The Bible doesn't convey all knowledge; God gave us minds and intelligence
for that. So what kind of book is the Bible? It is God's gift to
us, revealing great spiritual truths we could never discover on our own.
If the Bible is the authoritative Word of God, what should we expect to
find in it? Should it give us all the information we might ever find useful?
Should we disregard all other books and consider the Bible the only reliable
source of knowledge on every subject?
Some have viewed the Bible in this light, thinking of it as the complete
source of all important knowledge, an exhaustive textbook or encyclopedia.
The Bible, however, makes no such claim. It is largely silent on thousands
of topics. A well-rounded education should include the study of many subjects-health,
business, economics, the sciences and history-that are not detailed
in the Bible. God's Word does not discuss every aspect of human
knowledge. It does, however, excel in the spiritual realm.
Significant human discoveries
Able and talented people through the ages-believers of the Bible
as well as skeptics-have gained expertise and understanding in many
disciplines. Some have conducted scientific experiments. Others have recorded
what man has learned through trial and error. Through simple observation
many have discovered, or recognized the existence of, the natural laws
that govern the universe. Their research has helped us understand our world.
For example, researchers have discovered the existence of principles of
health that govern the functioning of our bodies. They have added enormously
to the body of knowledge and to human longevity.
The written works of men are useful, but we need to realize that the Bible
fills a void that no other book can fill-it reveals the purpose for
which human beings have been created. Although many other books contain
kernels of wisdom, this book reveals as no other the wisdom and understanding
inspired from the mind of God Himself.
