The Bible is Accessible: Close Enough to Change You

Words start in the heart before they leave the mouth. Understanding grows inwardly before it flows outwardly. As teachers say: You don’t truly know something until you can explain it. This heart–mouth connection is biblical. Moses spoke of it. Paul echoed it. Both pointed to one truth: God’s Word is near. The Bible is clear—and close.

The Bible is not obscure or out of reach. Its message is plain: everything we need for salvation and godly living is clearly revealed in its pages. But that clarity isn’t distant—it’s near. Scripture presents itself not only as understandable but accessible—for everyday people, in everyday life, for everyday obedience.

We see this in Deuteronomy, where Moses speaks to Israel on the edge of the Promised Land:

“For this commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it.”

Deuteronomy 30:11–14

Moses isn’t talking about geography—but about grasp. God’s Word is within mental reach. It’s intellectually accessible and spiritually understandable—near enough to be believed, understood, and obeyed. If it were distant, we couldn’t hear or do it. But because God desires obedience, He’s made His Word internalizable and expressible—“in your mouth and in your heart.” Earlier, Moses told the people to teach God’s Word to their children and talk about it daily (Deut. 6:6-7). Such a command only makes sense if the Word is within reach. 

Today, we still understand the connection between heart and mouth. We know that when something truly sinks into us, it shows up in our speech. That’s Moses’ point. And it’s why he held Israel accountable. If the Word is near—if it can be internalized and verbalized—then there is no excuse not to obey.

Jesus told the religious leaders, “There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope” (Jn. 5:45). They idolized Moses, but ignored his message. They revered the lawgiver, but rejected the One he pointed to. And Jesus reminded them: Moses made the Word accessible. You are without excuse.

In Romans 10, Paul echoes Moses almost word for word. He contrasts the righteousness that comes through law-keeping with the righteousness that comes through faith. Instead of searching heaven or descending the abyss, faith receives the Word that is already near. Paul says it plainly: the word of faith is in your heart and your mouth. In other words, the gospel is not far off. It is close enough to believe, close enough to confess. He continues,

“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Romans 10:9

Again: mouth and heart. The gospel is so clear, so near, that it can be understood, believed, and confessed. That’s accessibility. Scripture doesn’t require academic degrees, but faith. It expects us to be open, not experts. We don’t need to scale heaven or plumb oceans. The Word has come to us.

Salvation works like this: you see what God says; you understand what He means; you believe what He reveals; and then, you obey. But you cannot obey—or believe—what you cannot understand. That’s why it matters so deeply that the Bible is not only inspired and true, but also clear and within reach.

The accessibility of Scripture means you don’t need a priest or professor to unlock its meaning. You need the Spirit of God. And if you are in Christ, the Spirit dwells in you (1 Cor. 2:12-14). That means the Author of Scripture is also your guide through it.

The Bible is not out of reach. It’s in your hands—and, by the Spirit, in your heart and on your lips. So read it. Meditate on it. Speak it. Believe it. Do it.

A Discipleship Resource

Creative Content for Christian Men

Watch Now

Instead of comments, I accept and encourage letters to the editor. If you want to write a letter to the editor, you can do so here.