A.      This series of lessons has presented convincing evidence to prove that accurate English translations of the sixty-six books of the Bible contain the original word of God that was given by inspiration.

B.      There is one last, vital question to be answered in this study: Even if the Bible was God’s word to man when it was written, is it still God’s word to us today?

                                                             1.      We need to know that the Bible is relevant, practical, and applicable to us in these modern times.

a.       Are we right to believe that God intended for the Bible to be handed down to every generation?

b.       Is it possible for the ancient message of the Bible to provide guidance for the modern issues of our day?

c.        Has anything changed to make the Bible irrelevant to us today?

                                                             2.      This final lesson will examine the Bible’s claims on modern relevance and prove that the Bible’s message is timeless.

II.      THE BIBLE CLAIMS CONINUOUS RELEVANCE

A.      The Bible claims to be the source of adequacy for every man of God.

                                                             1.      Once again, the keynote passage for this whole study is invoked: "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2Tim. 3:16-17).

                                                             2.      This claim made in the first century has always been true and is still true today.

a.       God has given no other resource to replace the Bible for equipping the man of God.

b.       As long as teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness are needed by man, the Bible will be relevant.

                                                             3.      Notice that when the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy about "all Scripture”, he referred to writings that were as old as 1,500 years.  Nevertheless, they were still relevant to Paul and Timothy then just as they and all Scripture are still relevant to us today.

B.      The Bible claims to be alive and active.

                                                             1.      This bold claim is made in Hebrews 4:12 – "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

                                                             2.      Because the Bible contains the word of God (as shown in previous lessons), it is living and active and therefore relevant to every soul, for we will all be judged by it.

a.       This point is clarified in Hebrews 4:13, for it says, "And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.”

b.       Whether it is past, present, or future, "every creature” is within the sight of God and subject to judgment through His word in the Bible (see also John 12:48).

C.      The Bible claims to abide forever.

                                                             1.      In 1Peter 1:23-25, Peter quoted from Isaiah 40:6-8 – "…for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God.  For, ‘All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass.  The grass withers, and the flower falls off, but the word of the LORD endures forever.’  And this is the word which was preached to you.”

                                                             2.      Because the word of God endures forever, it endures today.  Therefore, the Bible is relevant today.

D.      These claims mean that the Bible is as relevant to man today as it was when it was first completed.

                                                             1.      In previous lessons, it was established that the Bible is a credible witness of itself.  If it claims to be relevant to man in every generation, then we should believe it.

                                                             2.      It should not be surprising that God’s word is timeless and enduring, for it is the product of the eternal and everlasting God, "with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow” (Jas. 1:17).

III.   NOTHING NEW UNDER THE SUN

A.      Considering these claims from the Bible, the only way that the Bible could no longer be relevant to mankind is if something changed that rendered it irrelevant.  Let us consider the possible changes that may have occurred to make the Bible irrelevant, impractical, and inapplicable.

                                                             1.      The Bible could have become irrelevant if God declared that it no longer applied to man.  However, this is not the case, for the claims of God’s word are unchangeable, and God does not lie (Heb. 6:18)

                                                             2.      The Bible could have become irrelevant if God had changed His mind regarding our salvation.  However, this is not the case, for God decided upon the gospel plan of salvation before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:3-4; 3:11).

                                                             3.      The Bible could have become irrelevant if man no longer has need of salvation.  However, this is not the case, for it is still true that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23).

                                                             4.      The Bible could have become irrelevant if man found another means for salvation.  However, this is not the case, for only through Jesus Christ and His gospel is salvation possible (Acts 4:12; Rom. 1:16).

                                                             5.      The Bible might be considered irrelevant if it failed to address our modern concerns and problems.  However, this is not the case, for the Bible provides "everything pertaining to life and godliness” (2Pet. 1:3).  The Bible addresses such modern issues as:

a.       Business practices (Eph. 6:5-9);

b.       Sexual immorality (1Thess. 4:3-8);

c.        Drug and alcohol abuse (Rom. 13:11-14; 1Cor. 6:12; 1Pet. 4:3);

d.       Marital relations (Eph. 5:22-25);

e.        Child-rearing (Eph. 6:1-3);

f.        Entertainment (Phil. 4:8-9).

B.      From these observations, it is obvious that God has not changed, His word has not changed, and man’s need for the Bible message of salvation has not changed.  God’s word still addresses every need of man.

                                                             1.      Just as Solomon wrote, "That which has been is that which will be, and that which has been done is that which will be done.  So there is nothing new under the sun” (Eccl. 1:9).

                                                             2.      Therefore, the Bible remains relevant to man today just as it always has been.

IV.    WE NEED THE BIBLE TODAY

A.      The Bible was revealed and written to benefit us and to fulfill our needs.  It is not the oppressive burden that some consider it to be.

                                                             1.      So often people suffer at their own hands because they refuse to see how much they need the word of God.

a.       Such persons would profit greatly if they would accept the message and follow its advice.

b.       Instead, they reject God’s gracious appeal as irrelevant to them and follow their own foolish ways to their own destruction.

                                                             2.      Today, if we view God’s word as a restrictive law rather than a gracious liberty, then we forfeit all of His benefits in order to satisfy our own desires and appetites.

B.      Man cannot find his own way to that which is truly best for him.

                                                             1.      He needs guidance from the omniscient God, and that guidance is found in the Bible.

                                                             2.      Every man must acknowledge the words of Jeremiah, "I know, O LORD, that a man’s way is not in himself, nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps” (Jer. 10:23).

V.      CONCLUSION

A.      Not only is the Bible relevant, practical, and applicable today, but its message is absolutely necessary for every soul.

                                                             1.      The Bible is not a dead letter, but rather it is a living message that can give life to every soul today.  What could be more relevant, practical, and applicable than that?

                                                             2.      Those who follow the Bible’s teachings will be abundantly blessed during this life on earth and eternally blessed when this life is over.

B.      May this lesson and this entire study serve to edify your confidence that the Bible is God’s word.

                                                             1.      The purpose of this study has been to assert that the Bible is God’s word as simply, briefly, and convincingly as possible.

                                                             2.      If you are not convinced that the Bible is God’s word, then please reconsider these lessons and continue this study through other resources.  There is much more that can be presented to make the case for the Bible.

                                                             3.      If you are convinced that the Bible is God’s word, then embrace the Bible fully and let it be your guide and standard for all things.

VI.    POST-SCRIPT APPLICATION: CONVERTED OR CONFOUNDED?

A.      The effects of God’s word have been compared to the effects of the sun.  Both can cause melting or hardening.

                                                             1.      When the sun’s radiant heat reaches ice, the ice melts into water.  However, when that same radiant heat reaches clay, the clay bakes as hard as stone.

                                                             2.      Similarly, when God’s word reaches a tender heart, that heart melts into belief, godly sorrow, repentance, obedience, gratitude, and a host of godly qualities.  However, when that same message of God reaches a stubborn, rebellious, evil, selfish, and disobedient heart, that heart becomes hardened in its sinful ways.

                                                             3.      The same sun shines on the ice and the clay, and the same word of God reaches the receptive heart and the rebellious heart.  The reason that the effects are different is because the objects of the effects are different.

B.      Hearts that are melted by the word of God are typically converted to the Lord.

                                                             1.      When Peter first preached the gospel in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost after Christ’s ascension, the hearers were "pierced to the heart” and asked what they should do (Acts 2:37).  Peter told them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, and those who received his word did so (Acts 2:38-41).

                                                             2.      There are many other examples of such tender hearts converting to Christ because of the word of God – the Samaritans (Acts 8:5-13), the Ethiopian (Acts 8:26-39), Cornelius (Acts 10:24-48), Lydia (Acts 16:11-15), etc.  In each conversion, the hearers heard the same gospel message, and responded in faith.

C.      Hearts that are hardened by God’s word are confounded, for they refuse to obey God, but they cannot refute His message.

                                                             1.      In Acts 5:29-33, the members of the Sanhedrin heard the preaching of Peter and the apostles and were "cut to the quick” just as the hearers on Pentecost had been "pierced to the heart.”  However, they did not ask what they should do, but instead they sought to kill the apostles.

                                                             2.      In Acts 9:20-25, the newly converted Saul of Tarsus immediately began preaching Jesus in the synagogues of Damascus, but the Jews did not accept his message.

a.       The Scripture says that he was "confounding the Jews who lived at Damascus by proving that this Jesus is the Christ” (v. 22).

b.       Just as the Sanhedrin had tried to kill the apostles in Jerusalem, the Jews plotted to kill Saul in Damascus because they were unable to cope with God’s word (vv. 23-25).

                                                             3.      Other examples of men who were confounded by God’s word are:

a.       Pharaoh, who could not resist God’s word, but his heart was hardened by it (Ex. 6-14);

b.       Jehoiakim, who could not refute God’s word, but instead he destroyed the scroll upon which it was written (Jer. 36);

c.        Herod, who could not deny God’s word through John the baptist, but instead he imprisoned John and eventually had him beheaded (Matt. 14:3-12).

D.      How does the word of God affect you?  Are you converted or confounded?

                                                             1.      There is an obvious application of this lesson for those who are not Christians, for they have not yet allowed the word of God to melt their frozen hearts into faithful obedience.

a.       Do not be confounded by God’s word, but rather be converted to the Lord Jesus Christ.

b.       If you are still outside of Christ, then do not delay obedience to the gospel of Christ for a more convenient time (Acts 24:24-27).  "Today is the day of salvation” (2Cor. 6:2).

                                                             2.      There is also an application for those of us who are Christians, for by no means have we arrived at perfection.

a.       At times, we find ourselves at odds with the word of God.  When the mirror of God’s word reflects the flaws within us (Jas. 1:22-25), let us not be confounded by it, but rather let us be converted to its message by changing our ways.

b.       Our Lord expects us to grow in His grace and knowledge (2Pet. 3:18).  He expects us to be continuously renewed in mind, transformed, and conformed to His image (Rom. 12:2; 8:29).  He leaves us no room for confoundedness, but rather we are to be fully converted unto Him.