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THE “GOOD” BOOK
Victor M.
Eskew
INTRODUCTION
A.
The Bible has been called by
three common names.
1.
Bible: from the Latin word “biblia” meaning
“book.”
2.
Holy Scriptures (II Tim.
3:15)
And that from a
child thou hast known the holy scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto
salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
3.
Word of God (Heb.
4:12)
For the word of
God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even
to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is
a discern-er of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
B.
There is another name for
the Bible that is not found in the Bible itself, but it has been used by
old-timers for years, “The Good Book.”
1.
“Good” involves that which
if favorable, sound, and worthy of honor.
2.
In this lesson, we will be
discussing “why” the Bible is the “Good” Book.
I. THE
“GOOD” BOOK IS FROM A GOOD GOD
A.
II Timothy
3:16
All scripture is
given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness.
1.
The Bible is
“God-breathed.”
2.
The Bible contains the words
and thoughts of God Himself.
B.
This God is a good
God.
1.
Psalm
107:1
O give thanks
unto the Lord, for he is good: for
his mercy endureth for ever.
2.
Everything about Him is
good: His thoughts, His actions,
His plans, His desires. He is a
perfect and holy God having no evil or corruption at all.
II. THE “GOOD” BOOK
CONTAINS A GOOD STORY
A.
God created man and put him
in a beautiful paradise called “Eden.”
1.
Everything was very good
(Gen. 1:31).
2.
Man was given only one
negative requirement (Gen. 2:17).
But of the tree
of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof
thou shalt surely die.
B.
Man sinned against his
Creator and was punished (Gen. 3, esp. vs. 23-24).
Therefore the
Lord sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he
was taken. So he drove out the man;
and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden cherubims, and a flaming sword
which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of
life.
C.
Man’s soul was now in
jeopardy. God, however, instigated
a plan to redeem fallen man.
1.
This plan was set in motion
in the garden (Gen. 3:15).
2.
The plan would satisfy the
demands of divine justice (Ezek. 18:20) and rescue mankind from eternal
wrath.
3.
This plan involved the love
of God and was expressed in the giving of His Son on
In this was
manifest the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son
into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God,
but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our
sins.
D.
God’s plan to save man is
revealed in the Bible. The
conditions whereby we can be saved are found within its pages (Tit. 2:11-12;
Rom. 1:16-17).
For the grace of
God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying
ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in
this present world.
E.
This story is so good that
one song we sing refers to it as the “Wonderful Story of Love.” The writer is so enthralled with the
story that he exclaims: “Tell it to
me again!”
III. THE “GOOD” BOOK DOES
MAN GOOD
A.
There are many people, some
who profess to be Christians, who believe the Word of God is too binding and
restrictive.
B.
God’s Word, however, is
meant to do man good.
1.
The Word of God cleanses us
(Ps. 119:9).
Wherewithal
shall a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed thereto according to thy word.
2.
The Word of God keeps us
from sin (Ps. 119:11).
Thy word have I
hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
3.
The Word of God strengthens
(Ps. 119:28).
My soul melteth
for heaviness: strengthen thou me
according to thy word.
4.
The word of God provides
salvation (Ps. 119:41).
Let thy mercies
come also unto me, O Lord, even thy salvation, according to thy
word.
5.
The Word of God comforts in
affliction (Ps. 119:50).
This is my
comfort in my affliction: for thy
word hath quickened me.
C.
They key to one’s perception
of the Word is the quality of a man’s heart.
1.
The heart must be humble and
lowly.
2.
The heart must be eager and
receptive.
3.
Psalm
119:112
I have inclined
my heart to perform thy statutes always, even unto the
end.
IV. THE “GOOD” BOOK
PROVIDES US WITH MANY GOOD EXAMPLES
A.
When Paul wrote to the
church in
Now these things
were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they
also lusted…Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition,
upon whom the ends of the world are come.
B.
I
was thinking about the first six chapters of Genesis. There many lessons found in these
chapters, but three great principles are easily
highlighted.
1.
A
lesson on disobedience from Adam and Eve (Gen. 3).
2.
A
lesson on worship from Cain and Abel (Gen. 4).
3.
A
lesson on obedience from Noah (Gen. 6).
V. THE “GOOD”
BOOK ENDS WITH A GOOD ENDING
A.
The ending of the Bible
presents victory for the faithful child of God.
B.
Revelation portrays the
defeat of the Lord enemies. They
are cast into the lake of fire and brimstone.
1.
The beast and the false
prophet (Rev. 19:20).
2.
The devil (Rev.
20:10).
3.
The wicked and defiled (Rev.
21:8).
C.
The book also presents the
salvation of the redeemed in the new heavens and new earth and New
Jerusalem.
1.
Revelation
21:4
And God shall
wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither
sorrow, nor crying, neither shall their be any more pain: for the former things are passed
away.
2.
Revelation
21:17
And there shall
in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh
abomination, or maketh a lie: but
they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
3.
Revelation
22:3-4
And there shall
be no more curse: but the throne of
God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and his servants shall serve him: and they shall see his face; and his
name shall be in their foreheads.
CONCLUSION
A.
Yes, the Bible is the “Good
Book.”
B.
Why would anyone want to be
in opposition to it?
C.
Why would anyone who calls
himself a Christian fail to submit fully to it?
D.
Psalm
119:34
Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
