James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.(KJV)
I would like to take the next few blog entries, and deal with the issue of personal bible study. I realize there are probably hundreds of “how-to” books on the market regarding this all-important topic, but I thought I would share a few principles for those who read my blog. I don’t consider myself any kind of expert, but I have a tremendous passion for study of the Word of God. I believe that every Christian should learn to enjoy studying his/her bible. Of course there is an obedience factor involved in reading the Word, but hopefully I can stir within you a sincere desire to study for personal enrichment, and not simply a means of fulfilling an obligation. (Although we certainly are obliged to study to show ourselves approved unto God)
For my first entry, I would like to start with the end-goal as opposed to the mechanics of bible study. People study the bible for various reasons- even agnostics sometimes study the bible in an attempt to disprove its miraculous claims. Hopefully, the Christian’s motivation for studying the Word of God is application. Jesus said that a wise man builds his house upon a rock. In this example, the man whose house is founded upon a rock is the man whose goal is application of the Word of God. He is not simply a hearer of sermons and bible studies- he seeks to obey what he’s heard. Probably one of the more practical books of the New Testament (James) tells us that we are to be not only hearers of the Word, but doers. This is the dividing line between a living faith and a dead faith.
If I search the scriptures diligently, but have no desire to know God intimately, or to allow His truth to sanctify me and mature me, I have missed the whole point. Mere knowledge will “puff up” but knowledge coupled with a desire to obey will help us to “grow up.” The Pharisees obviously had a religious knowledge, but they totally missed the object of all Scripture- the Deity and Divine work of Jesus Christ. If we gain tremendous insights and have more understanding than all of our instructors and yet fail to know, love, and obey God more in the process, then all of our efforts have been in vain. So as we look at some of the mechanics in subsequent posts, let’s keep this in the forefront of our minds. As with most “religious” activities- there is always a temptation to approach them with a sense of duty and lifelessness. We can become so accustomed to doing Christian things that we do them without engaging our hearts. Several times we read in scripture that people “honored God with their lips, but their heart was far from Him.”
My prayer is that if you are already engaged in regular bible study, this will reinforce some disciplines you are already employing. If you are not doing this, I hope that you will be stirred into action and will share with me the joy of mining the great riches of God’s precious treasure- His Word!
Until next time….
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