THE BIBLE MEETS MAN'S SPIRITUAL NEEDS

Have you ever noticed that every generation tends to think that the one that has gone before it was old-fashioned, out- of-date, and unable to meet the needs of the current or modern generation in technology, science, medicine, transportation, and so on? Progress does render the wonders of the past obsolete and much of what was written in my science textbooks in high school would not be the same as what is written in the textbooks of today. 

One other area in which we find this same tendency is religion.  In every generation that rises up, soon begin to talk about the need for religious teaching relevant to their particularly enlightened generation. Some trumpet the need for a new revelation for a new age. The old Bible is viewed as being outdated and unable to meet the spiritual needs of the changing world. It is a refrain heard over and over again and every time it is heard, it comes from someone or some group of people who have found something in the Bible, some teaching of God's, that they just do not like and have no intention of obeying. And so the cry is heard - "The Bible is old-fashioned and doesn’t speak to our generation." Each time such a statement is made, it is just as wrong as it was the first time it was made. 

Friends, the scriptures are not tied to one period of time - they are not applicable to just one era. They are truly timeless in that they will meet every spiritual need of every individual in every generation if they will let them.    Look at Psalm 119:89-91. David wrote, "For ever, 0 Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth and it abideth. They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants." In verses 142-144, he said, "Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth. Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: yet thy commandments are my delights. The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live." And in verse 160, David again said, "Thy word is true from the beginning and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever." 

My friends, the Bible is just as fitted to all of the spiritual needs of this generation as it was fitted to all of the spiritual needs of the people in our Lord's generation. Let's talk a little bit about that. 

First, the gospel is a universal gospel and it is revealed in God’s Word. The gospel was not limited in application to one race of people, at one particular time, in one particular geographical region; it was given for everyone on God's earth. In the Great Commission, Jesus said, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations." He said, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature". The same gospel is for all. Paul said in Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." In Galatians 3:26-29, he wrote, "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." 

You see, it doesn’t matter what nationality you are. It doesn’t matter what your economic status might be. It doesn’t matter if you are male or female. The gospel is for you. We read in Titus 2:1 1, "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men." 

So how does the Bible meet the needs of man? The world of men may be divided into three categories, based on the spiritual need of each group of individuals. The Bible has been given by God to meet the needs of each group. Let me show you what I mean. 

    1. The Bible meets the spiritual needs of unbelievers. Many, actually most, of the people on the earth at this time are unbelievers. The greatest spiritual need of unbelievers is faith in Jesus. Without faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, an individual cannot be saved and go to heaven when he dies. Jesus said in John 8:24, "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins." In John 14:6, Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." It may sound harsh, but the truth of the matter is that the unbeliever will ultimately be cast into hell. We find this truth in Revelation 21:8, where the Bible says, "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." My friends, the Bible addresses the pressing need of the unbeliever.

There are four books in the New Testament that are designed especially to meet the needs of the unbelievers. They are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The purpose of the four gospels is to give the eyewitness testimony of those who accompanied Jesus in order that men might have faith in Him as the Christ. John put it this way in John 20:30-3 1, "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name." 

The miracles of Jesus recorded in the gospels are there to give indisputable proof that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Just think of some of the great works we can read about. Jesus changed water to wine in John 2. He fed 5,000 with five loaves and two small fishes.  He walked on water, healed a man born blind, raised Lazarus from the dead - and on and on we could go. When a man by the name of Nicodemus, a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews, came to Jesus by night, he said to the Lord, "RabbL we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him." Indeed, my friends, the crowning proof that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, was His own resurrection from the dead. Paul put it this way in Romans 1:3-4, "Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead." 

My friends, all four of the gospels are different. Matthew's gospel was particularly designed to prove to the Jewish audience that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of Abraham the son of David. Matthew emphasizes the fulfillment of Messianic prophecy in Jesus. Thus he shows that Jesus was born of a virgin in 1:21. He shows that it occurred in the city of Bethlehem in chapter 2:10.   He emphasizes the miracles as fulfillment of prophecy, and demonstrates that our Lord's death and resurrection were foretold. All of this meant to show that Jesus was the Promised One of the Old Testament. 

Luke's gospel on the other hand, was not primarily aimed at the Jewish audience. 

We can see this from his references to the Samaritans (for instance, the parable of the Good Samaritan, the Samaritan leper who returned to thank Jesus, and so on). In the genealogy that Luke gives, he ties Jesus to Adam rather than simply Abraham. All four gospels together are absolutely sufficient to meet the greatest spiritual need of the unbeliever-to convince him that Jesus is the Messiah, He is the Christ, He is the One who fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies, and He sacrificed Himself on the Cross of Calvary for the sins of the world. 

2. The Bible also meets the spiritual needs of the believer.       The man who already believes that Jesus is the Christ needs to know what he must do to be saved by the blood of Jesus. It is unfortunate that so many think belief is enough. But that is not so. The New Testament contains a book designed to tell believers what they must do to become Christians. The book of Acts tells us of several cases of conversion which demonstrate what a person must do to be saved once he or she believes. 

Acts 2 records the preaching of the first gospel sermon in which Peter showed that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ, the Son of God. When men who believed his words asked in Acts 2:38, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Peter replied, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." The greatest need that these believers in Jesus had was to have their sins washed away by the blood of the Lord. Peter gave them the conditions that they had to meet in order to be saved by the grace of God. 

In Acts 8, we find Philip preaching to the Samaritans. In verse 12 we read, "But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women." Acts 8:26-40 tells us that the Ethiopian eunuch heard the gospel believed in Jesus, and was baptized in water. Acts 9, as well as chapters 22 & 26, relate that Saul of Tarsus was saved through the gospel of Jesus Christ when he was baptized to have his sins washed away, specifically Acts 22:16. Acts 10 tells of the conversion of Cornelius, chapter 16 of Lydia and the Philippian jailer, chapter 18 of the Corinthians, and chapter 19 the conversion of some disciples of John the Baptist in Ephesus. From a study of these cases of conversion, the person who believes that Jesus is the Christ can learn what he must do to have his sins washed away by the blood of the Lord. He will see that the believer in Christ must repent and be baptized in water in order to be saved by the blood of Jesus. 

3. And, my friends, the Bible meets the spiritual needs of Christians. The last 22 books of the New Testament are designed to tell Christians how they should live in order to go to heaven when they die. The greatest need that a Christian has is faithfulness in his service to the Lord. 

Far too many Christians stop growing shortly after they begin their life in Jesus. They are Re the little boy who fell out of his bed during the night. As his mother picked him up and put him back into bed, she asked, "What happened?" He said, "I guess I went to sleep too close to where I got in." Too many Christians go to sleep too close to where they get into Christ. They fail to grow up in Christ, as they should. 

The 22 books, Romans through Revelation, are designed to strengthen and edify the Christian that he might maintain his faithfulness to Jesus. Books like Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians and Hebrews strengthen the mind of the Christian through the revelation of God's plan for human redemption. Each of these letters to churches and to individuals also discusses moral subjects, helping us to know how to live, as we should. As the Christian studies these books, he will learn how he should grow into full maturity from his condition as a babe in Christ. He will learn his responsibilities to tell others about Jesus, to be active in good works, to worship regularly according to God's pattern, and so on. 

But that is not all. The Bible supplies that glimpse beyond the grave to the home prepared for the saints in heaven. It tells the Christian of the fellowship he will enjoy with Jesus after this life is over, of the resurrection of this body and the inheritance reserved in heaven, undefiled that fadeth not away. As we team of the beauties of heaven, a yearning grows inside of the Christian that makes everything on earth pale into insignificance by contrast. The Bible shows the Christian the way home. 

Don’t let anybody tell you that the Bible is out-dated, my friends. Those who say such things do so because they don't want to obey what the Book says. They can't supply your needs - but God's Word does.