Who By Him Do Believe In God

Temple Baptist Church - 2-22-2017

1 Peter 1:18-22

Introduction:

A.  In these verses, we find the importance of biblical faith.  God ties two things together:  both the blood and the Bible.

1.  We have looked at the importance of the blood of Christ.  “The precious blood of Christ”

a)  Not just any blood but the blood of the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world.  It was referred to as “His own blood” or “the blood of God” in Acts 20:28. 

b)  It was perfectly pure blood; it was the innocent blood of Christ without any tint of Adamic sin.

2.  We now look at the importance of the Bible.  “By the word of God”  

a)  Not just any book, but the Word of God!  As the blood of Christ was perfectly pure and free of Adamic sin, the Bible must also be perfectly pure and free of Adamic “tampering!” 

b)  How can we have a perfect Bible?  Only if God inspired it and God also preserves it.  The Bible declares both inspiration and preservation in what we have today.  2 Timothy 3:16 does not reference the original manuscripts but the Word of God that Timothy had in his possession which was the preserved Word of God.  God said it was inspired and profitable.  The originals are not profitable because we do not have them!

c)  In the Bible, we find the foundation of our salvation and doctrine.  Jude spoke of the “faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”  If the Word of God was only pure in the original transcripts, then we have inherited a “Bible” that is the work of man and not a work of God. 

d)  You can believe what you want about the Bible but this pastor believes that the King James Bible is the inerrant, infallible, inspired, perfectly preserved Word of God for the English-speaking people!  If I am ignorant, please do not try to educate me.  If I am unlearned, please leave me in my state of innocence.  Stay away from me and leave me alone because I am perfectly satisfied with the Bible that I hold in my hands.

B.  Faith in both the blood and the Bible are essential for salvation. 

1.  In Psalms 11:3, the Word of God says, “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?”  The word “foundation” is plural. 

2.  Destroy the foundation of the blood of Christ and there is not salvation.  Destroy the foundation of the Bible and there is no salvation.  No wonder Satan hates the Blood and the Book!

C.  Now, let us look at what the Bible says about the Bible!  Isn’t that better than to look at what man says about the Bible?  Let God be true!

1.  The Bible is the Agent of the New Birth.  “Being born again.”  Salvation requires a new birth.  As our natural birth was sinful, our new birth is sinless.  By the natural birth, we were birth into the family of mankind, by the new birth, we are birthed into the family of God.  

Romans 10:17  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

2.  The Bible is Incorruptible.  “Not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible.”  The Bible declares itself to be not corrupt nor corruptible!  That means that it is pure and will remain pure. 

Matthew 5:18  For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.  (The last time I checked, the heaven and earth were still here and intact.)

3.  The Bible is the Word of God.  “By the word of God.”  The Bible declares itself to be the Word of God, not the word of man.

John 5:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

1 Thessalonians 2:13  For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men,but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

4.  The Bible is the Living Word of God.  “Which liveth.”  Notice again the present continuing tense of the word “liveth.”  If you use a word processor such as Word, you have a red line under the word “liveth” because we no longer use that word but it is a good Bible word.  It is living; therefore it is life giving! 

John 7:38  He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

5.  The Bible is the Abiding Word of God.  “And abideth for ever.”  Once again, the “eth” ending shows a present continueing tense.  The Word of God will always be with us as is clarified in verse 25 which says, “The word of the Lord endureth for ever.”

Conclusion:  Both the blood of Christ and the Word of the Lord are eternal because both are essential to the new birth.