Last Lessons #3 – TRUTH

If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:31-32

It seems as if nobody believes anybody today. We hear fake news, government officials tell lies, scams are prevalent, and we ourselves don’t always tell the truth. Christians know that the only place where we can be sure the truth is found is in the Word of God. However, so many Christians do not read the Bible, let alone study it, to find out what the truth is. How can we or know truth that sets us free from slavery to culture, government, the devil, or self if we don’t know what the Bible says? In the senior facility where I live many so-called Christians know almost nothing about the Bible. They cannot name even three of the ten commandments. Biblical illiteracy is prevalent. So what can we do for ourselves and others? Obviously the answer is to study the Bible.

I have been involved with Bible study for most of my life and I have found that for those who want to study with others, there are two excellent interdenominational international Bible studies in our world today. One of them is BSF (Bible Study Fellowship). It has school-year-long studies and is especially good for those who have never studied the Bible. BSF gets people into virtual groups to discuss questions, read notes and hear a lecture on-line. You can find it on bsfinternational.org.

For those who want something a little deeper, I suggest the RBS (Rafiki Bible Study). It covers all 66 books of the Bible and therefore the studies vary in length. It is for those who prefer to meet with live people and read printed lessons. The RBS is for small groups of five to fifteen and can be ordered from Rafiki at rafikibiblestudy.org. and shipped anywhere in the world.

I am convinced the RBS is the best Bible study in the world today. I can say that because I did not write it. I only put together and published what I “coerced” 18 solid and notable theologians to write.

If you want to know the truth, study the Bible.

Last Lessons #2

And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. John 17:3

If we are going to spend eternity with God and Jesus, then shouldn’t our goal be to know him now as much as we can? I made that my life goal to know God a long time ago and that is still my goal. If you want to know why, read on ---

When I came to faith at age 16, I wanted to know the One who loved me enough to die for me. For sure, I knew almost nothing about God except the stories I had learned in Sunday School. But I knew where I could find out -- in the Bible. So I decided to read the Bible – the whole Bible. I started in Genesis - one chapter a day. The only Bible I had at that time (1945) was the King James Version. It all started out okay, but by the time I reached Leviticus I was very discouraged! I didn’t understand any of it and it was so boring! However, I had promised myself that I would read through the Bible and so I kept it up hardly missing a day. It took me three and a half years to finish but I did! Do you know what happens when you do something for 1,189 days? It becomes a habit. I have heard that you can develop a habit by repeating something for 30 days. All I know is that I was in the habit of reading the Bible every day and I couldn’t stop. Nor did I want to. I have kept this habit for my whole life and it, more than anything else, has helped me begin to know God.

Later in life I read Knowing God by J. I. Packer (now recently deceased). I read it more than once. And I read a number of other books too. My wanting to know God led me to write Praying the Attributes of God.

When people ask what influenced my life most I tell them just reading the Bible. It still does.

Hint: If you decide to read through the Bible I suggest you use the English Standard Version!

Last Lessons #1

For whoever would save his life will lose it …Matthew 16:25

I realize that at 91 years old I am in a very nice place where old folks are kept alive and saved from a virus, but I don’t have life here. My children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren have not been allowed to visit me for six months. And I have not been allowed out of the facility. Living without life is no life. If I don’t have many more years, I want to live them to the fullest. Among other things that means be with my family as much as possible. So I am moving. Some will say this is “virus risky”. Since my eternal life is secure, I am willing to take a risk with this earthly life in order not to lose what is important now. The seniors’ facility where I am going prohibits visitors from coming in because of the virus, but I am able to go out. I can be with my family and go to church!