Understanding the importance of the whole Bible.
What makes a whole Christian?
American pastor A.W. Tozer once said, “The Word of God well understood and religiously obeyed is the shortest route to spiritual perfection. And we must not select a few favourite passages to the exclusion of others. Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian.”
If nothing less than the whole Bible makes a whole Christian, then the number of Christians in the world is grossly exaggerated!
That’s a frightening thought, even though it only presents a half-truth (we don’t get saved through reading or hearing the whole Bible).
What is true is the realization that when we only read/hear parts of the Bible we want to read/hear, we’re in dangerous territory. God gave us the whole Bible, not a condensed Bible because every page of every book in the Bible is useful in one way or another for knowing and growing in Jesus Christ (cf. 2 Timothy 3:16).
Think of it this way: If the whole Bible is the whole truth of God, then to read, reflect, and respond to something less than the whole Bible is to read, reflect, and respond to something less than the whole truth. When we respond to something less than the whole truth, we’re a cult!
The Apostle Paul was keenly aware of this. He did everything possible to proclaim the “whole will of God” (Acts 20:27), because he knew if he shrank away from declaring everything God wanted his listeners to hear, he would be held responsible for their eternal death!
The danger of half-truths.
What are you basing your life on? The whole truth, half the truth, a quarter of the truth or a few nuggets of truth? Anything less than the whole truth isn’t really the truth. That’s why, when we give testimony in a court of law, we swear by Almighty God, to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
The whole truth.
It’s worth reflecting: Are you neglecting parts of the Bible that challenge or discomfort you? If so, it might be time to reevaluate your approach to Scripture. God gave us His Word in its entirety for a reason—to help us grow into whole, complete Christians. By reading, reflecting on, and responding to all of it, we allow the full counsel of God to transform us.
By embracing every part of God’s Word, you align yourself with His truth and open the door to deeper spiritual growth and maturity. Don’t settle for less than the whole truth. Choose to reflect on all Scripture and allow it to completely shape your life. Maybe it’s time to speak to God about this – to promise to engage wholeheartedly with nothing less than the whole Bible.
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Summary
Fully engaging with God’s Word forms a whole Christian. Reading only selected parts of the Bible can lead to partial truths, preventing spiritual growth and leaving us in dangerous territory. The Apostle Paul committed himself to proclaiming the entire will of God, recognizing the importance of embracing all Scripture. To become spiritually mature, we must engage with the whole Bible, reflecting on and responding to all of it for complete transformation and alignment with God’s truth.
© Scripture Union Canada
