Not so long ago a pilot friend and I were flying a small plane over snow-covered northern New York. After some time, my friend asked me if I would like to take control. And I took him on his word, because I’ve always been intrigued by the art of flying. Why not have some fun? Confidently I held the controls and pulled up the plane’s nose because it seemed that we were losing altitude. I felt we were losing height, but my friend gently told me to look at the instruments. The opposite was the case. For safe flying, keeping focused on that reference point—the instruments—is a must. The instruments tell the pilot the altitude, the direction, the speed, and many other details needed for secure piloting.
Reference points are vital in every area of life. Before the coming of satellite navigation, sailors depended on stars and lighthouses as their reference points. Without such help to chart the direction and course of sailing, ships could go off course and get lost in the high seas.
In many countries, I have noticed a small, usually round, metal device driven into the ground, with numbers and letters stamped on it. This is a surveyor marker, without which property boundaries cannot be properly delineated.
If markers and reference points are so vital in mundane aspects of life, how much more in those areas that affect our eternal destiny. Lately, I have been reminded of one such reference point. A few feet from my office is the Biblical Research Institute of the church. Every time I pass by that office, I am confronted by a reference point—a large open Bible safely locked in a beautiful display case. It is a 1770 edition of a German Bible translated by Martin Luther, left open to Job 1. I often stop and read a few verses, even though it does not read like modern German. Never mind the language, but it reminds me of one vital reference point without which my life’s journey would be chaotic, directionless, and meaningless.
As a Seventh-day Adventist Christian, and as a minister of the gospel, I find the Bible to be my ultimate reference point. For it is God’s Word. It tells me who I am. It tells me what I am. It shows me how I can be saved. It provides the most reliable map for my journey here in life and for the eternal life to come. As Paul wrote, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16, 17, NKJV).
No one exemplifies the importance of God’s Word as a reference point in life as Jesus. At the outset of His ministry, when the tempter confronted Him to choose a path other than what was ordained by His Father, Jesus countered and defeated Satan with the powerful tool of “It is written” (Matt. 4:3–10). Or consider Jesus’ powerful modeling in Nazareth—how He turned to the Word as the definer of His mission. We often refer to Luke 4:16–30 as an example in Sabbath-keeping.
That it is, but Jesus outlines to His hometown congregation that His mission is the fulfillment of the divine Word, prophesied by Isaiah. Luke’s narrative shows how natural it was for Jesus to pick up the scroll—His Father’s Word—and read it. Jesus “found the place where it is written.” After reading a passage, “He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down.” It all seemed so natural—so Jesuslike. “The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him.” Their ears, I believe, were tuned to the Word of God. If only they had stayed focused on the Word, they would not have become “furious” at Jesus. But, that happens whenever we fail to focus on God’s Word, the ultimate reference point—we experience disaster.
The Bible is not only a reference point; it is a positive reference point. God uses it to bring reformation into our lives and into the life of the church. History testifies that whenever God’s people focus on His Word, reformation occurs. Josiah found the Book, and a great return to the Lord occurred (2 Kings 22; 23). What would Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, or the Wesley brothers have been without the Word of God? In our own history, what kind of theological detours would we be traveling if we did not focus on the Word of God? Whenever we’re tempted to follow such detours, the Word of God provides the reference point and brings us back to where we ought to be.
Two articles in this issue deal with essential theme of unity. Unity is not only essential—it is God’s plan for His people. But, ultimately, unity can be achieved only if the Word of God is the sole reference point for the church. Without that reference point, where will we end up?
In our daily life, reference points are essential. Without them, life would be chaotic. Our spiritual journey will be successful only if the Word of God is our reference point. Sometimes we will be challenged to know what the Word says, but under the guidance of the Spirit, God will reveal His words of life. That’s God’s promise.
