What are some of the greatest gifts you have ever received? For me, one of those gifts would be the pocket watch my oldest son gave me many years ago. He had it inscribed on the front saying, “Forever in Christ” and on the back “Your Son, Brother, Love Matt.” That gift means a lot to me. I suspect most of us have received a gift that truly touched us in a special way.
When it comes to Christianity, the list of things we have been given are truly life changing. Of course, the greatest gift of all is Christ who makes all other gifts from God possible. For instance, in Christ we have received “every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:3). Peter says that because of “His divine power” we have been “given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2nd Peter 1:3). Think about it, God has given to us “every” and “all” things we could possibly need spiritually through Christ. Those things become ours because of “the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” (2nd Peter 1:3). This “knowledge” finds its birth through the proclamation of the gospel, but it does not end there. The Word of God not only seeks to save the lost, but to transform the saved into the image of His Son. I think it would be fair to say then, that one of the greatest gifts mankind has ever received is the Word of God, our bibles.
“But Simon Peter answered Him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.’” (John 6:68)
Many of the Jews were wrestling with the things Jesus claimed about Himself. Just prior to this verse He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven” (John 6:41). He responds to their complaining with some teaching about Himself that even caused greater difficulty, resulting in even some of His disciples to turn away from Him (John 6:66). Jesus then asks the twelve apostles, “Do you also want to go away?” (John 6:67). It is in this setting that the response from Peter is given, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Each of us, whether it be the pages of our bibles we hold in our hands or on the screen of our devices, have access to this precious gift. Words that changed an Ethiopian’s life forever after Philip preached Jesus to him (Acts 8). Words that would catapult a wayward sinner from “the power of darkness…into the kingdom of the Son of His love” (Colossians 1:13). Words that would enable the converted to “be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2nd Peter 1:4). These words are “the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). Truly Lord, to whom shall we go? He alone have the words of eternal life.
As beautiful as the gift of eternal life is, that Word provides us with even more. Tell me if this makes sense to you. Eternal life is not something we simply receive, but it is something we live; that is, I live for Him because He has given me “life in His name” (John 20:31). With a life now dedicated to Him for what He has done, we endeavor to “find out what pleases the Lord” (Ephesians 5:10). It is His word, our bibles, that He has given to us, that enables us to do this very thing. It is His word, as was mentioned earlier, that gives us everything we could need to live for Him (2nd Peter 1:3). It is His word that opens the potential within us all by equipping us “for every good work” (2nd Timothy 3:17). It is through this transformation process that we can “know what is good and pleasing to him and what is perfect” (Romans 12:2, ETRV).
This is the beautiful gift of God’s word. It has the potential of not only changing the course of eternity, but also the course of our lives here on earth. Outside of the gift of Christ on the cross and the power of His resurrection, I can think of no greater gift offered to mankind. As I close these thoughts, I would like to share something from David found in Psalm 138:2, “For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.” Help us Lord to magnify Your word as well. For You alone have the words of eternal life and You alone can guide us to our fullest potential. Praise be to the God who offers such gifts.
Biddeford Church of Christ 