"Wanting to See Specifics in the Bible...Is a Cop Out!"

"Specifics and Principles...in the Bible"

"People who want to do what they want to do, look for the Bible to speak about specific things, but God gives principles for the specifics."

I wrote that to speak to the people who always use the "cop-out"; "The Bible doesn't explicitly or specifically say [such in such--you fill in the blank]."

To that I would say the Bible was never intended to be a book of rules, with a complete list of everything that God accepts and everything that God rejects. Although we do have the Ten Commandments where there are some definite "do's and dont's," the Bible gives principles where there is no specifics.

For example, the Bible doesn't say, "Thou shall not use cocaine", yet the Bible does give clear principles concerning addictive substances, using something of our day that has been abused even as far back as Noah's day--alcohol [see Genesis 9:20-21, Proverbs 23:29-35]. When we examine all that the Bible says concerning alcohol and drunkenness, we can safely conclude what the heart of God is concerning other such mind-altering, addictive substances that have a detrimental effect on our health. And, honestly, doesn't that make more sense [and easier to read] for God to communicate to us that way? Who would be interested in reading the Bible if we saw pages and pages of this:
Thou shall not use cocaine.

Thou shall not use crack.

Thou shall not use heroin.

Thou shall not use speed.

Thou shall not use PCP.

Thou shall not use _____________. Etc...Etc...
You get the idea. God gives principles [not always specifics] in His Word that are to be applied in all matters we face in everyday living. Learn the Word of God and quit giving people "easy outs" [accepting things you know God rejects, just because the specific word or wording is not in the Bible].

"When Even The Bible Doesn't Work!"

I recently preached a sermon on the godliness of God and how we acquire it...what you have here is my closing illustration to prove just because you pack a Bible to church and repeat a mantra weekly about the Bible ~ that doesn't make the Bible work for you. You must be saved, having trusted Jesus Christ as both Lord and Savior, and be living a surrendered life in obedience to Him in order for the promises, and power in the Bible to work "its work" in you.

{My Illustration}...

You remember Lawrence of Arabia [the renowned British Army officer of World War 1]?
Well, on one occasion he brought some Arabs back to London,and put them in a beautiful hotel in London and they were absolutely floored. Because, they were nomadic people who lived in the desert, the only thing they had ever lived in was a tent.
In the luxury hotel the thing that fascinated them most were the faucets, because living in a desert all their life, water was at a premium. In this fancy hotel all they had to do was merely turn a knob and all the water they wanted was there.
Do you see where I’m going with this?

When Lawrence packed them all up to leave and they were packing their bags, he discovered that they had taken all the faucets off of all the sinks and put them in their bags...under the unbelievably ludicrous view that if they had the faucet they had the water.
Do you see where I’m going?

Now as simple and as foolish as that sounds, there are folk who claim to be believers [but they are really just fashion models wearing God's righteousness, but not filled with God's righteousness] who are under the same unbelievably ludicrous view that if they own a Bible, lift it in the air in church, repeat a mantra weekly they have the promises and the power that comes from the Bible.

To which I say [like with the nomadic Arabs] the Bible is just the faucet, unless you’re connected to the pipeline [Jesus Christ] to look for the promises of God, the power of God, and even the presence of God is foolish. The power comes from the Lord Jesus Christ and Him only…and that's what’s being said in [Philippians 1:11].

You must realize that the fruit of righteousness comes only through Jesus Christ. He produces it in you, to the glory of God and the praise of God.
AMEN…