Understanding the Bible 明白圣经
Dexu Xia
The word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
Today's Scripture 2 Timothy 3:14-16
Today's Insights The inspiration of the Scriptures is an astonishing concept to consider. God, in His matchless wisdom, breathed out the words of the Bible by the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16-17; see Matthew 22:43) while utilizing the personalities, experiences, and even vocabularies of the individual writers. Over a span of about fifteen hundred years, God inspired messages to forty different writers to produce a book that has a single and clearly coherent message: God’s love and rescue of His lost and broken creation, human being. More specifically, that message focuses on the rescuer, Jesus Himself. The Old Testament points to and prepares the way for Him, and the New Testament explains His person and work. The Bible is so much more than a collection of sixty-six random books of religious history. It’s a cohesive message of redeeming grace, accomplished through Christ.
Today's Devotional How important is the Bible? It’s so vital that people in many countries risk their lives to translate it into their native languages. Often, these are ordinary believers in Jesus who face arrest for translating the words of Scripture into a heart language others can understand.
One female Bible translator from a country hostile to believers in Jesus said, “I must complete this work. I want to see my beloved ones experience salvation in Christ.” And a man who organizes regular citizens to clandestinely translate Scripture explains that the Bible is essential to growing mature believers in local churches: “You can start a church, but . . . [without] the Bible in its heart language, it will typically only last one generation.” Why are the Christian highly valuing the Bbile study? Because there’s no other book like the Bible with its preservation through the centuries is unique and its authenticity and its representation of the human heart is accurate. It’s “alive and active . . . [and] judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). And moreover “all Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16), inspired by Him. And most important, it reveals the source and reality of “salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (v. 15).
Let’s read, cherish, and live by the Scriptures. And as God provides, let’s help those around the world receive it and understand it.
Reflect & Pray
What’s your favorite aspect of the Bible? How can you help others understand it bette?
Dear God, thank You for the Scriptures and for the privilege of sharing them with others.
“神的道是活泼的，是有功效的，甚至魂与灵，骨节与骨髓，都能刺入、破开、连心中的思念和主意都能辨明。”（希伯来书 4章12节）
今日经文 提摩太后书 3章14-16 节
今日心得 （写作）圣经的灵感是一个令人惊奇的概念。上帝以祂无与伦比的智慧，通过圣灵呼出圣经的话语（提摩太后书 3:16-17；见马太福音 22:43），在大约一千五百年的时间里，上帝将信息感动四十位不同的写作者，同时，运用作者不同的个性经历甚至词汇进行写作，合编成一本书，这本书传达了一个单一而清晰连贯的信息：上帝对他创造的迷失和破碎的人类的爱和拯救。更具体地说，这个信息集中在拯救者耶稣身上。旧约指向祂、并为他铺平道路，新约解释他的为人和工作。圣经不仅仅是一本由66本宗教史书组成的合集，也是藉着基督成就的救赎恩典的连贯信息。
今日灵修 圣经有多重要？它是如此重要，以至于在许多国家里都有人冒着生命危险将圣经翻译成该国的母语。通常，这些人都是耶稣的普通信徒，他们因将圣经的文字翻译成同胞能理解的母语而面临逮捕。一位在仇恨基督徒的国家从事圣经翻译的女士说：“我必须完成这项工作。我想看到我所爱的人在基督里经历救赎。”一位组织普通公民秘密翻译圣经的男士解释说，圣经对于地方教会中信徒的成长成熟至关重要：“你可以建立一个教会，但是，如果没有翻译成母语的圣经，这教会通常只能持续一代人。”
为什么基督徒如此看重学习圣经？因为圣经历经几十个世纪的流传仍旧保持绝对的准确性，这是任何其他书籍望尘莫及的。圣经对人类心灵的描述是如此真实和准确，“神的道是活泼的，是有功效的，甚至魂与灵，骨节与骨髓，都能刺入、破开、连心中的思念和主意都能辨明。”（希伯来书 4:12）。更因为“圣经都是神所默示的”（提摩太后书 3:16），是神启示的。最重要的是，圣经揭示了“因信基督耶稣而蒙恩得救”的来源和现实（15节）。
让我们阅读圣经、珍惜圣经，并按照圣经的教导生活。正如神所赐予的，让我们帮助世界各地的人接受和理解圣经。
反思和祈祷 你最喜欢圣经的哪个方面？你如何帮助别人更好地理解圣经？
亲爱的上帝，感谢您赐给我们圣经，也感谢您让我们有机会与他人分享圣经。