In his talk “The Miracle of the Holy Bible” Elder M Russell Ballard talks about the blessings the Bible brings to each of us. He opens his talk by reviewing the way that the Bible became available to all of us. He speaks of the courage of Martin Luther, William Tyndale and John Wycliffe. He also speaks of the importance Johannes Gutenberg and the printing press.
Elder Ballard goes on to speak about the sacred words that are found in the Bible. He points out that it is through the Bible that we learn about the church and Jesus Christ. He says:
“I love the Bible, its teachings, its lessons, and its spirit. I love the Old Testament’s compelling, profound stories and its great prophets testifying of the coming of Christ. I love the New Testament’s apostolic travels and miracles and the letters of Paul. Most of all, I love its eyewitness accounts of the words and the example and the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ. I love the perspective and peace that come from reading the Bible.”
Elder Ballard goes on to discuss the misconception that many nonmembers have in regards to the Book of Mormon. We do not substitute the Book of Mormon for the Bible, but rather we view it as supporting the Bible. It is important to realize this.
Elder Ballard encourages us, as members, to study the scriptures more. He urges us to be balanced in our scripture study. He points out that the Book of Mormon testifies of Christ and supports the Bible. The Old Testament shares the prophecies of Christ’s coming to earth. The New Testament shares an account of his life and his ministry. The Book of Mormon is a third testament of Christ as it shares the account of Christ visiting the people in America.
Elder Ballard ends his talk by emphasizing that we believe in Christ and in the Bible. It is important that we strive to follow the teachings of Christ, which can be found in the Bible. He urges us to share our full knowledge of the gospel with others.
This is a wonderful talk. It helped me to realize that I needed to spend more time studying the Bible as an adult. As a child my mother taught me all of the stories of the Old and New Testaments, and I love teaching these stories to my children as well. They illustrate the gospel concepts so well. I hope that you will take time to read and ponder this wonderful talk.
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