"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17
There are times when I read things that I don't like to read. Sometimes, these are because the items I am reading about are things that bother me (slavery issues, sex trade issues, crimes, and the like). Sometimes I don't like reading things because they point out things that I don't do well. And that brings me to the next point I want to make in why we read and study the Bible.
We read and study the Bible, as Christians, because they show us where we fail to live up to God's will and design, or, in a more general sense, where we fail to live up to His law. We find that God has a lot to say about what goes on in our lives, and truly, we may be surprised to learn that God has an active interest in every aspect of our lives. He watches us every moment, and wants to be part of everything that happens to us in life.
However, not everything that we do lines up with what God wills and designs for us. And that's where we encounter His Word, to be corrected, to be trained in righteousness, as St. Paul wrote in the words quoted above. We encounter that Word of God to see what needs to be worked on in our lives, so that we recognize those areas where we fall short of what God says for us, and where we go against what God has designed and willed for us.
That's not an easy reading of the Bible, though. In fact, though we read for this purpose, being corrected is only one aspect of why we read the Bible. Yes, it points out our faults, sins, and shortcomings. But it does that to graciously remind us that God has taken care of that, in Jesus. It then shows us that, by God's Spirit, it is possible to improve this earthly life in line with God's will and design. Not perfectly, but that we can, and should be, constantly growing in our alignment with His will and design.
Often, I don't like what I see when I read the Bible. Jesus says that, to view a woman with lust is equal to adultery, and I don't like that. However, God isn't merely trying to get me angry, but to drive me to the forgiveness of Jesus, and then, the Spirit-led reform of my life, where I strive to bring myself in line with God's will and design.
There are times when I read things that I don't like to read. Sometimes, these are because the items I am reading about are things that bother me (slavery issues, sex trade issues, crimes, and the like). Sometimes I don't like reading things because they point out things that I don't do well. And that brings me to the next point I want to make in why we read and study the Bible.
We read and study the Bible, as Christians, because they show us where we fail to live up to God's will and design, or, in a more general sense, where we fail to live up to His law. We find that God has a lot to say about what goes on in our lives, and truly, we may be surprised to learn that God has an active interest in every aspect of our lives. He watches us every moment, and wants to be part of everything that happens to us in life.
However, not everything that we do lines up with what God wills and designs for us. And that's where we encounter His Word, to be corrected, to be trained in righteousness, as St. Paul wrote in the words quoted above. We encounter that Word of God to see what needs to be worked on in our lives, so that we recognize those areas where we fall short of what God says for us, and where we go against what God has designed and willed for us.
That's not an easy reading of the Bible, though. In fact, though we read for this purpose, being corrected is only one aspect of why we read the Bible. Yes, it points out our faults, sins, and shortcomings. But it does that to graciously remind us that God has taken care of that, in Jesus. It then shows us that, by God's Spirit, it is possible to improve this earthly life in line with God's will and design. Not perfectly, but that we can, and should be, constantly growing in our alignment with His will and design.
Often, I don't like what I see when I read the Bible. Jesus says that, to view a woman with lust is equal to adultery, and I don't like that. However, God isn't merely trying to get me angry, but to drive me to the forgiveness of Jesus, and then, the Spirit-led reform of my life, where I strive to bring myself in line with God's will and design.
The word of God often cuts to the bone, opens up the wounds of our motives, failings, hypocrisy, but it also encourages us, teaches us, exposes God's grace and love. A child of God is humbled by it, our pride is vanquished, we know we are sinners, grateful to Christ, thankful for the wisdom He conveys to us in His word. I am several months away from 70 years old. My Bible is on my nightstand. I read it every day. No book in the world would I rather read. Let us make sure we read it regularly. One day it will be my last day on earth, and I will have opened up my Bible for the last time. Then He will take me to Heaven.
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