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WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITHOUT A BIBLE?

- Ignatius A le Roux

A Christian lady related how her employer once had sent her to Israel for a period of six months for research. During the flight she realized that she had forgotten to pack her Bible. She was however sure she would find one in a bookstore the next day.

In South Africa one can buy a Bible even in some secular bookshops. In many countries, like Israel, things are totally different. Her first morning without her Bible was terrible. How do you have a quiet time without your Bible? And that just before you have to meet all the strange people you will be working with. The whole day felt empty - almost as if something was missing. One day followed after another and only weeks later she was able to go to Jerusalem. There she met up with other Christians and acquired a small Bible. She related how precious it was to her. She could not put it down, but just kept reading it.

She did witness, however, to something wonderful that she had experienced. Before she got hold of the Bible, the Lord often led her to people and places of which she was not aware beforehand. Time and again the Lord had a specific purpose with every one of the appointments. She could hardly believe how clearly the Lord was leading her. To her, it was a wonderful experience to realize that even without her Bible, she knew exactly what the Lord's will for her was.

I do not know what I would do without my Bible. It is a fact, however, that today a very large percentage of the Lord's children are without a Bible. Many have never seen a Bible. Many suffer, are tortured and even die because of their faith in Him - without ever holding a Bible in their hands.

It is not new for children of the Lord to be without Bibles. Since the earliest times Bibles have not been available. Later, after the art of printing was discovered, ordinary church members were prohibited to own or read the Bible. The Bible was only available in a language that priests alone could read. They were also not allowed to read and proclaim it freely, but could only teach the traditions of the church as handed down and approved by the Pope and offices of the church to the ordinary people.

Recently I again watched a film made of Richard Wurmbrand. It was filmed two years after he was set free from prison. He had been tortured for fourteen years in prison by the Communist regime of Rumania. In this film he mentions how, during his imprisonment, he committed to memory the best sermons and most beautiful poems he could ever imagine. None of these were ever written down as they were not allowed to own a book or any paper. His life story and other books can be ordered from Christian Mission International, PO Box 7157, Primrose Hill 1417, Tel. 011-873 2604.

Another gripping book tells of our brothers and sisters in the church behind the Bamboo Curtain. It is the life story of Brother Yun, THE HEAVENLY MAN. I do not want to divulge more about the book now. Suffice to say that those of you, who have not read it, should try to. It is available at any Christian bookstore.

So many have said: "The Lord promises us so many things in His Word. Why do we not see any of it?" One of the promises the Lord Jesus made is found in John 14:12:

Where the life of the church is ailing and weak, where sin is tolerated and disobedience to the Lord's commands permitted, there these works are absent.

These works will also not be present where people use the techniques of hypnosis and through slight of hand perform all kinds of tricks in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Outwardly many of these "miracles" done in this way might appear genuine, but when the show is over the disillusioned patients still sit with all their sorrow - now only with more pain and confusion.

The Bible teaches in Hebrews 13:8 that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. DO YOU BELIEVE IT?

The testimony of Brother Yun is truly inspiring. By reading it, one comes under the conviction that you can surely believe the Bible. On a DVD, whilst appearing at the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem last year, this man refers to the promises of the Lord Jesus as mentioned at the beginning of this article. He then mentions how faithful the Holy Spirit is to teach and lead those who do not even have any Bibles.

Many who have read Brother Yun's book have said that the reading of the story of the church behind the Bamboo Curtain sounds exactly like the book of Acts. It is indeed so, when you read it, you see the story of the Bible unfolding before your very eyes, but in our own time!

One problem with Western Christianity is that church theology over time becomes the status quo. Whatever one reads in the Bible is watered down with theological platitudes like: "You cannot take it literally", "That is not really what the Lord meant there", "You cannot apply it so directly", "The mainstream theologians explain it so beautifully different", etc.

Why do we not see taking place, in our day, that which the Lord Jesus said would happen? The answer is that either He is a liar or that we do not really believe in Him. You either believe in the Bible or you do not.

If you believe in it, you believe that which you read in it. Were you then to tell a spiritual leader about something that you read in the Bible and he brushes it off, as if it was not meant to be read like that, you know not to take his advice any more.

In the case of the Lord Jesus saying that the Holy Spirit will teach us "all things" and "bring to remembrance all things that He said to us", there are those who argue that Jesus only said it to the twelve apostles. According to this theology the Holy Spirit taught them everything and brought to remembrance His words so that they could write the New Testament. According to this theology it would mean that when John wrote the last words of Revelation, the Holy Spirit stopped His work. Since then we have the Bible in which to read the whole historical report of what happened. Therefore we read in Acts how the Holy Spirit performs the greater works but it then ceased and so the work of the Holy Spirit is completed. As a result we do not see any of it in our days. Others again, brush Jesus' promise of "greater works" piously aside by saying it refers to our leading people to the Lord. They argue like this: "What greater miracle can there be than one soul coming to repentance?" This argument may sound very good, but it is a typical example of the way one can so easily change the meaning of the Word of the Lord. The Lord Jesus talks about the works that those who believe in Him will do as well as the greater works. If He implies conversions with the "greater works", are we in fact doing the other works that He did?

Anyone who reads John 14:12 knows that it does not refer to conversion, but to the miracles Jesus did. In his commission to his church in passages like Matthew 10:7-10 we see which miracles Jesus meant.

To lead others to the Lord is naturally a spontaneous part of the fruit of one's conversion; coupled with that are also other issues. The question, however, is whether we believe in the Bible. Do we believe in the Jesus of the Scriptures or in the Jesus conjured by people's imagination and unbelief?

Fortunately there are people, like the Lord's children behind the Bamboo Curtain, who have not yet been blinded by unbelief. I am sure that anyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ and reads what He says in parts such as John 13, 14, 15 and 16 will not be able to go along with such a theology. Did Jesus intend those words just for the apostles? Of course not.

Through all the centuries the Lord's children have experienced and lived out everything that Jesus had promised - often without any knowledge of the Word itself. Many people who are today being saved by the Lord in Muslim and Communist countries are being led and taught by the Holy Spirit. Thus it has been throughout history.

In saying that, it does not mean that the Bible itself is not necessary. When these children of the Lord find a Bible, it makes a big difference. Read how Brother Yun prayed and later fasted to ask the Lord for a Bible. By means of a mighty miracle the Lord gave him one. The fruit from that was manifold.

But what do people do who become converted where there are no Bibles? The only thing they can do is to listen to the voice of the Lord and to follow Him. The Lord leads his children through the Holy Spirit who lives within them (Romans 8:14).

We who have the privilege of owning a Bible; do we listen to the voice of the Lord? Do we follow and obey Him?

"BECAUSE I GO TO MY FATHER"

The Lord Jesus says that the reason why those who believe in Him will do greater works than what He did, is "because I go to My Father" (John 14:12).

It is not us who do these works out of ourselves. It is He who sends the Comforter to live in us from His position on the throne where He is seated at the right hand of the Father. Through his Holy Spirit who lives in our new reborn spirit, He continues the work that He did on earth. He does not do it on his own any longer. The advantage of Him not living and working on earth now, is as He says in John 16:7, that He could send the Holy Spirit to whomever believes in Him (Acts 2:33).

And what was the purpose of the Holy Spirit? He had to come to be with the believer and to live within him (John 14:17). What is the purpose of Him coming to dwell within us in this manner? To convict the world (John 16:8). In this manner the Lord Jesus today continues with his work on earth. He currently does it through his children. From his position on the throne He continues to reveal the Father to the world - by his Holy Spirit who lives in his followers on earth.

It is our duty to listen to his voice and to obediently follow Him in everything. As He only spoke what He heard the Father say, we have to do only what we know His will is.

In this manner He can glorify Himself in and through us. Thus He can reveal Himself to the world through us. Whatever pleases Him, He can do through us. We should not search after the greater works, but after a perfect relationship with Him. A relationship where He is our King and where He can glorify Himself totally in and through us.

PERSECUTION

Paul teaches us in 2 Timothy 3:12 that "all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted".

Pastor Richard Wurmbrand had scarcely arrived in the West when a large ecumenical church meeting, together with the Communist secret police, issued a statement. In it was stated that Wurmbrand was never tortured, but was in fact a Communist agent, as well as many other lies. The document was intended to discredit him completely before Christians in the Free World. Many years later, just before Wurmbrand's last visit to South Africa, the controversial theologian, Prof. Ferdinand Deist, wrote a book in which he reproduced this document as if it contained historical facts. According to the time chosen for publication, it looked as if it was intended to have a negative effect on Richard Wurmbrand's appearances in Southern Africa.

Wurmbrand, who spoke thirteen languages, quickly read the newly published Afrikaans book. He went, with it in hand, to UNISA, knocked at the door of Prof. Deist's office and introduced himself. Exactly what happened inside the Professor's office I do not know, but we never heard anything about the book again. I have not since had the privilege of meeting anyone like Pastor Richard Wurmbrand. The love and power of the Lord Jesus radiated from him. At one time a journalist, who was very antagonistic towards him, had an interview with him. During the conversation she became converted. It was the norm that people who had contact with him came under conviction. It was simply as if rivers of living water streamed from him to everyone around.

In the same way obvious attempts were made by certain Christian members to discredit Brother Yun after he escaped from China. We do mention it, because you might hear that some Christians published wild accusations against him on their websites and other places.

Read his book THE HEAVENLY MAN and decide for yourself. The crux of the matter is not whether you believe that which Brother Yun witnesses about, but whether you believe in the Lord Jesus. Do you believe and keep that which He told us? Do you love Him? Look at what He says to us in John 15:10 and 16:26-27.

May He bless you.

PS. The DVD of Brother Yun mentioned above was not made by Kérugma, but is being distributed by us in South Africa. It is meant to be watched after having read the book THE HEAVENLY MAN. In it he tells of the mission movement started in China, namely BACK TO JERUSALEM. Brother Yun visits South Africa from 26 October to 6 November 2005. His program will be announced shortly on www.btj.org.uk

Copyright © 1999 Kérugma^® Productions. All rights reserved.
PO/Box 1367, KUILS RIVER, 7579 SOUTH-AFRICA Tel: +27 (0)21 903-1901 Fax: +27 (0)21 906-2637
E-mail: info@kerugma.org.za; http://www.kerugma.org.za/