Before I became a Christian I had no use for the Bible. To me it was a book of made of fiction. It was a crutch that people leaned on to make them feel better. It certainly wasn’t a book of real history and to me only gullible people believed it was divinely inspired. Sadly, while I was an expert on why not to believe the Bible I actually had never read it. My friends this is not logical. To pass judgment on something without ever knowing anything about it is downright foolish.
Today, for the past 42 years, after never picking up a Bible, I have read my Bible from cover to cover and over and over and over again! Why this radical change of heart? Have I lost my mind? Have I found a crutch to lean on? Or just maybe have I discovered that we hold in our possession today the most amazing, influential and transformational book ever written – the Bible.
If you have been following my blog for some time now I pray you realize I have a great love for the Bible. Not only that but I hope I have helped increase your faith in the holy Scriptures through the many apologetic arguments I have shared during the past three and a half years. But I have also come to realize more and more that all the solid arguments in the world on why we should accept the Bible, as the only divinely inspired book, won’t change the hardened hearts of many of its detractors. My friends our universe cries out for a Creator God for anyone who has a desire to know the truth. For (Psalm 19:1) clearly states: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”
Bishop J. C. Ryle shared the following insight on why people really reject the Bible when he stated: “Be very sure of this, – people never reject the Bible because they cannot understand it. They understand it only too well; they understand that it condemns their own behavior; they understand that it witnesses against their own sins, and summons them to judgment.”1
Scripture echoes this same thought when it says: “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” (Romans 1:18-20).
For those who choose to suppress the truth about God and the Bible, apologetics often may reach a person’s mind but not their heart. But thankfully we still have a way to reach these rebellious lost souls and that is by fervent prayer. I have often said that while apologetics may appeal to the mind, prayer touches the heart. And this combination of apologetics and believing, fervent prayer is sheer dynamite. So, the next time you share the gospel, and some of the powerful arguments on why that person should believe the Bible, don’t forget to storm heaven for that individual. For prayer is often the key to unlocking a hardened heart.
1 Charlie H. Campbell, Apologetics Quotes (Carlsbad, California: The Always Be Ready Apologetics Ministry, 2020), p. 57.
Curt, I just want to say I love your blog. Been meaning to say that for a while. I keep many of them to go back and refer to them.
Your writing and your story is encouraging.
I first heard of you several years ago in an interview you did with the “Land and the Book” show on Moody radio.
So glad I found your devotionals, I look forward to reading them each morning. Thanks you!
Hi Curt,
I heard Pastor Greg Laurie say regarding people using religion or God as a crutch
“Yes, I do! But I need both crutches, no, the whole wheelchair—‚no, I need the whole hospital wing”