Is The Bible Understandable #3

I am persuaded to believe that the evidence presented in the two previous articles proves the Bible is a book which can be understood; however, my awareness of the long and deep embedded belief of some, that such is not the case, leads me to believe I should devote one more article to this subject.

In this article, I will cite scriptures which give examples of people who were able to understand the teachings of God's book.

The Bible is divided into two major parts, the Old and New Testaments.

Now as to the Old Testament we have many examples of its being understood.

The writer of the Book of Psalms understood God's will as recorded therein. Yes, in Psalms 119:103-106, he declared three things:
ONE, God's word gives me understanding.
TWO, God's word expels all darkness from the path I walk.
THREE, I will keep the commandments of God.

If the Old Testament's scriptures cannot be understood, then how, oh how, could that man have made those statements?

In Psalms 119:127-130, the man of God penned these words: "Thy testimonies are wonderful, therefore doth my soul keep them. The entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple." In this passage the writer declares himself to be a faithful doer of God's testimonies. Then he writes the entrance of thy word giveth light; it giveth understanding to the simple.

In Psalms 119:110, he proclaimed the wicked have failed in their attempt to prevent me from following God's precepts. How could he have accomplished this without an understanding of God's precepts?

In Acts 17:30 we have Luke's written record of Paul's declaring the Old Testament scriptures unto the people of Berea. Then in verse 11 he said those people searched the scriptures so they might know if Paul was teaching the truth.

Now the fact that those people were able to do that, proves beyond a doubt they were capable of understanding the Old Testament scriptures; otherwise , how could they have compared the teachings of Paul with the teaching of the scriptures?

Then, too, the New Testament gives us many examples of those who were able to understand its teachings.

Acts chapter two gives us an account of Peter's teaching the teachings of the New Covenant unto a great multitude of people in Jerusalem. Acts 2:37 says after hearing "they were pricked in their hearts." Acts 2:41 reports that the ones who gladly received his teachings were baptized. This same passage reveals that three thousand were baptized.

Oh, yes, here we have an example of three thousand people, who were able to understand the teachings of Jesus, otherwise, why after hearing, would they have been pricked in their hearts and willing to gladly receive what they had heard?

In Acts chapter eight, we have the account of Philip's preaching the gospel or Christ unto the people of Samaria. Verse twelve says, "But when they believed Philip's preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized both men and women.

The Ethiopian eunuch, the gentiles of Antioch, Lydia, the jailer in Philippi, three people in Athens and Felix and King Agrippa, are also examples of others who after having heard the teachings of Jesus, as taught by His inspired teachers became believers.

Now, all of us know that even genuine evidence which cannot be understood, will not make believers of those who hear. So, since Romans 10:17 declares faith comes by hearing and inasmuch as all those people, after having heard believe, then it necessarily follows they understood what they had heard.

Paul, in Romans 6:17-18, said to the Roman people, you were made free from sin when you obeyed the doctrine delivered unto you. How could they have obeyed that which they did not understand?

My friends, we no longer say swimming the English Channel, flying a shuttle into space and back and visiting the moon are impossible feats. Because we have examples of these things having been accomplished, even so, none of us can say God has given us a book which we cannot understand, because the scriptures provide us with examples of multitudes who were able to understand it.

Yes, my readers, if we are willing to study, we can understand, and this understanding will enable us to become the beneficiaries of all the wonderful promises recorded therein.

By Tommy Hodge

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