“For what saith the Scriptures?”
by Shawn Brasseaux
The New Testament Scriptures quote the Old Testament Scriptures over 200 times. According to God the Holy Ghost, the Holy Bible is the authority in all matters. God’s Word is self-sufficient and self-explanatory; it does not need our boring and confusing theological and denominational systems to “clarify” (mystify!) it. Church tradition, human viewpoint (philosophy), hunches, inner impressions, and long-held ideas have no relevance or authority if God does not substantiate them in His written Word, the Holy Bible.
“For what saith the Scriptures?” is a question rarely asked today in Christian circles, and yet it is the question the Holy Spirit through Paul asked in Romans 4:3, “For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness,” and in Galatians 4:30, “Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.”
In the minds of the Apostles Peter and Paul, we must appeal to the Holy Scriptures, for they alone are the issue.
The Apostle Peter wrote in 2 Peter 1:19-21: “[19] We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: [20] Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. [21] For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” God the Holy Spirit speaks to us through His written Word, and He teaches us using those words (1 Corinthians 2:13). Are we really listening to what He has already said in the Holy Bible, or, as much of Christendom today demonstrates, are we merely interested in doing whatever we want? Do we really care about what God’s Word says, as we as Christians claim?
The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “[16] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: [17] That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” If it is not in the Bible, then the Bible says it is not a good work! Everything that God wants us to know, He has given us in His written Word, the Holy Bible, and preserved it through history so we can have it in our language and study it for yourselves! It is our responsibility—yea, our privilege—to “search the Scriptures” as Jesus Christ Himself said in John 5:39. You can understand and enjoy the Bible, and we are honored to be here to answer your Bible questions.
You may be asking, “Why another Bible Q&A website?” (Let me just say, you will quickly learn that this is not “another” “average” Bible Q&A website!) There are countless websites that claim to answer Bible questions, but all they really do is rehash perverted theological beliefs and vain denominational arguments (only adding to the confusion that the answer should have minimized, and perhaps even avoided). Our purpose in undertaking this ministry project is to help you understand and enjoy the Bible, so that your faith can rest in it, and it alone. More specifically, we want to answer frequent Bible questions using all of the Bible, taking special care to note the context of each and every verse. We are greatly aware of the need to note: (1) who is the author of the Bible passage or verse in consideration, (2) to whom is that author writing, and (3) what is the author writing. While every group and every church emphasizes point 3, it is quite sad that points 1 and 2 are usually ignored or not sufficiently stressed (which often leads to a misapplication of the verses). Our goal is to remind you to consider all three points when attempting to understand a Bible verse or passage. All three keys to Bible understanding are necessary to answer Bible questions. We humbly offer this website that is greatly needed for both Christians and lost people alike. Again, oftentimes, Bible questions are answered from a denominationally-biased viewpoint, and this is quite unfortunate because church tradition—rather than God’s pure Word—is perpetuated. Lost people remain on their way to hell, and Christians remain unaware of God’s Word and will for their lives. This should not be so. It is not enough to be scriptural; we must also be dispensational. All of the Bible is for us, but not all the Bible is to us or about us.
In 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV, the Holy Spirit wrote through the Apostle Paul, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” The only verse in the Bible that tells us to “study” the Bible tells us how to study the Bible. Unless we study and believe the Bible dispensationally, we will never understand it, and we will be completely ignorant of God’s will for our lives. You will be quite shocked to learn that what you presumed the Bible to teach, may not actually be what the Bible taught at all! Here at “For What Saith the Scriptures?,” you will certainly read of and learn things that are controversial because they are different from the information taught in the average “Christian” assembly and preached by the average “Christian” minister. That is okay, however, for we are seeking God’s approval, not their approval. Thus, we appeal to the Scriptures!
We share God’s desire “to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 3:9). Our goal is to “have all men saved, and come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). God wants to have soul salvation from sins and everlasting hellfire, and soul salvation from false teaching unto sound Bible doctrine. Firstly, God wants everyone to become Christians by trusting in and relying exclusively on His Son Jesus Christ and His finished crosswork at Calvary as sufficient payment for their sins. Secondly, God wants Christians to trust in and rely on the grace doctrines found in Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon.
Amazingly, both occurrences of “What saith the scripture?” have a special application to us—each instance correlates to one of the issues in 1 Timothy 2:4! The question “What saith the scripture?” in Romans 4:3 uses the Bible to answer the question of soul salvation from sins and everlasting hellfire (faith instead of works, “all men to be saved;” 1 Timothy 2:4). The question “What saith the scripture?” in Galatians 4:30 uses the Bible to answer the question of soul salvation from false teaching unto sound Bible doctrine (grace instead of legalism, “come unto the knowledge of the truth;” 1 Timothy 2:4).
We desire you to have a clear understanding of how to have forgiveness of sins and justification unto eternal life, and for you to have a clear understanding of what God’s Word has to say about issues in your Christian life. We are honored to serve you in this additional capacity. Please feel free to browse our archives of Bible questions, and check the following references in your Bible, to see if what I write is so. Do not take my word for anything. May we be Berean Bible students:
“[Those at Berea] were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11).
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In the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and for His glory,
Shawn Brasseaux
arcministries@gmail.com
2 Cor. 5:20