Have you heard people asking questions like, why should a Christian study the bible? Is the church bible study not enough? Is the bible the word of God? Some would love to study the bible but seem not to have the time for it. This article is to give reasons Christian believers MUST do bible study and they are listed in no particular order
The bible is God's words to mankind. Anybody who cares to study it gets to know more about God, what He thinks and how He thinks and why He thinks the way He does. Also, the bible teaches us how God operates and how to plug into His ways to enjoy all God's blessings and escape destruction. Now, breaking these teachings from the word of God;
Why should we study the bible?
1. Revelation of our position in Christ
The bible is centred round the Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ, from Genesis to Revelation. The scriptures point to the salvation of mankind by Jesus. This was fulfilled in the New Testament. Jesus redeemed man and restored his relationship back to God, restoring him to his original state before the fall. Bible study reveals this to us and teaches us how to gain access to this victory and how we can exercise this triumph only in Christ. That is, it reveals who you are in Christ and what power you have in Christ Jesus. We are seated with Christ in the place of authority in heavenly places as Ephesians 2:5-6 says.
2. Revelation of our inheritance in Christ
Through studying the bible, a Christian believer discovers what belongs to him as a believer. Paul said in Acts 20:32 that the word of God is able to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. This inheritance includes healing, prosperity, long life, peace etc and ultimately eternal life. When people are ignorant of what they stand to enjoy as Christians, the devil will always cheat or destroy them, just like God said in Hosea 4:6 that His people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
3. Revelation of our authority over the devil
Bible study reveals our authority over the devil. Though Satan has dominion over the world, he does not have dominion over the Christians. He only oppresses believers who do not know their authority over him and how to exercise it. Jesus said in Luke 10:19 that he has given you power to trend on serpents and scorpions and over ALL the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
4. Spiritual growth
What eating of food is to the body is what studying the bible is to spirit. Peter encouraged new believers in 1 Peter 2:2 to desire the sincere milk of the word so they can grow. Also in Hebrews 5:12-14, Paul was rebuking the Hebrews that they ought to have graduated to strong meat from milk. Therefore bible study enables a baby Christian to grow spiritually to become a matured Christian believer. The word of God in your heart keeps you away from sin and causes you to live a victorious life in Christ.
5. Direction
You enjoy divine direction and guidance by studying the bible and doing what it says. The psalmist described the word of God in Psalm 119:105 as a lamp unto his feet and a light unto his path. Bible study enables you to know what step to take in any situation that will lead you to success and not failure, to life and not death, to victory and not defeat. It is what makes the difference between a blind doubting Christian and a seeing believing Christian.
6. Wisdom and understanding
The bible is a bank of wisdom. Through bible study wisdom and understanding are imparted unto Christian believers. The psalmist said in Psalm 119:98-99 that God's words made him wiser than his enemies and gave him more understanding than his teachers. All the wisdom and understanding you need are in the bible but it is through studying the bible that they can be delivered to you.
7. Boldness
Many Christians shy away from talking about Jesus because they do not have word of God in them. They are afraid that if they are asked some questions they would not know the answers. Bible study takes care of that. Paul admonished Timothy, in 2 Timothy 2:15 that he should study so that he would not be ashamed but be able to teach the word of truth accurately.
Studying the bible though requires that you make out time for it, is indispensable if you are to enjoy your Christian walk with Jesus. Furthermore, church bible study cannot take the place of personal study of the word of God in a Christian's life, both are needed. Attend to God's words, let them not depart from your eyes and keep them in your heart, and they will be life and health to your body. Make studying the bible a priority in your life today and you will be happy you did tomorrow.
Do you have other reasons for studying the bible?
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Plants are shaped by cultivation and men by education. .. We are born weak, we need strength; we are born totally unprovided, we need aid; we are born stupid, we need judgment. Everything we do not have at our birth and which we need when we are grown is given us by education.
(Jean Jacques Rousseau, Emile, On Philosophy of Education)
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