Why Read The Bible?
For the Christian, reading the Bible is not optional. It is necessary for becoming a mature Christian.
Why read the Bible?
The Bible is the most printed book in the world. Since the invention of the printing press, there have been many billions of copies of the Bible printed. I would venture to say that almost everyone you know owns one. But, owning a Bible and reading it are not the same things. It seems that very few people actually read their Bibles.
When I speak at various places, to different kinds of people, I find that people have strong opinions about God and the Bible. When people disagree with what I say, it’s usually because they have different life experiences that lead them to interpret certain Bible verses differently than how I see them.
I don’t mind debating the Bible with people. In fact, I really enjoy it. Bible discussions are interesting because everyone has their own opinion. But, I’ve noticed something new in the way people debate the Bible. There are a growing number of people who seem to be very strongly opinionated about God’s Word, but who have never read it.
They will say something about the Bible that is completely untrue. When I ask them where they got the idea that the Bible said what they think it said, they have no answer.
They have never read it.
The Bible was never meant to be a decoration or a space-filler on a book shelf. The Bible was given to us for a purpose. It contains God's Word for His people.
For the Christian, reading the Bible is not optional. It is necessary for becoming a mature Christian. Here is how Joshua felt about the Bible:
Joshua 1:8
"This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success."
Do you have a Bible just laying around? Pick it up, dust it off and read it. Don’t know where to start? Try the Psalms or the Gospel of Mark. You will have a different kind of week if you do!
