Beyond Today -- The Bible You Don't Know

there is probably a book in your home about which you know very little how can I make such a statement because you're not at all alone you have a lot of company this book which nearly everybody owns is also a book that nearly no one knows what is this book it's the Bible the book which a majority of Americans believe holds the answers to all of life's basic questions yet most adults can't name the first book in the Bible how about you what do you know about this book the Holy Bible you know what it says do you know whether you can trust its words and rely on it as a guide for life to survive in today's world you need to understand the message this book has for you stay with us on beyond today as we discover the Bible you don't know join our host Darris McNeely and his guests as they help you understand your future on beyond today let's take a short quiz about Bible knowledge can you name the four Gospels of the New Testament can you name the first book of the Bible which city was Jesus born in okay that's all how did you do if you named more than one of the four Gospels you did better than half of American adults if you named Genesis as the first book of the Bible then you knew more than most Americans and if you named the Bethlehem as the city in which Jesus was born you are way ahead of most Bible literacy is at an all-time low in the United States and Canada whether you look at adults youth or those who describe themselves as born-again evangelicals America has become a nation where Bible illiteracy is quite common biblical illiteracy is what one pollster calls us and this is in spite of the fact that virtually every American home has at least one Bible publisher sell about twenty million Bibles annually and Gideon's international gives away a new Bible every second of every day people say they are reading the Bible at least twice a month but are they reading it with understanding now I don't mean to treat the Bible as a bunch of facts that you need to know just to be literate that's not the point the Bible is not that kind of book it is critical that you understand what is in the book but you have to know the book before you can understand knowledge leads to understanding when I was a child I was taught a lot of facts about the Bible and its characters you were probably taught the same when I got older though I learned what most of those stories meant I finally began to understand why the people lived like they did the Bible began to make sense and it began to come alive the question is do we really appreciate what we have in this book the Holy Bible see the Bible has a long and a passionate history its oldest writings stretched back in more than three thousand years it is a book written by multiple authors guided however by one mind that wrote his pages over nearly fourteen hundred years there's a unity that ties the book together from the beginning to the end it's very plain to an unbiased mind that one mind wrote this book now that's hard for us to grasp that for hundreds of years most people however did not have a Bible that's right they did not have the luxury of a bound and printed Bible like you and I take for granted you say printing for the masses did not exist until the sixteenth century before then you had to be fabulously wealthy to own even one page of the book the Bible it was in England during the 1300s that a man by the name of John Wickliffe began translating parts of the Bible and making copies of his work available for people to read and to hear in the common tongue that is in the English language it's hard to imagine but up until then it wasn't available even then in English to the common person and John Wickliffe began to make that change there's a book that was written a few years ago called wide as the waters the story of the English Bible and the revolution it inspired by Benson Beaubourg in this book he tells the story of the Bible coming into the common language in the English language and he focuses on a great deal of history and a number of individuals but the story of John Wickliffe is very interesting as I just mentioned John Wickliffe made this available to people the the Bible in the English language and years after Wickliffe died even though he met a lot of opposition during his lifetime he died peacefully but years later after being dead Wickliffe bones were pulled up out of the grave by a church decree and they were burned on a bridge and the ashes were scattered into the waters and floated off to sea and that's where the title this book comes why does the waters because there was a poem that was written about that very act in itself that Wickliffe ashes would be like dust spread abroad and why does the water's be in it and that indeed did happen but in this book he talks about how so many people were ravenous for understanding about the Bible and just to read a little bit out of the Bible as it was made available to them and he says talks about how people paid a lot of money just to have that happen he said that people paid whatever they could for the scriptures in English quote to taste the sweetness of God's holy word and some paid more than some paid less some gave a load of hay for a few chapters of the Apostle Paul or the Apostle James thousands perhaps tens of thousands read or went to secret readings of these books while publicly continuing to attend their local church just to be able to have a page out of the Bible and to read was an amazing feat for people during this period of time you see most people at that point including the clergy knew very little about the Bible in 1408 an English bishop forbade anyone to translate or even to read a version of the Bible in whole or in part without the approval of a minister hard to believe the Bible was translated into the into the language of the common person in the 1500s and later it's spread was resisted by religious and political authorities the Bible's message you see was a threat to ignorance and a superstition and the hold that these institutions had over people's minds years later after Wickliffe there was another man named William Tyndale who translated and spread the Bible and his work in himself he was condemned as a heretic they captured him he was strangled burned at the stake for all of his efforts in fact his last words went down in history is this he opened his eyes and turned his eyes upward to heaven and said Lord open the eyes of the king of England it took years before that happened translating and publishing God's Word in the language of the people was a revolutionary act that's very hard for us to understand in our modern world it would take several more years before King James the first of England would authorize the well-known translation that is still with us today the King James Bible and answer that prayer of William Tyndale in other words what we have in our home the book that virtually no one knows came at a huge cost in human life people gave their lives to put a copy of the book in our laps in our hands today doesn't that say to us that we need to read what it says and ask some very hard questions about what our life here is all about in the book of Acts chapter 17 there's a story of a group of people called the Bereans they heard the preaching of the Apostles the Apostle Paul especially they heard and read from the scriptures and there's an interesting statement made about them in acts 17 and verse 11 it says these were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica and that they received the word with all readiness and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so they searched the Scriptures daily it's quite a testimony as quite an example for all of us to stop and to ponder ourselves regarding this book the Bible on our program today we're offering a free booklet that I think will help take you through a study of the Bible in greater detail it's a booklet entitled is the Bible true this informative booklet will help you have confidence in the Bible as a book of truth and revelation from God here are some of the topics that are covered in the book is the Bible truth the Bible in the modern world humanity's bias against the supernatural the Bible and astronomy Earth's age does the Bible indicate a time interval between the 1st and 2nd verses of Genesis the Bible and archaeology King David's existence verified by inscription sections in this booklet talk about the Bible in science the Bible and prophecy and does the Bible contain errors you can get a free copy of this book and go online and read this booklet if you like or call toll free one triple eight eight eight six eight six three two to request your FREE copy and your subscription that's one triple eight eight eight six eight six three two or go online at beyond today TV and also while you're there you can also join our Twitter and Facebook page on march 16th 1985 a journalist by the name of Terry Anderson was kidnapped from the streets of Beirut Lebanon as a political pawn he was held hostage for almost seven years during this excruciating ordeal mr. Anderson showed remarkable courage although frequently stretched too near his breaking point on the first day of his confinement his abductors hustled him at gunpoint from his car into theirs then took him to a half-built apartment building there they've blindfolded him and chained him to a cot during his first 24 days in Chains bound and restrained like an animal he struggled to find a way to maintain his sanity realizing the need to summon courage and strength from somewhere he asked his captors for a Bible later after his release in his memoirs mr. Anderson related the result of that request he wrote the next day late in the afternoon the English speaking guard came in and threw a heavy object on the bed I reached for it felt the smooth covers of a book the guard came around to the head of the bed good he asked yes very good thank you I cautiously pulled my blindfold up a bit until I could see the book a Bible the Revised Standard Version I caressed it gently I read the title page the publishing and the copyright information the notes of the editors slowly carefully then Genesis in the beginning it's quite a story a story that shows how this book can give encouragement can give hope this book also holds some surprising facts that you may not know you see that there's the Bible that is on our table and then there's the Bible that we read and begin to understand earlier in the program I told you about those who labored to translate the Bible into English and other common languages to make it available to everyone not to just a small group of leaders the invention of the printing press facilitated the distribution of the Bible and people began to read the book and listen to his readings and to sermons from its pages it's an astounding fact that when people began reading the Bible their ideas and their preconceptions about why said began to change do you believe the idea of a Trinity read the book it's not there not in the Old Testament or in the New Testament it just isn't taught in the Bible do you believe the good go to heaven when they die read the book very carefully it's not taught rather the truth of a resurrection is clearly and unmistakably taught do you believe the wicked suffer forever in the torment of a Hellfire read your Bible you will not find that taught I recently did a beyond today program on the Sabbath we showed in that program how God gives us a day of rest each week on the seventh day many of you think God's Sabbath is the first day or Sunday if you do you're wrong you see read the book and you will see that it's the seventh day Saturday it always has been it's a fact that when people begin to read the book they start keeping the Sabbath this was true in the 16th century when the Bible began to be widely spread and read Sabbath keeping groups began sprouting up throughout Europe read your Bible through a clear lens and you will discover this and many other truths when you begin to keep God's Sabbath you will also do more reading in the book you see the two go together it's important that we learn to read the book as a source of teaching as a source of advice and especially instruction in how to live successful productive righteous lives there's a section of the Bible in the book of 2nd Timothy chapter 3 beginning in verse 10 that helps us I think point this out there's one passage of Scripture that I can go to on this program to point this out to you it is that in 2nd Timothy chapter 3 and verse 10 that says from the words of the Apostle Paul this he writes to Timothy and he says you've carefully followed my doctrine manner of life and purpose faith long-suffering love and perseverance my persecutions and afflictions which happened to me at Antioch Iconium and Lystra persecutions I endured and out of them all the Lord delivered me yes and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution but evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse deceiving and being deceived but you must continue into things which you've learned and been assured of knowing from whom you learned them and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus Paul was referring to Timothy at this time he says the Holy Scriptures made you wise for salvation but the Scriptures he was referring to was what we call the Old Testament you see the New Testament had not been fully written at that point in time and Paul was referring to the Old Testament Scriptures that are able to make one wise to salvation through faith he goes on in verse 16 all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness these areas doctrine correction and instruction and righteousness are important sections of scripture for all of us to understand sometimes we don't like to get into doctrine and you know correction is not something that we really want to get into very much in our life as well but Paul puts into one verse really a summary of all that is within the scripture in terms of doctrinal teaching that shows us who God is and what God is doing with you in life the purpose of our life and it gives us correction to straighten out the paths of our life to help us avoid making mistakes which is really again another way of saying instruction in righteousness and how to live a successful abundant and prosperous life that's what the Bible is all about that's why it's important to read this book and to understand all that it has for every one of us in our lives the Bible says many things that you might not know but it is freely available for each of us to study without fear of punishment don't you think it's time that you began a study of this most valuable book I know that if you do it will change your life it will bring you closer to the God of all creation the Bible is more than a literary text or a book of wisdom it is the revealed Word of creator-god the bible as a direct challenge to you a challenge you and nor I can ignore when we return we're going to talk about that with with our beyond today panel and see exactly what that challenge is but first I have a special offered it's a good news magazine this magazine contains important articles on how to make sense of today's confusing world news it will help you to understand what the Bible teaches about the most vital questions concerning your life your marriage and your family why it's important to have a relationship with your Creator this magazine will help you comprehend God's amazing plan for mankind and for you personally that's why you need your free subscription to the good news it will help with all the answers that you need in life click or call toll free one triple eight eight eight six eight six three two that's one triple eight eight eight six eight six three two you can also visit us on the web at beyond today TV and watch dozens of beyond today programs that are weekly beyond today commentary online beyond today TV are called one triple eight eight eight six eight six three two for your free subscription the good news not only examines world events in light of the Bible but it will help you get your everyday life in order get your free subscription today and don't forget to follow beyond today on Twitter or join our Facebook page if the Bible is true then there are some changes you need to make here for a discussion of this Steve Myers and Gary petty both fellow presenters on beyond today you know Jesus noted that a sad fact of history in life is that relatively few people have responded and allowed the Bible to really change that and shape their lives why is that you know Darris if you took that book and you really believed that Bible was inspired by the creator of the universe as an instruction book to life you would cherish it you would read it you would live by it I mean the bottom line is most people don't believe even the people have the book even the people say they live by the book they actually don't believe it was inspired by God yeah I think that's an interesting thing when you say people know the Bible well a lot of times they know about the Bible but when it comes to really believing it there's a couple of words in the New Testament where it refers to believing and it equates to obeying so that if you believe it you have to do it and that's a tough thing change is difficult it's hard to change and the Bible tells us we're to put on the mind of Christ and that's a tough thing to do and you've got to dedicate your life to doing it not just believing it people look at this as a piece of literature don't they yeah just like any other great literary work by any author and it's so much more than that it is unique there's nothing like it in all humanity in all history it's a unique book you remember the old thing someone once said that it's the Ten Commandments not the ten suggestions yes and and I think that says I have to change it right and so it's not just interesting writing it's not just poetry it's not just those type of literary things it's it's a life changing book if we follow Christ and do what he says name one challenge one challenge that God makes to the individual out of the Bible actually it's a book of challenges but I think of Jesus Christ saying repent for the kingdom of God is at hand to repent means to accept that you are a flawed image of God and that you need to turn to God be sorry for what you've done and submit to him and have your life change that's the greatest challenge in the Bible and it's what God wants us to do people don't like to hear that word repent today no what does repent mean well when when you get down to admitting that not only have you done the wrong things you are wrong deep inside of us our human nature is corrupt we need to repent and that needs to be changed and it means we have to turn to God and live by what that book says it's one thing to read it it's another thing to live by him and submit to the will of God mm-hmm submit to the will of God that's that's an interesting point to actually take his will over my will I mean one of the big words today especially in the political realm is change now we've seen whole administration's come and go because of that word and the promise of change but it's not just a political change that the Bible talks about it talks about a spiritual change the real need that society has is not a political change there's a spiritual problem in the world today and that's the kind of change that the world needs we as individuals need to change and that's what the Bible talks about changing ourselves first how is the Bible different from other forms of self-help literature that are out there by the droves use words self-help yes well it's not a self-help book it's a god help book this book contains the laws and principles you know we're always looking for those secret laws that will help us change our lives you're talking about change this book contains the laws and principles that are given by the creator of life that makes life work so it's not a self-help book it's a god help book and it's the only way you can get the help to really make those changes not only for today to receive the eternal reward that God God offers to us in fact you talked about some of the challenges that are in the Bible the Bible challenges us to change our way of thinking it tells us that we don't really even know how to direct our own steps I mean we may think we do and we have an idea of what we want but what's best for us I think we forget sometimes when when Christ actually said one of the reasons he came was so that we could have life and have it abundantly so he wants the best for us he wants us to have a superly abundant life which is what that word really means so he wants the best for us and the best is following him and that means submitting to his will changing from our self-interest to God's interest looking out for others seeing the need for being more like Christ which is love the best of someone taught all what Christianity is all about and what the Bible is all what did the Bible's offer you know we mentioned this self-help literature and and there's so many different books out there written by so many different authors coming from different religious perspectives philosophical points of view the shelves are full of them and we've read those as well and look at them and yet one of the things that I think about is that they are they continue to be printed new ones every year and by the by the dozens and sometimes I wonder it we all need to step back from that and look at a different book of help or inspiration the Bible ask ourselves how's all that working for us all those other books and maybe maybe take a different look at a book that is far better and to the point and you know that's a challenge for all of Christianity Christianity needs to look around and say how's this working for us because in many ways it's not working very well and it the reason why is we're not living by the book yeah we're not reading the book you made that point earlier we're not reading it and if we don't know what it says then how can we live by it and we assume so many times we know what it says or isn't that in the Bible somewhere and we have that assumption but the reality is it may not be there so is your belief really found in the Bible or is it just something maybe you've been taught your whole life but really haven't checked it out for yourself and I think that's where it can be a self help check it out for yourself is it in there is that worship on Sunday is that is the Trinity in there like you mentioned are those things in there or maybe I better sit down and actually read it for myself and see what it says what what difference does it really make for a person to read the Bible well just on a personal level I mean to realize that the creator of the universe gives us this information and how to have a relationship with him and with your son Jesus Christ and when you look at the Bible you see that God is the god of human history and God is the god of the future he tells us the prophecies of what's going to happen and that's a great future that's Jesus Christ is coming back he's gonna save us from this mess and to live by that to know that changes everything in your life the gospel really changes everything about who you are and how you live and how you treat other people it's it's powerful and they live by that book we need to be in that book every day the gospel can be a religious sounding word but it's the good news of the coming kingdom of God that God has a plan there is a plan for each of us he's got an overall plan for for mankind Jesus Christ is going to return and it's going to affect each and every one of ours lives it's gonna affect us it's gonna affect you and so what do we do about these things your God has a plan for you and to be aware of it to know what it is we've got to get into the book and find out exactly what it says and let it change our lives you're real quick what passage what particular character from the Bible perhaps has made a big difference and impact in your life there's a couple of course the writings of Paul I think appall is a writer I think of King David as a person in ancient Israel that I identify relate to that I relate to him sort of this warrior poet man who made some very terrible mistakes because sometimes they let his emotions get out in front of him and yet a man that could always go back and be worked with by God and in in my life that's what I would I would strive to be as like like King David so I I look on him as a great hero it one of the interesting things about David and and then one of the heroes I think of his is the Apostle Paul who went from a Pharisee who was so adamantly opposed to Christianity I mean he helped participate in in the murders of Christians and yet because he submitted to God's will in his life he had a total change a total turnabout in his life to where God then could use him from beginning to persecute Christians to becoming one of the the greatest apostles of all time and so what an amazing thing God can do with a person's life when we change and submit our lives to him it can be a complete turnaround and what's amazing is there's so many different men and women in the Bible that all of us can relate to somebody yes there's somebody in there that we can relate and we can learn from and we can learn each each each one of them it's a fascinating book just waiting for you to to read and to begin to understand don't forget to order the booklet we're giving away today and featuring is the Bible true as well as the good news magazine you could go online to beyond today TV we're called one triple eight eight eight six eight six three two to get your free subscription and also a copy of is the Bible true the good news magazine this book that will help you to understand the Bible two ways that you never knew so get your free copy and your free subscription today and don't forget to follow beyond today on Twitter or join our Facebook page if Christ were to return now what would it mean to the average person if the judge of all mankind called for an accounting where would you be found what should you do with the information we've discussed on this program the Bible is indeed the inspired instruction of the creator of the universe to mankind many men and women gave their lives that you and I might have value in this book the message is clear no matter what others may do you have the power and responsibility to take personal action and to seek God the Bible is a reliable guide to human conduct it is God's Word to a spiritually bankrupt human it is our makers instruction book telling us how we should live today seek God now while he can be found that's the Bible's real challenge to you for beyond today i'm darris mcneely thanks for watching for the free literature offered on today's program go online to beyond today TV please join us again next week on beyond today you

Channel: BeyondTodayTV

Views: 10,152

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Keywords: Beyond Today, Bible, Gospels, John Wycliffe, Holy Bible, Wide is the Water, William Tyndale, King James Bible, Old Testament, New Testament, read, Ten Commandments, Jesus Christ, Kingdom of God, self help, Christian, Christianity

Id: DmLSy7EDAog

Length: 28min 14sec (1694 seconds)

Published: Tue Jun 15 2010