Dig into the word

Have you ever watched a paleontologist on television after a fossil discovery? He gently brushes away the sand and clay. He painstakingly excavates the soil from around the bone. He is thrilled with his find, but his excitement is tempered by caution. He knows that a reckless, hasty, or hurried approach could damage, if not destroy, the fossil.

Students of the Bible should take a lesson from the scientist who digs for bones. With the same extreme care we should chip away human opinion and uncover the truth of God’s word. While zeal and enthusiasm for the Bible are commendable traits, our primary goal should be to search the scriptures to find the truth of God. Paul declared in Romans 10:2, “For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.” I hope that no one wants the same description said of them!

Too often, people depend upon their preacher, priest, or pastor to tell them what they believe. This is a formula for deception. One must know the word of God for themselves. You may have believed that salvation is by faith only all your life, but is that what the Bible teaches? You may have believed in the “Immaculate Conception,” but is that what the Bible teaches? Acts 17:11 says,“These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” To do anything less is to invite the destruction of our souls.

Kyle Campbell