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weekender septbmsblt st 5 some treat the bible as magic treating the bible as magic bibliolatry who will de fine it seemingly the diction ary is not interested apparently it is a composite word made up of the words bible and idolatry the dictionary does define idolat ry declaring it to be the worship of idols it would seem then that bibliotatry is to vorship the bible or to give it the status of an idol that such can happen has happened and is happening is beyond dispute the lord jesus christ virtually accused the pharisees of such practice when he challenged them ab out searching the scriptures in john 53940 you diligently study the scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life these are the scriptures that testify about me yet you refuse to come to me to have life clearly the saviour was not chastening them for the practice of searching the scriptures both for thinking that in so doing they qualified for eternal life they were staking their all on the fact that they were in possession of the scriptures and had a head knowledge of them this declares jesus is selfdeception because the scriptures speak of him as the only saviour arid they would not receive him they had a head knowledge but not a personal relationship with the one the scriptures consistently declared to be gods way of salvation this is a form of bibliolatry in essence then bibliolatry is the divorcing of the written word from the living word and ascribing to it the word that which is found in the person of christ alone in other words it is to attach to the bible an aura of magic it is to treat it as a fetish it is to put it in the same category as a good luck charm or sacred medallion it is to regard the mere physical possession of it as sacredotal this unfortunately can and does happen the swearing on ro advertise your service please call karen heise markham 2942200 joan marshman stouffville 6402100 for coverage of events in toult church contact don bernard editor 2942200 or deliver to 9 heritage rd markham ont nutj3l3rlm3 from the pulpit 4 nitilonvill bafitiit cfimta a bible in court is a case in point using it for instant gui dance by prodding a page with a pin or treating it as an astrol- gers horoscope to predict or interpret political develop ment are further examples this kind of thing is not only deceiving but damning paul in ii corinthians 36 states that the letter kills but the spirit gives life this we real- ize related to the law of moses but the principle can be applied having the scrip tures in ones possession and either by- design or default re jecting the one of whom they speak will testify against that person on the judgement day such an attitude toward the bible is however a far cry from the position of the believ er who accepts the bible as the divine written revelation of god to accuse him of being guilty of bibliolatry solely on these grounds is nonsense to believe that the scriptures are the divine written revelation of god and to regard them as such is tantamount to worship ping god as packer put it against is held that to regard the bible as the written revela tion is bibliolatry diverting to scripture honour that is due only to god but the truth is rather that we honour god by honouring scripture as his written word in conclusion i would sug gest that whilst evangelicals must repudiate the charge of bibliolatry we must also be careful not to be inconsistent in two ways firstly we must not practice a subtle form of it by never reading what we so dogmatically declare to be the inspired inerrant infallible authoritative word of god secondly we must be care ful in our repudication not to go to the other extreme and de grade scripture by treating it as an ordinary book the fashionableness of new trans lations modern versions and never ending paraphrases is in my opinion the other ex treme of bibliolatry it seems that anyone can now clarify the scriptures even apos tates this is deplorable and should serve as a warning to all true bible lovers let us not idolize the physical form of the bible but on the other hand let us even be careful to afford it the respect reverence and sacredness it rightly demands by virtue of its intrinsic char acter baxter puts it well when he writes a right approach to the bible is of utmost import ance there is a movement to day to popularize the bible simply as literature it is our careful opinion that such a movement has in it more harm than good the bible as a whole claims to be the word of god and its claim is substantiated both by the nature of its con tents and the history of its in fluence if then this book is the word of god it cannot simply be read as literature not without forcing the mind to an artificial or evasive or dis honest attitude which must prove harmful in studying it therefore we must seek to learn under the illumination of the holy spirit the mind and the truth and the will of god netherlands reformed congregation 14th ave west of markham road services on sunday btfcafy based reiarod breading teachings 1000 am and 530 pm clehk r coates 2948462 markham pentecostal church 16th ave east of mccowan 2946716 rev dean skinner the phillips family stouffville pentecostal church joins us for an evening of music ministry by this well known canadian family a warm welcome to all stouffville missionary church 159 main street east 6403911 pastors dougiagray charles mashinter sunday sept 6th 1987 945 am sunday school hour 1100 am rev ray priddle from ebc 630 pm evening service wednesday sept 9 730 pm adult bible study youth elections friday 730 pm youth sardines and corn roast come to church youre always welcome at the missionary church icfel ii memorial christian church sun sept 6th 1987 pastor calvin stone mainstouffer 10 am sunday school 11 am morning worship wed 730 pm prayer meeting st marks catholic church 345 glad park ave stouffville 6406665 sunday mass schedule saturday 5 pm sunday 830 am and 1030 am wideman mennonite church hwy 48north of major mackenzie phone 6401227 pastor james r shantz son sept 6th 1987 945 am sunday school 1100 am worship service jslswipjmfttfflvenjngftiyice j j baker hill baptist church on hwy 48 2 mi north of hwy 47 pastor dana strove 950 sunday school 1100 am morning worship wednesday 800 pm prayer bible study all are welcome jesus a v e s bethel assembly pentecostal hwy 48 north of hwy 47 ringwood rev howard minaker call 6405555 lords day 945 am christian education 1100 am morning worship 700 pm evening service saturday 730 pm coffee house all roads lead to bethel jesus is the only way to heaven stouffville baptist church a fellowship church 76 main st west sun sept 6th 1987 pastor m burger 950 am sunday school all ages nursery available 1100 am morning worship 650 pm warm fellowship service wednesday 800 pm prayer meeting at church for information call 6402911 a warm welcome at every service stouffville united church 34 church stn 6401163 rev wayne reed sun sept 6th 1987 1000 am morning worship springvale baptist church gormleystouffville rd at kennedy rd pastor rev robt flemming 8875651 945 am bible school 1100 am morning worship 600 pm evening service wed 700 pm adult prayer bible study fri 700 pm iyouth alive wed sept 16 700 pm awana program begins ages 412 years ahjji tvialy 5hi i heise hill brethren in christ church gormley ontario rev marlin k ressler pastor phone 8875489 sunday september 6th sunday school 1000 am worship service 1100 am evening service 700 pm wednesday sept 9th bible study prayer hour 745 pm a warm welcome awaits you at heise hill stjames presbyterian church 101 main ste 6403151 sunday sept 6th 1987 joining with stouffville united church 10 am morning worship nursery supervision and junior church provided bloomington christian gospel church son sept 6th 1987 rev bryan coker 945 am sunday school 1100 am morning worship wed 800 pm bible study touffuillc pentecbtol church 460 main st stouffville ont 6405696 945 am christian education 11 am morning worship 600 pm evening rally nojgiiiiw rjufl ryi rwcttig f pitts mmmmm mm the anglican parish of christ church 254 sunset blvd rev paul d scuse 6401461 sun sept 61b 1987 800 am holy communion 1000 am holy communion vivian mccormack pastor- rev wgawa 945 am sunday school 1100 am morning worship 700 pm evening service