THE MIRACULOUS POWER OF
THE BIBLE SHOWS FORTH
THAT ITS INSPIRER IS THE
ALMIGHTY THE POWER OF
GODS WORD TO CONVICT MEN
OF SIN.
In Hebrews 4:12 we have a
Scripture which draws attention to this peculiar characteristic of the
Bible—“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 discerner of the thoughts and intents of
the heart.” The writings of men may sometimes stir the emotions, search the
conscience, and influence the human will, but in a manner
and degree possessed by no other book the Bible convicts men of their guilt and
lost estate. The Word of God is the Divine mirror, for in it man reads the
secrets of his own guilty soul and sees the vileness of his own evil nature. In
a way absolutely peculiar to themselves, the Scriptures discern the thoughts
and intents of the heart and reveal to men the fact that they are lost sinners
and in the presence of a Holy God.
Some thirty years ago there
resided in one of the Temples of Thibet a Buddhist priest who had conversed
with no Christian missionary, had heard nothing about the cross of Christ, and
had never seen a copy of the Word of God. One day while searching for something
in the temple, he came across a transcription of Matthew’s
Gospel, which years before had been left there by a native who had received it
from some traveling missionary. His curiosity aroused, the Buddhist priest
commenced to read it, but when he reached the eighth verse in the fifth chapter
he paused and pondered over it: “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall
see God.” Although he knew nothing about the righteousness of his Maker,
although he was quite ignorant concerning the demands of God’s holiness, yet he
was there and then convicted of his sins, and a work of
Divine grace commenced in his soul. Month after month went by and each day he
said to himself, “I shall never see God, for I am impure in heart.” Slowly but
surely the work of the Holy Spirit deepened within him until he saw himself as
a lost sinner; vile, guilty, and undone.
After continuing for more than a
year in this miserable condition the priest one day heard
that a “foreign devil” was visiting a town nearby and selling books which spoke
about God. The same night the Buddhist priest fled from the temple and
journeyed to the town where the missionary was residing. On reaching his
destination he sought out the missionary and at once said to him, “Is it true
that only those who are pure in heart will see God?” “Yes,” replied the
missionary, “but the same Book which tells you that, also
tells you how you may obtain a pure heart,” and then he talked to him
about our Lord’s atoning work and how that “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son
cleanseth us from all sin.” Quickly the light of God flooded the soul of the
Buddhist priest and he found the peace which “passeth all understanding.” Now
what other book in the world outside of the Bible, contains a sentence or even
a chapter which, without the aid of any human commentator, is capable of
convincing and convicting a heathen that he is a lost
sinner? Does not the fact of the miraculous power of the Bible, which has been
illustrated by thousands of fully authenticated cases similar to the above,
declare that the Scriptures are the inspired Word of God, vested with the same
might as their Omnipotent Author?
THE POWER OF GODS WORD TO
DELIVER MEN FROM SIN.
A single incident which was
brought before the notice of the writer must suffice to illustrate the above
mentioned truth.
Some forty years ago a Christian
gentleman stood upon the quay of the Liverpool docks distributing tracts to the
sailors. In the course of his work he handed one to a man who was just
embarking on a voyage to China, and with an oath the sailor took it, crumpled
it up and thrust it into his pocket.
Some three weeks after, this sailor was down in his cabin and needing a
“spell” with which to light his pipe felt in his pocket
for the necessary paper and drew out the little tract which he had received in
Liverpool. On recognizing it he uttered a terrible oath and tore the paper in
pieces. One small fragment adhered to his tarry hand and glancing at it he saw
these words, “Prepare to meet thy God.” When relating the incident to the
writer he said, “It was at that moment as though a sword had pierced my heart.”
“Prepare to meet thy God” rang again and again in his ears, and with a
strickened conscience he was tormented about his lost
condition. Presently he retired for the night, but sleep he could not. In
desperation he got up and dressed and went above and paced the deck. Hour after
hour he walked up and down, but try as he might he could not dismiss from his
mind the words, “Prepare to meet thy God.” For years this man had been a
helpless slave in the grip of strong drink and knowing his weakness he said:
“How can I prepare to meet God, when I am so powerless to
overcome my besetting sin?” Finally, he got down upon his knees and cried: “O
God, have mercy on me, save me from my sins, deliver me from the power of drink
and help me prepare for the meeting with Thee.” More than thirty-five years
after, this converted sailor told the writer that from the night he had read
that quotation from God’s Word, had prayed that prayer, and had accepted Christ
as his Saviour from sin, he had never tasted a single drop of intoxicating liquor and had never once had a desire to craving for
strong drink. How marvelous is the power of God’s Word to deliver men from sin!
Truly, as Dr. Torrey has well said, “A Book which will lift men up to God must
have come down from God.”
THE POWER OF GODS WORD OVER THE HUMAN AFFECTIONS.
In thousands of instances men
and women have been stretched upon the “rack,” torn limb from limb, thrown to
the wild beasts, and have been burned at the stake rather than abandon the
Bible and promise never again to read its sacred pages. For what other book
would men and women suffer and die?
More than two hundred years ago
when a copy of the Bible was much more expensive than it is in these days, a
peasant who lived in the County of Cork, Ireland, heard that a gentleman in his
neighborhood had a copy of the New testament in the Irish language. Accordingly
he visited this man and asked to be allowed to see it, and
after looking at it with great interest begged to be allowed to copy it.
Knowing how poor the peasant was the gentleman asked him where he would get his
paper and ink from? “I will buy them,” was the reply. “And where will you find
a place to write?” “If your honor will allow me the use of your hall, I’ll come
after my day’s work is over and copy a little at a time in the evenings.” The
gentleman was so moved at this man’s intense love of the Bible that he gave him
the use of his hall and light and provided him with paper
and ink as well. True to his purpose and promise, the peasant labored night
after night until he had written out a complete copy of the New Testament.
Afterwards a printed copy was given to him, and the written Testament is
preserved by the British and Foreign Bible Society. Again, we ask, what other
book in the world could obtain such a hold upon the affections and win such
love and reverence, and produce such self-sacrificing
toil?