Three ministers were arguing about what each considered as the best version of the Bible. One said that the King James Version was the best because it is closest among all the Bible translations to the original languages in which the Bible was written. The second minister expressed preference for the New International Version because it is in the language of the modern day common man. What good is truth if it is not understood by the reader? he asked. The third however said he preferred his mother’s version the best. When his two colleagues expressed surprise that his mother had her own version of the Scriptures, he explained that his mom reads the Bible and then lives the truth out in her life.
And that is what Bible truth is all about. It is supposed to be read, understood and lived out in the life so that it not only transforms the life of the reader but also serves as a powerful testimony to people within the sphere of one’s influence. This was what Paul meant when he wrote to the Thessalonian believers: “[Forasmuch as ye are] manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.” 2 Corinthians 3:3.
This is of vital importance because in a busy and materialistic world that we live in, our lives may be the only Bible that would be read by others. And so the question for us is: What kind of message do people read from the Bible of our lives?
The following poem by Arthur McPhee nails this point:
The Gospel According to You
The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
Are read by more than a few,
But the one that is most read and commented on
Is the gospel according to you.
You are writing a gospel, a chapter each day
By the things that you do and the words that you say,
Men read what you write, whether faithless or true,
Say, what is the gospel according to you?
Do men read His truth and His love in your life,
Or has yours been too full of malice and strife?
Does your life speak of evil, or does it ring true?
Say, what is the gospel according to you?
May the love of Jesus and the good news of His salvation be seen and read in our lives as we live our lives each day.