More Important Than College
What a shocking and wonderful day it must have been when Theodore Roosevelt, our 26th president, said that “A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education.” What qualified Mr. Roosevelt to be able to make such a claim, and was he correct in his observation? Few people know that Theodor didn’t only hold the highest and most prestigious position within our country but also studied at Colombia Law School and was a graduate of Harvard. It was when he had acquired higher education and was leading the most influential nation on earth that he observed and made known the immense value of knowing the Bible. So, was he qualified? Absolutely! As much as I love and agree with what President Roosevelt said, I have a question that is worth considering. Was his statement true?
Did you know that there are an estimated 5 billion copies of the Bible on earth and that the Bible is hands down, year after year, the best-selling book on the planet? Additionally, there was a study done comparing people who read the Bible with the impact that it had on their life, relationship, and mental health. For those who read the Bible 4 days a week or more, the findings were astonishing. Feeling lonely drops 30%, anger drops 32%, bitterness in relationships drops 40%, feeling stagnant in life drops 60%, alcoholism drops 57%, sex outside of marriage drops 68%, viewing pornography drops 61%, and personal contentment goes up an almost immeasurable amount. No amount of higher education has even come close to influencing people's lives like the Bible does.
But what do we do about all of the critics who say that the Bible is full of hate or that its contradictions prove it is not the Word of God? Believe it or not, I deeply appreciate those kinds of questions. No one should ever believe something simply because they are told to. The Bible, as well as anything else that claims to be true, should be able to endure all kinds of tests. It’s been said that “if we have the truth, no harm can come from investigation.” Interestingly enough, most people who are anti-Bible have built their beliefs on the opinions of other people rather than their own investigation.
For those who have ever dared to apply their time and intellect to the cause of disproving the Bible, they have ended up believing in it. Consider Gilbert West, a student at Oxford University who set out to challenge the resurrection of Christ. By the time he ended his research, he was so convinced of the accuracy of the Bible and the resurrection of Jesus that he wrote a book and he published his findings for the world to see. How about George Lyttelton who was educated at both Eaton and Oxford. He committed himself to proving that the apostle Paul wasn’t really converted to Christianity and that the Biblical account given was false. Within a relatively short period of time, Mr. Lyttelton was convinced of the accuracy of the Biblical account and published his findings. Consider the lawyer, journalist, and novelist Albert Ross. He too set out to disprove the resurrection of Christ. After all, the Bible itself says that if Christ never rose from the dead then Christians are the most pitiable of all people. While attempting to disprove the Bible he ended up converting to Christianity, confessing Christ as Lord, and writing a book called, Who Moved The Stone? Which is still in print today. If time would permit, I could tell you of men like Simon Geenleaf, Lee Stoble, Jay Warner Wallace, and others. Time and time again the Bible has been tested by the most vehement critics and found to be The Truth.
It would seem that President Roosevelt was correct. Education can equip you with knowledge for a lifetime but it is the Bible that gives understanding about life itself and the eternal life that is to come. So, to wrap all this up, grab the best-selling, most influential, highly valuable book mankind has ever had and give it a read. If you don’t know where to start, may I suggest the Gospel of Matthew and if you have any questions feel free to contact Calvary Chapel Star: (208) 329-5144 or any Christian, Bible teaching church.
Did you know that there are an estimated 5 billion copies of the Bible on earth and that the Bible is hands down, year after year, the best-selling book on the planet? Additionally, there was a study done comparing people who read the Bible with the impact that it had on their life, relationship, and mental health. For those who read the Bible 4 days a week or more, the findings were astonishing. Feeling lonely drops 30%, anger drops 32%, bitterness in relationships drops 40%, feeling stagnant in life drops 60%, alcoholism drops 57%, sex outside of marriage drops 68%, viewing pornography drops 61%, and personal contentment goes up an almost immeasurable amount. No amount of higher education has even come close to influencing people's lives like the Bible does.
But what do we do about all of the critics who say that the Bible is full of hate or that its contradictions prove it is not the Word of God? Believe it or not, I deeply appreciate those kinds of questions. No one should ever believe something simply because they are told to. The Bible, as well as anything else that claims to be true, should be able to endure all kinds of tests. It’s been said that “if we have the truth, no harm can come from investigation.” Interestingly enough, most people who are anti-Bible have built their beliefs on the opinions of other people rather than their own investigation.
For those who have ever dared to apply their time and intellect to the cause of disproving the Bible, they have ended up believing in it. Consider Gilbert West, a student at Oxford University who set out to challenge the resurrection of Christ. By the time he ended his research, he was so convinced of the accuracy of the Bible and the resurrection of Jesus that he wrote a book and he published his findings for the world to see. How about George Lyttelton who was educated at both Eaton and Oxford. He committed himself to proving that the apostle Paul wasn’t really converted to Christianity and that the Biblical account given was false. Within a relatively short period of time, Mr. Lyttelton was convinced of the accuracy of the Biblical account and published his findings. Consider the lawyer, journalist, and novelist Albert Ross. He too set out to disprove the resurrection of Christ. After all, the Bible itself says that if Christ never rose from the dead then Christians are the most pitiable of all people. While attempting to disprove the Bible he ended up converting to Christianity, confessing Christ as Lord, and writing a book called, Who Moved The Stone? Which is still in print today. If time would permit, I could tell you of men like Simon Geenleaf, Lee Stoble, Jay Warner Wallace, and others. Time and time again the Bible has been tested by the most vehement critics and found to be The Truth.
It would seem that President Roosevelt was correct. Education can equip you with knowledge for a lifetime but it is the Bible that gives understanding about life itself and the eternal life that is to come. So, to wrap all this up, grab the best-selling, most influential, highly valuable book mankind has ever had and give it a read. If you don’t know where to start, may I suggest the Gospel of Matthew and if you have any questions feel free to contact Calvary Chapel Star: (208) 329-5144 or any Christian, Bible teaching church.
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