</entry> +<entry>1000 years</entry><entry>20 +</entry></row> +<row> +<entry>Caesar's <emphasis>Gallic War</emphasis></entry> +<entry>50-58 B.C.</entry><entry>900 A.D.</entry> +<entry>950 years</entry><entry>10 +</entry></row> +<row> +<entry>Livy's <emphasis>Roman History</emphasis></entry> +<entry>59 B.C. - 17 A.D.</entry><entry>900 A.D.</entry> +<entry>900 years</entry><entry>20 +</entry></row> +<row> +<entry>New Testament</entry> +<entry>40 A.D. - 100 A.D.</entry><entry>130 A.D. Partial manuscripts 350 +A.D. Full manuscripts</entry> <entry>30 - 310 years</entry><entry>5000 Greek & 10,000 Latin +</entry></row> +</tbody></tgroup></table> +<para>Ten copies of Caesar's <emphasis>Gallic War</emphasis> exist, the earliest of which was copied +900 years after Caesar wrote the original, etc. For the New Testament we have +full manuscripts dating to 350 A. D., papyri containing most of the New +Testament from the 200s, and a fragment of John's gospel from 130 A. D. How +many manuscripts do we have to compare to each other? 5,000 in Greek and 10,000 +in Latin! </para> +<blockquote><attribution>Textual critic F. J. A. Hort, "The New Testament in the +Original Greek", vol. 1 p561, Macmillan Co., quoted in <emphasis>Questions of Life</emphasis> p. +25-26</attribution><para>"In the verity and fullness of the evidence on which +it rests, the text of the New Testament stands absolutely and unapproachably +alone among other ancient prose writings." </para></blockquote> +</sect1> + +<sect1 id="h2-importance-breathed"><title>A Book that God Breathed</title> +<para><emphasis>Heb.4:12 </emphasis>"<emphasis>For the word of God is living and active... +</emphasis>" Jesus said <emphasis>(Mt.4:4),</emphasis> +"<emphasis>It is written, Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that +proceeds [lit., is proceeding] from the mouth of God.</emphasis>" +As we read the Bible, God's Spirit is there to speak it to our hearts in a continually-fresh way. +</para> +<para>2 Tim.3:16 declares, "<emphasis>All scripture is inspired by God [lit., +God-breathed].</emphasis>" Do you believe this? Before you answer, consider Jesus' attitude +toward the Scriptures. </para> +<blockquote><attribution>John R.W. Stott, <emphasis>Christ the Controversialist</emphasis>, +InterVarsity Press 1978, pp.93-95 </attribution><para>He referred to the human authors, but took it for +granted that behind them all was a single divine Author. He could equally say +'Moses said' or 'God said' (Mk.7:10). He could quote a comment of the narrator in +Genesis 2:24 as an utterance of the Creator Himself (Mt.19:4-5). Similarly He +said, 'Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written', when what He +went on to quote is the direct speech of the Lord God (Mk.7:6 & Is.29:13). It +is from Jesus Himself that the New Testament authors have gained their +conviction of the dual authorship of Scripture. For them it was just as true to +say that 'God spoke of old to our fathers by the prophets' (Heb.1:1) as it was to +say that 'men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God' (2 Pe.1:21). God did not +speak in such a way as to obliterate the personality of the human authors, nor +did men speak in such a way as to corrupt the Word of the divine Author. God +spoke. Men spoke. Neither truth must be allowed to detract from the other. ... +</para> +<para> +This, then, was Christ's view of the Scriptures. Their witness was God's +witness. The testimony of the Bible is the testimony of God. And the chief +reason why the Christian believes in the divine origin of the Bible is that +Jesus Christ Himself taught it. </para></blockquote> + +<para>2 Tim.3:16 goes on, "<emphasis>and profitable for teaching, for +correction, for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be adequate, +equipped for every good work.</emphasis>" If we accept that the Bible really is God +speaking to us, it follows that it will be our authority in all matters of faith +and conduct. </para> +</sect1> + +<sect1 id="h2-importance-works"><title>A Book that Works</title> +<para> +What will studying the Bible do for you? 1 Thess.2:13 says that the Bible +"<emphasis>performs its work in you +who believe.</emphasis>" Beside each scripture, write down the work the Word +performs. +</para> +<table> +<title>What does Bible study do for Christians?</title> +<tgroup cols="2"> +<thead> +<row> +<entry>Reference</entry> +<entry>Action</entry> +</row> +</thead> +<tbody> +<row> +<entry>Eph. 5:26 +</entry> +<entry>cleanses -- "...having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word." +</entry> +</row> +<row> +<entry> +Acts 20:32 +</entry> +<entry> +builds up -- +" +...the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the +inheritance among all those who are sanctified. +" +</entry> +</row> +<row> +<entry> +Rom. 15:4 +</entry> +<entry> +encourages -- "that through perseverance and the +encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." +</entry> +</row> + +<row> +<entry> +Rom. 10:17 +</entry> +<entry> +gives faith -- +"So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of +Christ." +</entry> +</row> + +<row> +<entry> +1 Cor. 10:11 +</entry> +<entry> +instructs -- +"Now these things happened to them for an example, +and they were written for our instruction" +</entry> +</row> + +<row> +<entry> +Mt. 4:4 +</entry> +<entry> +nourishment -- +"But He answered and said, 'It is written, Man shall not live on bread alone, +but on every word that proceeds out of the +mouth of God.'" +</entry> +</row> +</tbody> +</tgroup> +</table> +</sect1> + +<sect1 id="h2-importance-liberates"><title>A Book that Liberates</title> +<para> +Jn.8:32 "<emphasis>and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you +free.</emphasis>"This is usually quoted by +itself. Is this a conditional or unconditional promise? Would it apply to +all kinds of knowledge? Find the answers by examining the first half of the +sentence, in v.31. "<emphasis>If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of +Mine... </emphasis>"</para> +<para>We see that this is a conditional promice, specifically speaking of the truth of God's word.</para> + +<para>The Greek word for "wind" used in Eph.4:14 means a <emphasis>violent wind.</emphasis> +"<emphasis>As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by +waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine...</emphasis>"One +thing studying the Bible does for us is to ground us in the truth, with the +result that we won't be easily "blown away."</para> + +<para><emphasis>But Jesus answered and said to them, </emphasis>"<emphasis>You are mistaken [KJV Ye do err], not +understanding the Scriptures, or the power of God.</emphasis>"Mt.22:29</para> +<para>What 2 things do we need to know to be kept from error?</para> +<itemizedlist> +<listitem><para>God's word</para></listitem> +<listitem><para>God's power </para></listitem> +</itemizedlist> +</sect1> + +<sect1 id="h2-importance-wars"><title>A Book that Wars</title> +<para> +Eph.6:10-18 is one picture of our spiritual armament.</para> +<table> +<title>Spiritual Armor</title> +<tgroup cols="2"> +<thead> +<row> +<entry>Question</entry> +<entry>Answer</entry> +</row></thead> +<tbody> +<row><entry>How many of the weapons listed here are defensive weapons?</entry><entry>5</entry></row> +<row><entry>How many are offensive?</entry><entry>One</entry></row> +<row><entry>Which one(s)? </entry><entry>the word - <foreignphrase>rhema</foreignphrase></entry></row> +</tbody></tgroup></table> +</sect1> + +<sect1 id="h2-importance-exhortations"><title>Exhortations</title> +<para> +2 Tim.2:15 (KJV) "<emphasis>Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly +dividing the word of truth.</emphasis>" +</para> +<para> +Col.3:16 "<emphasis>Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you; with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another +with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.</emphasis>" +</para> + +<para>If you're rich in something, how much of it do you +have? </para> +<para> +Not a little!</para> + +<para> +Eccl.12:11-12 "<emphasis>The words of wise men are like goads, and masters of these +collections are like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd. But +beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and +excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body.</emphasis>" +</para> </sect1> + +<sect1 id="h2-importance-once"><title>Appendix: "Once for +All"</title> +<blockquote> +<attribution>John R. W. Stott, <emphasis>Christ the Controversialist,</emphasis> +InterVarsity Press 1978, pp.106-107</attribution> <para>The truth regarding the +finality of God's initiative in Christ is conveyed by one word of the Greek +Testament, namely the adverb <foreignphrase>hapax</foreignphrase> and +<foreignphrase>ephapax</foreignphrase>. It is usually translated in the +Authorized Version once, meaning once for all. It is used of what is so done as +to be of perpetual validity and never need repetition, and is applied in the NT +to both revelation and redemption. Thus, Jude refers to the faith which was +once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3), and Romans says, +"<emphasis>Christ also died for sins once for all</emphasis>" +(Rom.6:10, see also 1 Pe.3:18; Heb.9:26-28). </para> <para> +Thus we may say that God has spoken once +for all and Christ has suffered once for all. This means that the Christian +revelation and the Christian redemption are both alike in Christ complete. +Nothing can be added to either without being derogatory to Christ... These are +the two rocks on which the Protestant Reformation was built -- Gods revealed +word without the addition of human traditions and Christ's finished work without +the addition of human merits. The Reformers great watchwords were <foreignphrase>sola +scriptura</foreignphrase> for our authority and <foreignphrase>sola gratia</foreignphrase> for our salvation.</para> +</blockquote> +</sect1> + +<sect1 id="h2-importance-supplement"><title>Supplement: Bible Reading +Programs</title> <para> Here are some easy programs to systematically read your +Bible. You can do more than one at a time if you like, for instance #1 with #4, +or #2 with #5. Vary the program from year to year to keep it fresh! +</para> +<orderedlist numeration="arabic"> +<listitem><para>New Testament in a Year: read one chapter each day, 5 days a +week.</para></listitem> +<listitem><para>Proverbs in a Month: read one chapter of Proverbs each day, +corresponding to the day of the month.</para></listitem> +<listitem><para>Psalms in a Month: read 5 Psalms at intervals of 30 each day, +for instance on the 20th you read Ps.20, 50, 80, 110, & 140.</para></listitem> +<listitem><para>Psalms & Proverbs in 6 months: read through Psalms and Proverbs +one chapter per day.</para></listitem> +<listitem><para>Old Testament without Psalms & Proverbs in 2 years: if +you read one chapter a day of the Old Testament, skipping over Psalms & Proverbs, you will read the Old Testament in 2 years and 2 weeks. +</para></listitem> +</orderedlist> +</sect1> + +</chapter> + |