Scripture Written to Encourage

Romans 15:4 says, “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”

When people think of religion, there can sometimes be a pressure to put on a facade of perfection. We fall into the mindset that Christianity is about being on your best behavior.

But on the contrary, the Bible is written in a unique way. The Scriptures depict real lives with real struggles. As we read through the Scriptures, we find that the “heroes of faith” experience sin, have character flaws, and fall short of God’s idea for their lives.

The Bible is not like biographies that try to shine a good light on its subjects. The Bible describes some very embarrassing things. It is authentic in the way it records human faults. Apologists will often point to this reality when defending Scripture, that it doesn’t gloss over truth nor does it exclude the sins of its chief characters.

I’m convinced that if the Bible would have been written by uninspired writers, we would see a more polished view of its subjects.

As you read its stories and you come in contact with Scriptures, you will see your frailties in the lives of the people you read about. We learn from their mistakes. Our despondent hearts find hope that Jesus can do the same awesome work of transformation in us that He did in the lives of the Biblical patriarchs.

When we read Scriptures, we can find God’s grace, both saving and keeping power, imparting vigor to rise above our evil nature.

And eventually with His help, we can live the experience we find in 2 Peter 1:3-4 where it says: “As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

Pastor Anthony Nix

Anthony serves as the Pastor For Anderson Seventh-day Adventist Church in Anderson, IN. A charismatic communicator with a message that motivates discipleships to Jesus, Anthony teaches on a variety of topics, emphasizing God’s unfailing love and His desire to be in relationship with His creation. He is a graduate of Southern Adventist University. Anthony and his wife Nayeli have three beautiful and loving children.