Previously I wrote about why we should study the Bible. Here I believe there are several reasons for studying the the Bible.
The Bible is a Personal Word from God: Without some biblical teaching, no one could become a child of God. James writes, “In his goodness [God] chose to make us His own children by giving us his true word” (James 1:18). Think back to the day that you first received the simple message of God’s love and forgiveness. Which passages did God use to reveal himself to you?
Now consider how God has used his Word to influence your life since then. Psalm 19:7-8 says, “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight to life.” I believe the Bible is the most important book ever written and it is so important for us to read, study, memorize, and meditate on its truths.
The Bible Gives us a Moral Foundation for Life: When we cease to believe that the Bible is God’s Word, we can find ourselves adrift on a stormy sea, tossed back and forth by every wind of teaching. In a letter to Timothy, Paul wrote, “The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us do what is right. It is God’s way of making us well prepared at every point, fully equipped to do good to everyone” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
A life of victory, power, joy, and fruitfulness will be experienced by any believer who studies the Bible and accepts it as God’s true and holy Word to man. It tells us how to enjoy an intimate relationship with our heavenly Father and how to receive wisdom, love, and grace from him.
The Bible is God’s Personal Love Letter to His Children: In my early years, I had difficulty reading the Bible. In fact, I found it boring (probably like most people). Then I experienced the love and forgiveness of its Author, the Lord Jesus Christ. My attitude changed. I began to realize that the Bible is God’s personal love letter to me. I eventually became excited about what God had to say to me.
How about you? Do you find the Bible the most interesting book in your library? The best way to catch the excitement about reading God’s Word is to experience the love of its Author.
The Bible Reveals God’s Character: In my early years as a believer, I began to study the Bible and found it was a true record of who God is and what he is like. His attributes (or characteristics) filled me with wonder, reverence, and awe. Through the stories of how he led Old and New Testament believers, I saw proof of his love, wisdom, power, sovereignty, and holiness. We continue to grow in our love for him as I am still discovering more about who God is.
I encourage you to make it your priority to get to know God, and to love him with all your heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37-38). Discover what he thinks and how he acts. Knowing God will change your life. When we read his Word and learn how much God loves and cares for us, we can trust him with everything (our families, our possessions, and even with our own lives).
The Bible Gives the Clearest Explanation of Creation: The Bible has the perfect explanation for the beginnings of all creation (an intelligent, powerful God who created everything with order and purpose – Genesis 1:1). Only a Being with supernatural power and unlimited ability could have fashioned something as intricate as a DNA molecule and as huge as the Milky Way Galaxy. In fact, astronomers now believe that there are 100 billion galaxies. The Bible assures us that our great God and Savior created it all.
The Bible Gives an explanation for Human Suffering and Evil Behavior: Why is there so much human suffering? Why is there war and poverty? Many people blame God for these evils, but man (because he is self-centered and seeks his own way) creates wars and inhumanities. Sickness, death, earthquakes, tornadoes, and floods are part of God’s judgment for mankind’s sin.
Romans 5:12 explains, “When Adam sinned, sin entered the entire human race. His sin spread death throughout all the world, so everything began to grow old and die, for all sinned.” What better explanation have you heard for the mess our world is in? Biblical truth about man’s evil nature is the only logical answer for cruelty, selfishness, pride, violence, disease, war, and death. Only God (who understands the depravity of the human heart) has the answers to our sinfulness.
The Bible Tells the Story of Our Savior and Salvation: As humans we cannot live good enough lives on our own to achieve God’s holy standards in the Ten Commandments or the Golden Rule. That comes through our faith in Jesus Christ and his Spirit living in us. The Bible is our source for understanding this truth.
One of the most convincing arguments for the authority and accuracy of Scripture is the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies in the life of Jesus. From Genesis to Malachi, we find more than three hundred references to the Messiah. They are all fulfilled in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Studying the Bible Causes Christian Growth: The Word of God is our fuel for growth in the Christian faith. When we feed on its richness, we grow strong and healthy in our spiritual lives. I love what Psalm 1:1-6 tells us!
Unless the Bible becomes the basis of our faith, we will be swayed by our experiences, which can be dangerous. There is nothing wrong with experiences, emotions, and dreams, if they are validated by Scripture. But beware of depending only on experiences to build your faith. The Word of God is our one sure foundation. Obeying God’s Word gives us assurance that what we are doing is right in God’s eyes.
Obedience to God’s Word Bring Joy and Victory: A believer cannot walk in the fullness and power of the Holy Spirit and display the love of Christ unless he is spending time in God’s Word. If he faithfully studies the Bible daily, he will avoid the emotional and spiritual problems that many believers experience and consider inevitable.
The Christian who saturates his mind with God’s Word will want to please the Lord in every way. God’s Word will show him how to deal with temptation so he does not reap the consequences of doing evil. When we read and obey God’s Word, we learn how to live above our circumstances. We find the answers to the deep questions of life. As a result, we will live a life of incredible joy and victory!
The Bible Helps Us to Become a More Effective Witness for Christ: People today are hearing the gospel, receiving Christ as their Savior, and committing themselves to helping fulfill the Great Commission. Spending time daily with God in his Word gives us the power and excitement to spread his message of love and forgiveness. Studying the Bible helps us see how God loves the unlovable and seeks the lonely and hurting. Applying God’s commands helps us maintain a godly life that demonstrates the Lord’s presence in our lives to others.
[print_link] [email_link] [ Thanks to Bill Bright ]