ONE of the household jobs I still find most difficult is cutting bread. Most of the other jobs around the house I can manage. This one frustrates me. It is easy with a slicer, but that's cheating! With a bread knife I usually finish up with a "doorstep"! If it's not as thick as that, it is so wafer thin that it collapses into holes!

Some people have a similar problem with the "bread of life" : Their diet in God's word is badly proportioned. A few struggle with large indigestible pieces. A larger number are half starving. It is important with our attitude to the Bible that we obtain the right balance.

There are those who feel that the Bible is not really necessary. They claim that it is possible to be a Christian without reading it. Similarly, people who rarely attend a church still regard themselves as Christians. They believe it is the life they live that matters most.

Mary was like that. She never avoided bus fares. She was honest about things she found or change she was given in shops. She was always ready to do anyone a good turn. She liked a bit of fun, but never at the expense of others. Mary did voluntary work with sick animals and belonged to a peace movement.

Mary believed in God, she said, and called herself a Christian. She could not find time to read about Christ in her Bible, however. She went to church occasionally when she was not too tired or busy.

A Good Life - Not Enough
Now, it is not disputed that the life a person leads is important. There are indeed many good-living people outside church congregations. Sadly, there are some church attenders who lead hypocritical and wicked lives. But all of this does not make belief unimportant.
A car needs both its steering mechanism and its braking system. Questions about which is the most important would be futile. Clearly the removal of either would result in disaster.

Similarly, true Bible teaching and a life based on right principles are both essential if we wish to please God. To pretend that one is more important than the other is just not possible.

A Christian is one who follows Christ. This means accepting the principles he taught. It also means trying to follow the pattern of his life. In the life of Jesus these two things were strongly related. It was his convictions that gave rise to the life he lived. Neither would have made any sense without the other.

Loving God
Jesus taught that the first and greatest commandment was love of God. This is why, even though Mary's life was good, it was not good enough. She had not put God first. She did not feel that worshipping God was important. Instead she put humanity first. She got things the wrong way round. Jesus says that loving men and women is the second commandment.

"'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
(Matthew 22:37-40)

There are many people like Mary who practise a social gospel. They do what they feel is important, but do not look at things from God's point of view. They do not always consider whether their actions will please God or give glory to Him.

The Right Way To Worship
The same is true of worship. Many worship God in a way that gives them satisfaction. It makes them feel happy and good. It is assumed that it will please God too. Worship is not like a birthday present, however. We may not present just anything to God and expect that He will be grateful. God is a great King.

Men sometimes feel that sincerity is everything. Yet, with God, sincerity alone may not be enough. It is important to be sincere, but it is possible to be sincerely wrong. We can only worship God acceptably on His terms, in spirit and in truth.

Here then are just a few examples of the things that Jesus believed and that the Bible teaches. They are what the Bible calls doctrine, or teaching, but they all have implications for our lives. They are teachings which must percolate through into our attitudes and behaviour. They are beliefs that must be lived in everyday circumstances.

1. There is one God. This is not just a matter for acceptance. Our Lord made it practical when he said:-

"Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength."
(Mark 12:29-30)

Belief in one God means worshipping only Him. It means having nothing in our lives that comes before Him. There must be nothing that finds pride of place in our hearts or affections above God.

2. Men and women are sinners and therefore die. This simple, Bible teaching is emphasised many times. It has practical implications. If we accept its truth we shall appreciate the brevity of life. We shall want to use our time wisely. We shall want to make the best of our lives for God.

3. Jesus can save us if we believe and are baptised into him. Believing this will mean that we shall want to be committed to him. It will mean that we shall need to understand more of Bible truths before we can believe them. It will also mean that baptism is not an "optional extra", but the necessary start for a new life. We shall want to be born again and live a completely different life for Christ.

These are examples of the way in which, for the true follower of Christ, principles are linked to practice. These are the things that comprise a careful and humble approach to God's word. They go to make up a balanced diet and a life pleasing to God.

It does matter what we believe. If we hold wrong ideas the pattern of our lives will be wrong too. If we are mistaken in our understanding of what God requires, our lives will not please Him. It is vital that we discover for ourselves the demands that God makes on us.

In this the Bible must be our guide. It is this that can correct our thinking. It is this that can bring balance to our lives. It is this that will give us right priorities and help us please God.

"... you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 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 Timothy 3:15-17) 