JAN 10

Psalm 19:7-9
Memorise Psalm 19:7-9
“And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all”

One of the key issues the Reformers had to contend with was the sufficiency of the Scriptures. The debate then was whether the Word of God was sufficient for faith and life or whether it had to be buttressed with the traditions, dogma, creeds and decrees of the church. The Reformed Faith rejects these as extra-scriptural - their papacy, the worship of saints and relics, the sacrifice of the mass and prayers for the dead.

Psalm 19:7-9 is the most important and concise statement on the sufficiency of Scripture. They offer an excellent testimony from God Himself about the sufficiency of His Word for every situation. There are six statements here, each highlighting a characteristic of Scripture and its effect in the life of a believer. It is perfect, comprehensive, having all that is necessary for one’s spiritual life – even transforming the entire person. Its testimony provides a foundation on which to build one’s life and eternal destiny. It makes one wise and lays out the proper path through the difficult maze of life. It endures forever.

Dear teen, in Christendom today, the same doubt is cast upon God’s Word, for many Christians claim to live by the Word, but do not show that it is indeed all sufficient for them. Instead they want to rely on special experiences, dreams and visions. They have also supplemented the Bible with Christian psychology and counselling. Such an attitude is saying that the Bible is not sufficient and we need something extra. This is the lie of the devil. One test of whether the Bible is sufficient for you or not: have you been also reading the scripture text given in these daily devotional articles, or do you only read these articles alone. Do realise that these daily articles must never replace your meditation on Scripture itself: for Scripture is sufficient for us, and these articles are not. If you have not been reaching for your Bible to meditate on the Scripture text for yourself, you are likely to fall prey to the temptation to seek additional revelation just as the charismatics do. Do note the word ‘meditate’: avoid a cursory quick reading of the Scripture text. Always give first place to God’s Word rather than to the words of man!

Thought: Scripture is right and altogether righteous.

Prayer: Father in heaven, may I cherish and forget not my rich Protestant heritage and history.