Seth Udinski, FISM News
On Thursday, the American Bible Society released its 12th annual “State of the Bible” survey, which analyzes the cultural opinions on the Word of God. In the study, researchers found an encouraging statistic: 92% of Bible-reading American citizens said that the message of the Bible has changed their life.
The researchers shared, “Ultimately, Bible use isn’t only about opening a book or an app. It’s about interacting with God. And when people connect with God in Scripture, their lives change, their attitudes change, their values change.
The poll also found that 38% of people who do not regularly read the Bible said its message was life-changing.
The researchers said of this statistic:
Some of these people attend church occasionally and might receive the transforming message there. Others may have been transformed by the Bible in past experiences, though they apparently have discontinued their personal Bible reading. Perhaps some have a friend or family member speaking biblical truth to them. In any case, it’s remarkable that such a sizable portion of those who aren’t reading the Bible much say they’ve been transformed by it.
Though these numbers are very encouraging, the poll also shared that the number of those who are largely disengaged with the Bible has grown from 136 million to 145 million in the last four years. Over that same time frame, the number of those actively engaged in scripture has decreased from 66 million to 49 million.
Author’s Biblical Analysis:
For the Christian, there is no guide, no roadmap, no wealth of knowledge, and no source of wisdom more vital than the Bible. We should be greatly encouraged by this report, that so many have been impacted by the message of the Bible, including those who do not regularly read it.
This report brings to light a question of utmost importance, one to which all Christians must know the answer. The report explored the message of the Bible and those who have been touched by it. So Christians must ask — What is the message of the Bible?
Some will say its message is summarized in sets of rules, such as the Ten Commandments. Some with a more critical spirit will argue that its message is archaic, irrelevant, or judgmental.
The massage of the Bible is this, plain and simple — God redeems His people through the work of His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus.
Every account in the Bible is historically true. Every word commanded in the Bible is right and pure. But behind all of it, the meta-narrative of Scripture is one of a rescuing God who constantly and faithfully rescues His wayward, perverted, selfish, foolish, and sinful people.
The story had a beginning, with the creation of the world. It had the introduction of massive tension, with the fall of man and the various consequences that came with it. All through the Old Testament, we see whispers and shadows of the One who is to come, the One who would do what we could not and crush the head of the Serpent.
Finally, we see the culmination of the story with the incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He made the way for the people of God to be brought back into a right relationship with God. We live in the middle of the story, but the end is coming. Someday Christ will return to bring His people into real, physical union with God for all eternity.
The message of the Bible is a message of great hope for all who put their trust in Jesus. That is our hope for all of you: that you would repent and believe in the name of the Lord Jesus. If you do so, you will be saved. There is no greater message than that!
For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. – 1 Corinthians 15:3-5