Untitled article by Elder M. Larsen

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 9, 1893

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 19, No. 10.

STUDY OF THE BIBLE—ITS IMPORTANCE AND BENEFITS. NO. 2.

By Elder M. Larsen

BY ELDER M. LARSEN.

WE next call attention to the results of a compliance with this duty in the times of the apostles. Of the Bereans, the record 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. Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few." Acts 17:11, 12.

Suppose that these people had reasoned, as some do now, that the Bible is such a dark, mysterious book that the masses would be unable to comprehend it, and that therefore the duty to study it was imposed upon the ministry alone, and hence that they must go to them for the light and knowledge of truth, for their instruction in the word of God, would they have been very likely to have accepted the preaching of Paul and Silas,—to have received or believed the truth?—By no means. Had they gone to their ministers, they would probably have been told that these men were false prophets, teachers of grave and dangerous heresies, false and absurd doctrines, and that they were in danger of being led astray, and of having their minds confused by them, and, hence, that the best thing that they could do would be to just stay away and leave them alone. And in all probability they would have taken this advice, and, as a consequence, would have remained in darkness, and gone down to perdition. But what did they do? They just went to the Scriptures for themselves, and "searched" them "daily" to see if these things were true, and "therefore many of them believed." If Paul and Silas could understand the Scriptures, so could they. Would to God there were more noble Bereans in the world to-day. But, alas! too few seem to realize or appreciate the blessings and privileges to search the word of God. If they only did, we should find it far less difficult to lead them back to Christ, to his truth, and to "the unity of the faith."

Having already established the duty and extent of the obligation to study the Scriptures, we will now briefly notice an objection which is quite commonly raised. Says the objector, "You can just prove anything by the Bible; why, all those different churches get their teachings and doctrines from it." But if this were really true, we should be obliged to reject the whole thing as unworthy of our belief or confidence. It is a self-evident proposition that no one truth can contradict or conflict with any other truth. Hence, if the Bible is really responsible for all those discordant doctrines and wrangling sects, it cannot be the truth. But says Christ, "Thy word is truth." John 17:17. And all professed Christians claim to accept it as such, and must therefore concede the fact that just so far as we accept of the Bible as our only rule of faith and practice, so far we must of necessity be in perfect harmony with each other; truth could have no other effect. True, men may profess to receive their doctrines from the Bible, and yet not be in harmony. But it does not follow because they so profess, that they actually do. Men may profess to be saints, and yet be vile hypocrites. The fact is they do not. Their existence is really the result of the apostasy, and a departure from the Bible,—a turning away from the truth to the traditions and doctrines of men. Says Paul:—

"I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." Acts 20:29, 30.

"Perverse things," or things contrary to the truth. Perhaps the thought is more forcibly and fully expressed in his charge to the ministry:—

"I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ: . . . Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine." 2 Tim. 4:1, 2.

With some there seems to be such a perfect dislike for the preaching of doctrine that its very mention seems almost unendurable. With them it is almost looked upon as being the sole cause of all this difficulty and discord in the religious world. "Just preach Christ and him crucified," say they, "and leave doctrine alone." How different from the instruction of the apostle. Says he: "Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine." "Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them; for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee." 1 Tim. 4:13, 16.

Then no minister can do his duty and not preach doctrine. In fact, it is necessary to salvation. The gospel is really permeated through and through with doctrine. Doctrine is to the gospel what the framework is to a building. As well might we ask the carpenter to build a house without a foundation or framework as to ask the minister to preach "Christ and him crucified" without the doctrine. They must stand or fall together. It is the lack of "sound doctrine" (Titus 1:9), and a turning away unto "fables," that is responsible for the present state of things. Whenever a man says it is the Bible which is responsible for this, and that you can prove anything by the Bible, he virtually says the Bible is not true.

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." 2 Tim. 4:3, 4.

Sermons of the present day are too often made up of fables, traditions, sensational and sentimental stories, or anecdotes, instead of the "sincere milk of the word." "The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord. Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?" Jer. 23:28, 29. Then let us "preach the word." It alone can break in pieces the flinty rock. It alone can melt the heart of stone, and really convert us to God. Read the following:—

"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever." 1 Peter 1:23. "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God." John 7:17. "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:31, 32.

"But," says one, "I can't understand it. It seems so mixed up. I cannot see any sense to it." By this we are introduced to the consideration of another important question.

HOW TO STUDY THE SCRIPTURES.

It must be evident to anyone that the success and benefits of our study will be to a great extent dependent upon the manner in which we study, and the motives we have in view. Some treat the Bible as if they believed its study consisted of merely reading it through. Now, while it is good to read the Bible through, and a thing which we would by no means discourage, in fact, a duty, still we must bear in mind that merely reading it through does not constitute a study of it.

We might read it through a thousand times and still not study or understand it. But we cannot study it without reading it. We must exercise the same common sense in our study of the Bible that we would in the study of any other sensible book. We must meditate upon his law. Ps. 1:1, 2. The Bible requires a candid, careful application of our minds. It may not be amiss, therefore, to first briefly examine how not to study it.

If we read simply to gratify our idle curiosity, that may be the extent of our benefit derived from it. If we read to bolster up our preconceived ideas, we shall probably find ourselves disappointed and confused. If we read just a few chapters in the beginning, a little more in the Psalms, and a chapter or two at the close of the Revelation, we may, no doubt, come out more than ever convinced that the Bible is too deep and mysterious for our finite minds. If our motive in the reading of the Bible be to discover inconsistencies, contradictions, and imperfections,

if we put on the infidel's distorted, critical glasses to read it, we will, no doubt, come out more than ever convinced that it is just a mere fraud, an imposition, a grand forgery. If we look through green glasses, everything will appear green; if blue, everything looks blue; if black, everything becomes dark; if through imperfect, crooked glass, everything appears crooked and imperfect.

Some years ago the writer fell in conversation with an old gentleman who had once been a very rank infidel, but had renounced it. In relating his experience, he went on to state that when a young man of about fifteen, he had seen so much hypocrisy and inconsistency in the churches that it had thoroughly disgusted him. He concluded that the Bible was responsible for it, and he could prove it. "With that motive in view," said he, "I set out to read it through and to convince myself that the Bible was just a fraud. I read it. And when I had finished, I was more than ever convinced. It seemed to me it was just a mass of contradictions, of absurdities and inconsistencies, and I wondered how anyone could be weak-minded or simple enough to believe. In later years, however, when I was thrown in more serious circumstances, I began to feel anxious in regard to the hereafter; I saw others who were just as brilliant as myself believing the Bible, and receiving comfort and satisfaction from it. I then concluded that maybe I had made a mistake in the matter, and that there might be something in the Bible after all, and if there was, I wanted to know it. If it really was the truth, I must have it, and with that motive in mind I set out to give it another thorough investigation, and, would you believe, strange to say, I came out just as firmly convinced on the other side. The inconsistencies had vanished, the difficulties ceased, and the contradictions and absurdities had disappeared. It is now my comfort."

Says the objector, "I can't understand how this can be,—I can't explain it,—and so how can I believe it?" But there are a thousand things in the world around us that we meet with every day that he can neither explain nor understand, yet he believes. Here is a little seed; I plant it in the dark, filthy earth; it springs forth a beautiful, green plant. By and by it buds,—it breaks open, and, behold, a beautiful fragrant rose. Behold, the coarse black earth has been converted into a perfect white! Can he tell how that is done? Does he understand it?—No. Yet he believes. I take him to my neighbor's pasture; I show him the horses, the sheep, and the geese, all feeding side by side upon the same food, the same grass. In one the grass is converted into horse flesh, another sheep's flesh, on the other goose flesh; on one it places hair, the other wool, and the other feathers. Can he explain it? Does he know how it is done? Does he understand it? The greatest philosopher or scientist that ever lived could not, and would not pretend to; and yet he believes it. Then why not use the same common sense in regard to the Bible? Suppose we can't explain or understand it all. There is enough that we can, so let us believe it anyway.

Further, we ought not to study the Bible to make it suit our own opinions, or to support our own preconceived notions, or "isms," but we should study it to bend our opinions and practices to suit it. Our investigation should always be prompted by a motive for good, an honest, earnest desire to arrive at the real truth, to get all the good out of it possible, and God will bless our efforts. And if, in sinking the shafts for the gems of his divine word, we find at times our finite minds unequal to the task, unable to fathom its wonderful depths, or to comprehend its unsearchable treasures, let us just bear in mind the gracious promise of God,—"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." James 1:5.

Then let us upon our bended knees, before the throne of God, pour out our souls in earnest, fervent prayer to him, the Fountain of all wisdom, the Author of his word, for that same spirit which inspired the word to likewise strengthen and enlighten our understanding, that we may be able to see and to comprehend it; and this he has promised.

(To be continued.)