The phrase, “Thus saith the Lord”, appears 415 times in the King James Version of the Bible. This phrase adds a sense of authority to the word of God, realizing that we are reading the very words dictated by God to His human authors. However, we need to remember that every word in the Bible is the inspired Word of God. It may not be a direct quote from the mouth of God to His human author, but it is the inspired Word of God. The Bible, in its entirety, from the first word of Genesis to the last word of Revelation, is the Word of God.

For those who identify themselves as sincere believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, and who claim to be His disciples, this is such an important concept. Every word of the Bible is relevant to every generation because it is the eternal Word of God. It is unchanging, unalterable, inerrant, and carries with it the very authority of the One (GOD) who inspired it. Therefore, the message is one of grave importance for each disciple of the Lord.

Now, let’s think for a few minutes about the implications for our present cultural climate. Does the Word of God change with the shifting tides of cultural relativism? Is right and wrong determined by the acceptance of the majority? Do the rules change when the accepted practices of a society change from those long-held practices of the past? If so, do we become arbiters of what is right and wrong, true and false? And, if every individual becomes his or her own source of right/wrong, true/false, would that not mean that there can really be no such thing? Right/wrong, true/false become meaningless terms because neither can exist.

Let’s think of a few examples for clarity. First, the Bible denounces lying. This practice is forbidden in the list we refer to as the ten commandments: You shall not bear false witness. It is then repeated multiple times throughout the Bible. It is such a grievous sin that the Bible states affirmatively that there will be no liars in heaven, but that they will have their place in the lake of fire. But it seems that lying is an accepted practice if the situation dictates the use of deceit.

A second example we might consider is that of adultery. The Bible condemns the practice of extra-marital affairs. It clearly instructs that the sexual relationship is to be between one man and one woman within the confines of marriage. Yet, today, all sorts of sexual relationships are glorified in TV and movies, and these are duplicated in real life. The commitment of sexual purity before marriage and within marriage seem to be relics of an antiquated past.

Still another example might be that of biological identification. We are taught clearly and explicitly in the Bible that God created the human race. In the book of Genesis we are told that God created man in His own image, and distinguished the sexes as male and female. Today, we are witnessing an unprecedented move toward the eradication of all biological distinctions. Terms like man, woman, boy, girl, son, daughter, etc. are begin replaced by genderless designations. Pronouns such as him, her, he, she, are being eradicated and replaced by gender neutral terms that bear no sexual connotation.

We could continue these examples ad infinitum, ad nauseum, but for the sake of time and space I will trust that these three examples will suffice to make my point. And, I trust that they will cause us to think seriously about the question posed in the title of this blog: “Did God really say?” And, if He did really say it, did He really mean it? And, perhaps most importantly for us today, does He still mean today what He said then?

The beliefs and practices of the orthodox Christian faith are under attack like never before. I cited three examples, but so many others could be added. If you are a professing believer in Jesus Christ, do you know what the Bible teaches about these important doctrinal issues? Could you give a sound explanation as to the Bible’s instruction? Do you stand on the solid foundation of Biblical authority?

This may very well be the most important time in all of Christian history for Christians to know the truth, to stand for the truth, and to be unwavering in our commitment to the truth.

I’m going to close this blog with a very probing set of questions. You may find these offensive, and if so I sincerely apologize for offending you, but not for asking these crucially important questions.

1. Are you involved in a Bible-believing church, in which you are being discipled by mature, Biblically knowledgeable preachers/teachers?
2. Does your church leadership strive to be faithful to the clear teachings of Scripture, and stand against the liberal trends of our culture’s attempts to change the teachings of the Bible to fit their beliefs/practices?
3. Does your life display a consistent, progressive growth toward Spiritual maturity?
4. Is your personal goal to live your life in accord with the clear teachings of Scripture, realizing that in order to be a “friend” of Jesus you must obey His commands?
5. Is your desire to do all that you do for the glory of God, and are you striving to be consistent in your understanding of how to make that a reality?

We are witnessing anti-Christian, anti-God sentiment in this nation like never before. It is the responsibility of every individual believer in Jesus Christ to be true disciples, sincere followers of our Lord. It may prove to be costly, as Jesus warned that His followers would experience hardship of enormous magnitude toward the end of the present historical period. I am not suggesting that His coming is going to happen soon, but I am, along with so many others, looking at the clear teachings of Jesus about the cultural, societal, religious, climate of the days leading up to His coming for His bride, the church.

And I am reminded that He told us to be ready at every moment, because He could come at any moment. So, let the church arise! Let the individual believer arise! Let’s let our voices be heard. Let’s be what we are called to be: disciples, whose goal is to be conformed to the image of our Lord, Jesus Christ. And, to assist others to be disciples as we travel this road together.