Why Study the Bible? It Contains "All the Truth."
One should study the Bible because it contains all the moral and religious truth for man on Earth. If a book contained all the truth on some secular subject there would be people who would be very eager to possess and to study that book. If a book contained all the truth concerning health, how eagerly it would be sought for and studied. Have we forgotten that the Bible contains all the religious and moral truth for man on Earth?
How do we know that all the truth is in the Bible? First, at the last passover supper Jesus was eating with and talking to His apostles (John 13: 1-2; Matthew 26: 20-25; John 17:6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 20). He promised them that the Holy Spirit would come and guide them into “all the truth.” “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth: for he shall not speak from himself; but what things soever he shall hear, these shall he speak: and he shall declare unto you the things that are to come” (John 16:12-13). Later on there were others who received the Holy Spirit and spoke by inspiration (Ephesians 2:20; 1 Corinthians 14:37; Galatians 1:11-12; 1 Corinthians 12). Since Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, we know that He spoke the truth. His promise did not fail. Therefore, by the time the last apostle died “all the truth” had been delivered. And the only word which we have from the inspired apostles and prophets is found in the Bible. To deny that they were guided into “all the truth” is to say that Jesus taught falsehood, and was wrong in promising them that they would be guided into “all the truth.”
Second, the apostle Peter said: “Seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue; whereby he hath granted unto us his precious and exceeding great promises; that through these ye may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world by lust” (2 Peter 1:3-4). Peter had preached to them the word of God which liveth and abideth forever (1 Peter 1:25). There is, therefore, no truth which pertains to life and godliness which is not found in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Third, the apostle Paul spoke of Christ “in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden” (Colossians 2:3). We have not minded all of these treasures but they are there.
Fourth, Jude exhorted brethren to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3). This is the “all the truth” which was delivered through Christ and the inspired men in the first century (Hebrews 1:1-2; 2:3-4).
What This Does Not Mean
This does not mean that any one of us has learned all of the truth, for we have not. The Bible is the mighty ocean on whose shores the child can wade but whose mighty depth no man can completely fathom. It is the school of truth from which we never graduate.
It does not mean that we have understood all of the applications of the principles which we do know. For example, we shall learn more about what it means to live by the Golden Rule.
It does not mean that we have perfectly lived up to what we do know.
It does not mean that no one else has any moral or spiritual truth. Jesus did not teach that no moral or spiritual truth was known before His day. In fact, the Golden Rule summed up the law and the prophets. The apostle Paul showed that pagans could know that the eternal God exists, and that they could learn it without the Bible from the world around about them (Romans 1:18-23). In the beliefs of the animists, even those who have not heard of the Bible, there is the belief that the Creator exists; although they usually do not worship him for they think that he is too remote, or that he is not against them; and they need to worship the spirits who are against them so as to keep them from harming them. Some pagans realized that we are the offspring of God. (Acts 17:28-29.) Pagans also, even though they became confused as to many moral principles, yet had a sense of duty and some knowledge of duty. (Romans 2:14-15.) However, the truths which pagans have seen will be truths which are contained in the Bible, and thus the Bible has “all the truth” although there are truths which some hold who do not have the Bible.
It does not mean that some unbeliever may not call our attention to some truth which we have overlooked, or stress some truth which we have neglected. Of course, we do not have to accept his infidelity in order to accept the truth which he has seen. Jesus showed that truth even when taught by hypocrites should be accepted; and so did Paul. (Matthew 23:1-4; Philippians 1:15-18.) All things belong to us, and although we do not see them at any one moment, yet when we see them we can possess them without having to leave Christ. “Wherefore let no one glory in men. For all things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; and ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.” (1 Corinthians 3:21-23.)
Are You Sure?
There are those, however, who may ask: How can we be sure that all religious and moral truth is found in the Bible? First, it is the word of God, and Jesus said that “all the truth” would be revealed to certain inspired men. All those things which make it reasonable for us to believe the Bible is the word of God, underscore the claim of Jesus concerning “all the truth.”
Second, the student can conduct his own investigation. Let us try to find a moral and religious truth which is not taught in the Bible by precept—an express statement, by principle, or by some example. If he thinks that he has found such a truth, let him: (a) Show us that it is not in the Bible. (b) Give us some evidence to prove that it is a religious and moral truth.
Third, one of the things which will help convince you that “all the truth” is found in the Bible, is that the Bible is inexhaustible. What man has written man can fathom. We can plumb it to its depth. We can master it and move on to something else. The Bible, however, is inexhaustible. We never plumb its depth. Does not this indicate that it is the product of the Infinite Mind? One may study it for decades and continue to learn more. We graduate from our first grade reader, from our college textbooks, from books which once were hard for us, but we never graduate from the Bible; although some cease to study it.
We are not suggesting that it answers all the questions which we might like to have answered; although it has answers which we have not yet seen. We are not suggesting that we shall like all of its answers and find them easy. But we are affirming that it is the full revelation of God to man on Earth.
The Practical Lessons
Although we may study many people’s writings, yet we must bring all to the test of the word of God. We must not think that the way to progress is to go beyond the word, but to study and to grow in and by the word. Why did Paul tell them that all the treasures of knowledge and wisdom were in Christ? “This I say, that no one may delude you with persuasiveness of speech. For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. As therefore ye received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him, and established in your faith, even as ye were taught, abounding in thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:4-7). He is the complete revelation of God to us, and we find our completeness in Him (Colossians 2:9-10).
There are those who state or imply that Christ is not sufficient in order that they may lead us into something else. They try to convince us that there are treasures of wisdom and knowledge outside of Christ. Paul warned of three such appeals. First, the one who would make “spoil of you through his philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (Colossians 2:8). Second, some would lead us back to the law. Christ fulfilled the law and the prophets (Matthew 5:17-18), and we are to abide in him. The law was the shadow of the reality which pertains to Christ (Colossians 2:14-17). Third, we should not let anyone, with his pretended revelations and traditions of men, lead us to fail to hold fast the head (Colossians 2:18-23).
One should spend his life proving that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are in Christ, and that progress comes through growth in Him.
Janes D. Bales
(1915-1995)
Gospel Advocate
Vol. 59. 7, 16 Feb. 1967
(pp. 97, 103)