By Bill Watkins
 
Much deserves to be said concerning this great book, but perhaps it should come from those whose lives have influenced so many others:
 
“The influence of the Bible and its teaching in the Western world is clear for all who study history. And the influential role of the West in the course of world events is equally clear. Civilization has been influenced more by the Judeo-Christian Scriptures than by any other book or series of books in the world. Indeed, no greater moral or religious work in the world exceeds the depth of morality in the principle of Christian love, and none has a more lofty spiritual concept than the biblical view of God. The Bible presents the highest ideals known to men, ideals that have molded civilization.” (Norman Geisler), former professor of systematic theology at Dallas Theological Seminary
 
The influence of men’s books tends to quickly diminish. Yesterday’s best-sellers are found on secondhand shelves, out of mind. Man’s works are like he is – dying.  Yet the Bible is never obsolete. Its influence is more appealing and universal today than it was two thousands years ago.
 
Biblical phrases have grown so common that they have become part of current English speech, and are hardly thought of as Biblical at all. For instance: highways and hedges; clear as crystal; still small voice; hip and thigh; arose as one man; lick the dust; a thorn in the flesh; broken reed; root of all evil; a millstone around the neck; sweat of his brow; heap coals of fire; a law unto themselves; the fat of the land; dark sayings; a soft answer; a word in season; moth and rust; weighed in the balance and found wanting; even such colloquialisms as, we are the people. Many more could readily be quoted.
 
The Bible’s influence in literature and culture is universally apparent. With references in works as varied as Shakespeare, Chaucer, Anne Rice, Frank Herbert, and Sting, the effects are extensive. Current fascination with the Bible is as strong as it ever was in the past.
 
The Library of Universiteit van Amsterdam recently published a study entitled TheInfluence of the Bible on Dutch Culture. The study began by stating, “Knowledge of the Bible is a prerequisite to understand Dutch society. Manners, standards and values, the visual arts, literature, the use of language but also movies and ads have their origin in the Bible.” (www.bijbelencultuur.nl, published Saturday, November 16, 2002)
The laws of our nation tend to reflect the influence of the Bible. This is understandable since the source most often quoted by the founding fathers was the Bible—34%! (Jim Allison and Tom Peters, “Separation of Church and State,” (http://candst.tripod.com/tnppage/arg9.htm).  Every preamble to every state constitution makes reference to God.
 
I love the story of the sophisticated Englishman who visited Brazil and approached a tribal Indian of the Amazon region who was reading a Bible. The gentleman from London said, “In England we’ve outgrown that book.” The former cannibal looked up into the face of that man and said, “Sir, had we outgrown this book, I would have eaten you yesterday!”
 
The Bible still has the power to change lives and history! What good influence are you missing out on by steering clear of reading its pages? Allow God’s Word – His living and powerful, life-giving and life-changing Word – to make a difference for you right now. Read it, study it, and marvel at its powerful influence to make your life better both now and, more importantly, in eternity!
 
I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given man. All the good from the Savior of the world  is communicated to us through  this book.”
– Abraham Lincoln
 
“It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.”
– George Washington
 
“That book accounts for the supremacy of England.”
– Queen Victoria
 
“The Bible has been the Magna Carta of the poor and oppressed.  The human race is not in a position to dispense with it.”
– Thomas Huxley
 
“It is impossible to enslave mentally or socially a Bible-reading people.  The principles of the Bible are the groundwork of human freedom.”
– Horace Greeley
“The existence of the Bible, as a book for the people, is the greatest benefit which the human race has ever experienced. Every attempt to belittle it is a crime against humanity.” – Immanuel Kant
 
“The New Testament is the very best book that ever was or ever will be known in the world.”
– Charles Dickens