Why is it important that we study the Bible? Unlike all other books, which are merely the words of men, the Bible is
The Word of God
It is God’s revelation of Himself to mankind. II Timothy 3:16 tells us that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” The expression “given by inspiration of God” is a single word in the Greek that means “God-breathed.” II Peter 1:21 tells us that holy men of God wrote the Scriptures as they were “moved by the Holy Spirit.” As we approach our study of the Bible, we must receive it as the Thessalonian believers did.
“For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” (I Thess. 2:13)
Being the very Word of God, the Bible is also
The Word of Truth
In II Timothy 2:15 Paul says, “be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” We need to spend time and effort diligently studying the Bible because it is the only source of absolute truth. When we read other books, we cannot be sure that what we read is true, because these books are the words of men. But when we read and study the Bible, rightly divided, we can be sure that its words and teachings are true. This is not to say that we cannot learn things and get help from books written by men, but we must take the same precautions that the Berean believers did. They received the words which Paul taught, but then they “searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11).
Finally, we must read, study, and come to understand the Bible because it is
The Word of Life
Hebrews 4:12 states that,
“The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
The Bible is a life-giving book. It shows us that we are all sinners separated from God (Rom. 3:23) and that the penalty that must be paid for sin is death (Rom. 6:23), but it also declares that God loves us, in spite of our sin, and sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die for our sin (Rom. 5:8). The Bible is the record that,
“God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things have I written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” (I John 5:11-13)
Once we have believed in the Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life, the Bible then instructs us how to live each day for Him. It teaches us, reproves and corrects us, and instructs us in righteous living, that the man of God “may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (II Tim. 3:17).
The Bible is a unique book. It is God-breathed. It is absolute truth. It is life-giving. It is not a book to be approached in a casual manner. It is not a book to be read once or twice and discarded. We should approach the Bible as Ezra the priest did.
“For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.” (Ezra 7:10)
Ezra prepared his heart to do three things with God’s Word: (1) to seek it, (2) to do it, and (3) to teach it. May we each see the need to follow his example.
