The Bible's Value

 How valuable is your Bible to you?  If you were stranded on a desert island, would it be something you would choose to have with you?  That question cropped up again this summer as rumours about the BBC Radio programme Desert Island Discs hit the press.  Whereas in the past the fact that you would have the Bible and the complete works of Shakespeare was a given, the Corporation is under pressure to drop the first of these to keep in line with our increasingly secular society.  Though the BBC denied that this change was under consideration, I guess only time will tell. 

    One of the questions that the Desert Island Discs debate fuelled was; What makes the Bible so important?  Lots of so called experts contributed their ideas to the discussion.  Even arch secularist Richard Dawkins is on record as saying that due to the impact the King James Bible has had on our language, culture and history, to not know the Bible make us little more than barbarians.  Many of the points that were made were ones with which we would agree.  The Bible is a great book.  It contains marvelous stories of all sorts, wonderful poetry, history that is proving more and more reliable as archeological finds increasingly prove its accuracy, and a moral code that still forms the basis of most of civilization.  But is that all there is to say?  If so, then one day the Bible will be outdated.  Other stories will be written, and more fine poetry will be composed.  As ideas change, a new set of laws, more suitable to the tastes of modern mankind will emerge, and so the Bible will no longer merit our consideration anywhere, let alone on a desert island.

    But the Bible is more than a great book.  It claims for itself much more.  Indeed it claims to be the Word of God.  The Apostle Paul wrote;

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16) 

If it is the Word of God, then it immediately transcends anything written by even the greatest of men.  That will also mean that we need to bring every area under the wisdom of its pages.  Only then can we hope to live life as God intended for us.

    But the Bible is also important because it is ultimately about Jesus Christ, God’s Son, and not just a handbook to life on earth.  He told the religious leaders of His day; “You search the Scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life, and these are they which testify of Me.” (John 5:39).  If we want eternal life the answer as to how to attain it is found in God’s Word. It is found in no other book.  But that is because the Bible from beginning to end points us to the Lord Jesus. He came into the world to deal with the problem of our sin that the Bible is equally honest about.  Outside of Jesus we must face an eternity separated from God – forever lost.  But when we commit ourselves to Him, confess our sin, and trust in the sacrifice He made on Calvary, then all our sins can be forgiven and we can enjoy heaven – more of a paradise than any desert island can be!