How to Study the Bible – Part 1
Before even thinking about HOW to study the Bible there are two questions you absolutely need to answer first. WHY am I studying it and is doing so worth my time?
Everyone values their time. It seems we never have enough hours in a day to accomplish all that we would like to do. Studying the Bible will take time. How much time is up to you, but before you decide to spend precious moments from your day studying God’s Word, ask yourself, “What is the purpose? Is it worth my time? What value am I getting out of it?” I believe if you don’t answer those questions and have a clear picture of the value it adds, you will not stick with it. You may start off strong with good intentions but then when the busyness of life comes at you, your time in God’s Word will fall to the wayside. If you do not truly see the value in it, the utter NEED for it, you will not be motivated to continue.
So let’s look at the question, is studying the Bible worth my time?
There are two main reasons for studying the Bible that we will look at in this article:
- Spiritual Growth
- Spiritual Effectiveness
Spiritual Growth
“like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word” – 1 Peter 2:2a
I’ve been familiar with this verse for a long time. I understood the concept that the Bible is like milk to a newborn baby in that it is nourishment needed to grow. But it only recently struck me “how” babies long for milk. When a baby is hungry he cries, he yearns for that nourishment. When he sees the bottle his eyes light up, he reaches for and grabs the bottle. He MUST be satisfied. And once he starts to receive the milk, he calms down and rests as he enjoys the fulfillment of that need.
We should develop a similar appetite for God’s Word. A yearning and NEED for it. It is our sustainment. It is necessary for our spiritual well-being and growth. We will not grow spiritually if we are not “feeding” on the Word of God.
Spiritual growth leads to spiritual maturity and that will only come if you study the Bible for yourself. God’s Word contains unique and specific practical applications for each of us. While there is ONE truth, the application to me may look very different than the application to you. And the application may change over time. I have attended church literally my entire life. I have heard, read and studied some passages a bazillion times (ok, that might be a slight exaggeration) and yet God will reveal to me something I never saw before the next time I study that same passage. A verse can have a completely new meaning to me depending on my current phase and walk of life. Studying the Bible is not a “one and done” activity. It is a lifelong journey of spiritual growth.
“Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.” – Ephesians 5:1
The word “imitate” in this verse is the same word used today for icon. You know, that cute little smiley face you use in a text when you want to express the smile on your face? It means to represent something. You cannot follow that command and Be Imitators of God, accurately representing Him, if you don’t know God. Knowing God comes from studying His Word.
Spiritual maturity and knowing God’s Word for yourself is important so that you can evaluate the interpretation of others. If you simply are taught by others and do not study for yourself you can easily be led astray. Even well-meaning, well-trained bible teachers sometimes misstate things accidentally. If you are not studying God’s Word and fact-checking what you are taught, you are susceptible to believing something that is incorrect, and worse yet, spreading that misinformation to others. God is Not Who You Think He Is reveals five common misconceptions about God. That is just a small sampling of biblical distortion that you might believe as truth if not diving into God’s Word for yourself.
Spiritual Effectiveness
“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” – 2 Timothy 3:16-17
The Word of God has value and benefits us because it teaches us (gives us knowledge), reproves us (exposes our sin), corrects us (points us in the right direction away from sin) and trains us in righteousness (gives us practical applications to live righteously). Those are the things the Bible does for us when we study it. The result of those things is what follows the “so” in the verse above … we become “equipped” to do the good work God has called us to do.
For a football player to be effective in the game, he must be properly equipped. That includes the proper training (knowing the rules of the game, conditioning, and practice) and the proper equipment (pads, cleats, and helmet). If he goes into a game without being properly equipped in any of those areas, he is not going to be an effective player. In fact, I venture to say that he will actually be a detriment and hindrance to his teammates and also put his own well-being at risk. Similarly, to be effective spiritually, we must be properly equipped.
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:10
God wants you to be spiritually effective. He has called you to “good works,” to have a positive effect on others. Studying the Word of God is not a requirement for salvation, BUT … if you are going to be effective in the game of life, you need it to be properly equipped. If you are going to be effective at doing the work God has called you to do, you need that teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness which comes from studying God-inspired scripture. Your life WILL have an impact on others whether intentionally or unintentionally. Whether you see the results or not. Whether if you are even aware of it or not. Ensure that impact is a properly equipped “good work” by opening the Bible and allowing God’s Word to do what it was designed to do!
Bonus Benefit
There is a joy in personal discovery that you don’t get when simply being fed the Word by someone else. It is exciting when God reveals a truth in His word that even though you may have read that same verse 100 times, your eyes were opened to a new understanding and/or application. Our desire is that you discover that personal joy. That you come to know the author (God) and fall in love with Him so that you yearn for the “pure milk of the Word” like a newborn baby.
Is it Worth Your Time?
If your plan is to study the Bible just because it is the “right thing to do” or you think your pastor or someone else expects you to, then the odds are you won’t stick with it. Let it soak in that you NEED to study God’s Word. It is required to not only SURVIVE (spiritual growth) but to THRIVE (spiritual effectiveness) as a Christian.
Pray and seriously consider why studying God’s Word is worth your time. What is the reason you will do it? What value is it to you? Once you know the answer to those questions you’ll be ready to dive into scripture and allow it to equip you for the good work God has specifically chosen YOU to do!
In Part 2 of this series we’ll begin to look at HOW to study the Bible.
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