Why would we want to read the Bible? The Bible tells a story of our fallen nature and our redemption. We need to see these truths. According to the book of Hebrews, the word is shaper than any two-edge sword piercing us to the core and leaving us exposed to Him whom we must give account.
Hebrews 4:12-13
12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
If we must give account, we’re in big trouble. According the Paul in his letter to the Romans, all men have sinned, none are righteous and all have fallen short of the glory of God and all are dead in their trespasses (Romans ch. 3). How can we possible give account, exposed of the truth before out creator when we know all have sinned and fallen short? We look to Paul again and to a beautiful passage describing the Gospel in Colossians.
Colossians 2:13-14
13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
Our debt has been cancelled? Christ nailed it to the cross by being nailed to the cross. “He who knew no sin became sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God,” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Again from Colossians, Paul layouts the results of this debt being nailed to the cross. By cancelling our debt on the cross, we have forgiveness of sins and we have been transferred from darkness into the kingdom of God – from eternal death to eternal life through Christ’s work on the cross alone.
Colossians 1:13-14
13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Finally, to complete the loop, Paul shows in Romans 8 what the rewards is for this cancelling of our debt. We are now made brothers with Christ. We are adopted into the family of God, given a new birth right and now a new inheritance…the kingdom of God.
Romans 8:12-17
12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
We read the Bible so that we can see the great truths of our need for redemption, the debt we owe, to whom we owe it and the good news that the debt has been paid and we have been adopted through faith in Christ into the family of God and have a new inheritance that is eternal reward. Why wouldn’t you want to read that?
Keller Hackbusch 7.6.2010
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