Sunday afternoon, we started a series called ‘Why?’ in which we will look at reasons for many of the things we believe and practice as Christians. The first message was on ‘Why Read the Bible?’ Here are some thoughts from that message. You can also listen to the audio here.
1. We should read the Bible because it is God’s Word and it is how we know God (Heb 1:1-2:4, 2 Tim 3:16-17).
- God is a speaking God and so we should listen (Heb 1:1-2:4). Scripture is the very words of God (2 Tim 3:16-17).
- Because the Bible is God’s Word, we should read it to 1) learn eternal truths about big questions for each of us, 2) know the thoughts and the minds of the great God of heaven, and 3) see truths that we could never come up on our own.
2. We should read the Bible because it is how we have close fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ and fruitfulness in our Christian Life (John 15:1-17).
- v.3 The words of Jesus purify us so we can draw close.
- v.7 To abide in Christ is to have His words abide in us.
- v.10 Keeping Christ’s commands helps us abide in His love.
- v.14 Real friendship with Christ is doing whatsoever He commanded.
- The word of Christ is crucial to abide in Christ, to have Christ abide in us, to make us clean and usable, to make us fruitful, to answered prayer.
3. We should read the Bible so we can have victory over sin and defeat Satan (Psalm 119:1-11, Matthew 4:1-11).
4. We should read the Bible because it is very, very good for us (2 Tim 3:16-17, 1 Cor 10:11, Josh 1:8).
- Profits us and makes us mature and ready for every good work – 2 Tim 3:16-17
- Examples to us and for our admonition – 1 Cor 1:11
- Only by reading God’s Word regularly and obeying it can we expect the blessings (the success) that is promised in it – Joshua 1:8
So, why don’t we read the Bible?
- Have we lost confidence that it is really God’s Word?
- Do we no longer desire to know God or fellowship with Christ?
- Is there sin our life that has corrupted our love for the Lord Jesus?
- Do we not long to draw close to Christ and be used by Him?
- Do we think that we can make it on our own?