What the Bible Does in You 1 Peter1:23 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

We have seen what we are to do with the Bible but have you ever thought about what the Bible does in you?  The Bible is a unique book in that, as you read it, it changes your life – you don’t change, it changes you.  Here’s what the Bible does in you.  The Bible:

Saves you – 1 Pet 1:23 – that’s why it’s best to open the Bible with a soul when you are witnessing to him [Acts 8:30-35] and to give him a New Testament to read when you leave him – people are regenerated by the Spirit of God through the preaching of the word of God [Rom 10:14] – faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God [Rom 10:17].

Cleanses you – Jn 15:3 – the maniac of Gadara was in his right mind after Jesus cast the devil out of him – likewise, the Bible will cleanse and restore your mind [2 Tim 1:7] – it will clear up the confusion of earthly, sensual, devilish wisdom and replace it with the pure, peaceable, gentle wisdom of God [Jas 3:14-17] – it will clean up your mind and your heart.

Teaches you – Gal 6:6; Tit 1:9 – we have nothing to teach you of ourselves – you have to be taught in the word and by the word – though a man is teaching, God reveals it to you [Lk 10:21] – I can’t tell you the numbers of times I have had to teach a passage or reply to a question regarding a passage that I didn’t understand – but after diligent prayer and study the Lord made the answer plain through his word – and once the word teaches you, you have the truth.

Searches you – Heb 4:12-13 – when you read the Bible the light of the word reveals all of the root sin in your life – the hard to see stuff dealing with motives, intentions, ambitions, emotions, affections, lusts, fears, conceits, neglects and so forth.

Reproves, corrects and instructs you – 2 Tim 3:16-17 – not only does the word search you, it also reproves you so that you will repent – and then it goes even further and corrects you so that you can see what the correct motives, intentions, ambitions and so forth should be – and then it instructs you so that you change into what God wants you to be.

Grows you – 1 Pet 2:2; Heb 5:13-14 – there is no short cut here – everyone starts out the same, a babe in Christ – but as you read, the word nourishes you and you start growing – if a person isn’t growing spiritually, then he is either not in the word or he is neglecting the word that he is hearing [like a baby in a high chair who throws his food on the floor] – as you grow you can digest the meat of the word which you need at some point to keep growing – the reason some old Christians haven’t grown spiritually is that they have never been nourished with anything stronger than milk.

Bears fruit in and through you – Jn 15:1-8, Lk 8:15 – we don’t bear fruit for God, the word bears fruit – as the word abides in you, it bears fruit in your life [like the fruit of righteousness, Jas 3:18] – and as the word bears fruit in you, it begins to bear fruit through you – please notice that in 2 Pet 1:1-9 our fruitfulness is connected inseparably to the word of God in that without the word of God it is impossible to know God, to know our Lord Jesus Christ and to know the promises of God – without faith, virtue and knowledge, which all come from the word of God, it is not possible to have temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity which make us fruitful.

Conclusion: if you are here today without Christ you need put your faith in the words of God, repent, and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ – if you are saved and barren, you need to let the words of God cleanse you, teach you, search you, reprove you, correct you, instruct you in righteousness, grow you and bear fruit in you. Get in the word and let the word get in you!!