Pam Padgett ... member of the body of Christ
Since the time we started the Jesus Ministries Exhortations blog in March, 2012, we have had many men ask us to send Bibles to them for their church groups. Yet God has not equipped us to do this work, and we don't do this.
We are well equipped by God to do the work God has assigned to us ... the blog, ministry books, and podcasts.
Recently while considering requests for Bibles, I was reminded of Paul asking Timothy to bring the parchments (II Timothy 4:13). The early church didn't have Bibles as we have today. Letters, epistles, were written to the churches, presenting doctrines and exhortations for the church.
These letters were read to the people and also shared with other churches.
Colossians
4:16 And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read
also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the
epistle from Laodicea.
I Thessalonians 5:27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.
Acts 15:23-31 And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia.
Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment:
It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have sent therefore Judas and Silas (prophets), who shall also tell you the same things by mouth.
For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
So when they were
dismissed, they came to Antioch: and when they had gathered the
multitude together, they delivered the epistle: Which when they had read, they rejoiced for the consolation.
We also have this example of the early church being taught and established in the faith as Paul and Timothy were sent to deliver the decrees ordained by the apostles and elders at Jerusalem ...
Acts 16:4-5 And as they (Paul and Timothy) went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.
The early church was not hindered although they didn't have Bibles. By godly letters which were read to the people as well as speaking directly to the church, the word from God was shared, and the church was taught in ways of God and established in the faith.
(Comments by Joan Boney)
A man who identified himself as an "electrician", wrote to us recently from Kenya. He said he has a small group of young people who are very poor and do not have Bibles. He asked us to send Bibles.
I was reminded of this scripture: Mt. 23: 4 Jesus said: For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
This man puts a burden on us and no doubt on others also who will "give" to him.
But why doesn't he set aside a portion of his wages as an electrician and buy Bibles for his own people if he perceives they need Bibles?
Another way to deal with lack of Bibles would be to show them scriptures when they come together and let each person copy down that scripture and learn to do that scripture that week, making that scripture live inside themselves by doing what it says to do.
This would be a very powerful approach to the Word of God, for they would put effort into the scripture and scriptures would accumulate in them through the year and they would learn a godly way of life!
*****