In a recent conversation I had with an atheist friend of mine, he said, “The Bible is good literature. Integrating Hebrew, Greek and Roman culture, it abounds in beautiful prose, proverbs and poems. What is more, he continued, it has formulated many ethical standards for many people, then and now.”

My friend is exactly right! He understands the essential meaning of the Bible from the writers’ perspective. But what distinguishes a Christian’s belief about the Bible from an atheist’s is that we see the Bible as part of God’s total revelation to man.

God is personal, having created us humans to be in relationship with Himself. And because He is invisible, He chose to reveal Himself in written form through the Bible. Christians believe the Bible is inspired by God.

That even as human authors wrote freely, God made sure the end result was everything He wanted us to know about Him. That’s why we call it inerrancy- it has no errors. In the book of II Samuel in the Bible, it says, “the word of God is flawless.” The more we study it, the better we get to know God and His ways.

Let God reveal something new about Himself to you. Dig in to His flawless Word today. It does NOT disappoint and you will be very spiritually motivated!

Many people today attack the authority of God’s Word. They throw out certain passages they don’t understand, and question many others. Yet Jesus Himself recognized the Scriptures as God’s perfect Word. The Bible itself clearly states in 2nd Timothy 3:16 that “All Scripture is God-breathed.” So if you’ve recently led someone to faith in Jesus, it’s critical to establish the truth and authenticity of the Bible with them. Remind your new brother or sister in the Lord that the Bible is God’s authoritative word. Nothing in God’s Word is unimportant. Now, not all of truth in the Bible is immediately understandable. So if your friend is struggling to understand a passage, encourage them to pray about it, and talk to someone who can help them gain insight. Nothing that the Lord has said in the Bible should ever be treated irreverently or dismissed. By accepting the Bible as God’s Word, your friend will experience authority, power, and fellowship in their new relationship with God. Belief in the full authority of Scripture is vital to living an authentic, victorious Christian life! Only through such faith can your friend receive all that God has in store for them

If you’ve had the joy of leading someone to faith in Jesus Christ, you know it’s one of the most thrilling experiences on earth! Knowing that another soul has entered into the Kingdom of God gives you an excitement that is beyond words! And you can begin encouraging this new believer in their faith. Now, as you begin the discipleship process, it’s so important to practice patience. Often we want to see someone’s bad habits changed overnight. We get discouraged when a new believer isn’t as spiritually mature as we think they should be. But even though it’s important to encourage a new child of God to grow, it’s also important to practice patience. The reality is that it takes each of us time to mature in the Lord. I accepted the Lord as my Savior as a 12 year old boy. And even though it was a very real commitment, I didn’t really begin living the Christian life in its fullness until I was 17. You see, it’s God’s Holy Spirit that brings the growth, not you or me. In First Corinthians 3:6 Paul says, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.” So yes, keep encouraging and praying for your friend. But also, let them learn, and grow, in God’s perfect timing.

One of my earliest memories is sneaking out of bed early in the morning to watch my father pray and read the Bible. It deeply impressed me as a child. Each day my father would read a chapter from Proverbs – one for each day of the month. It’s something I still try to practice today. One of the most important habits a new Christian can cultivate is reading the Bible. It’s the best way to learn about God and His ways. So if you know someone who has recently become a follower of Jesus Christ, encourage your friend to read the Bible each day. Have them start with the book of Proverbs to gain wisdom and understanding in the Lord’s ways. The Gospel of John is another great book. Offer to read through the passages with your friend. That way you’ll be available to answer any questions they may have along the way. Second Timothy tells us that “all Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Just as my father taught me, there’s no better way to grow in the Lord than by spending time in His Word!