The Blessed Book

Excerpts from the Sermon by Lester Roloff

What is the Blessed Book? It is the Book that has all the answers. It is the Book that is hated and despised by America more than it ever has been before. It is so hated that it has been kicked out of the school room. It is so hated that it has been neglected in the church house. It is so despised it has been forgotten in the home. People read newspapers far more than they read the Word of God, and then we wonder why America is in the mess she’s in today. This is the Book that made America great and the Book that explains why America continues to spiral.

It is the Book of divine revelation. The only way we get it is when God gives it to us. The reason we have it is because God spoke it. The natural man and the carnal mind are hostile and helpless until God does the talking.

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. –I Corinthians 2:14

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. –Romans 8:7

It is the Book of salvation. It’s the only way for man to be saved. If you want people to be saved, preach the Book. Preach salvation by grace. Preach that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. We are wicked and ungodly and ready for hell, and there is only one thing keeping us out—the grace and mercy of God purchased by His Son. Otherwise, we’d be lost forever!

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. –Isaiah 53:6.

They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. –Romans 3:12

But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name. –John 20:31

It is the Book of warning. You are not going to be lost when you get to hell. If you are without Christ, you are lost right now. Your trial is already over. You’ve already been sentenced. You’re just waiting for execution morning to roll around.

For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. –John 3:17-18

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. –John 3:36

It is the Book of regeneration. Jesus said, “Nicodemus, you are pretty religious, but you must be born again.” Old Nicodemus wanted to know “how,” but Jesus just said, “the ‘how’ is up to Me.” We need a miracle—we need new life!

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.… The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. –John 3:3,8

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead….Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. –I Peter 1:3,23

It is the Book of life. I can’t live without it—it is my lifeline. Physically, I could not. Mentally, I could never stay together. I could never have a clear mind, and I know I couldn’t have a pure mind apart from the Word of God.

For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the Word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto you. –I Peter 1:24-25

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. –Psalm 16:11

He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth. –Proverbs 10:17

Jesus said unto her, I am the Resurrection, and the Life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. –John 11:25

It is the Book of cleansing. You may have on a clean suit or a clean dress, but without Jesus Christ and His Word, you are dirty. You have a dirty heart, you have a dirty mind, and you are not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can you be (Romans 8:7). There is only one cleansing, and it’s the Word of God. Oh, if I could just get you to see that this is all you need!

Now ye are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you. –John 15:3

Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy Word is Truth. –John 17:17

That (Christ) might sanctify and cleanse (His Church) with the washing of water by the Word, That He might present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. –Ephesians 5:26-27

It is the Book that brings the right spirit. But you must believe it! It will strengthen you. It will quicken you. It’s inexhaustible, indestructible, indescribable, and unfathomable. There is no way in the world for a man to ever plumb the depths of the truth in this Book. The longer I read it and the more I study it, the sweeter and richer and deeper and more wonderful it becomes!

The last twenty years have been the most marvelous years of my life. That is how long I have been reading the Bible through on my knees once a year, memorizing many of its passages. I still remember the day I decided that—sink or swim, live or die, survive or perish—I was going to live by the Word of God. I didn’t realize all of what it involved when I started down that road, but it has been rewarding, and it has been sweet and wonderful!

The only way to build a church—if you want to have a Bible church—is to preach out of the Bible, teach out of the Bible, and read out of the Bible. I believe that we just ought to stay with the Book. I really mean that. I spent so many years being deceived and misled before I finally started reading the Bible and daring to believe it. Friends, when we dare to believe this Book, God will open our eyes!

Now, do you believe this old Book? Are you willing to read it? Are you willing to have a family altar? Are you willing to have a private time of devotion every day? You boys and girls, and you men and women—are you willing to memorize it?

Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee. –Psalm 119:11

Oh, that we might not sin against God, that we might not grieve the Holy Spirit, that we might escape the dullness of disobedience to God and an immoral life. Wouldn’t that be enough reward, just to know that we’re living a victorious and overcoming life? Wouldn’t that be enough for us, to have victory in Jesus through this blessed Book?

Our Father, we pray that the Word of God may find free course in every heart and be sharper than any two-edged sword. May this blessed Book cleanse, convict, and convert for Your glory. Keep us in a repentant relationship with You through Your Word and begin a Bible revival in every heart right now. Amen.