Bible Study

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (II Timothy 2: 15 KJV)

Christians are called to be daily bible students. Those who do not study the bible daily show that they either are not saved, or that they are weak Christians who need to be delivered from sloth and spiritual apathy.

It is a defect in a professing Christian to not be daily and regularly thinking upon the word and teachings of the Lord.

People do study the things that interest them. If they do not study the scriptures, does it not show a lack of interest and concern? How can this lack of interest be a healthy sign of one who loves the Lord?

People reveal what is of most interest to them in what they read, and study, and think upon regularly.

A man has little or no evidence or proof that he is "approved of God" if he does not care to study what God has said to him, what textbooks Lord God has given to him. Paul did not tell Timothy to study in order that he might show himself a bishop or a spiritual leader, but to show himself a saved, and born again, child of God.

"For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel." (Ezra 7: 10 KJV)

Where is this "devotion" to the Lord and to his word? How can we prove we are not hypocrites and mere pretenders of the Christian faith when we care so little about him and his word?

"When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the LORD his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel." (Deuteronomy 17: 18-20 NIV)

Oh that our rulers would do this today! Oh that the Lord's people would do so! They who are kings by their association with Christ! How can we claim to be the royal seed of Christ and not keep his word daily in our hearts and minds?

"Moses summoned all Israel and said: Hear, O Israel, the decrees and laws I declare in your hearing today. Learn them and be sure to follow them." (Deuteronomy 5: 1 NIV)

"Hear and learn my words!" That is the message to every man on earth! He has no excuse for not doing so. The bible is no ordinary book, it being the very word of God. Every professing Christians has confessed that the bible is not merely the words of men, but the very word of God." (See I Thessalonians 2: 13 KJV)

"I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws." (Psalm 119: 7 NIV)

"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." (Romans 15: 4 KJV)

"And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (II Timothy 3: 15-17 KJV)

The scriptures are not neglected without great damage to our souls, and to the quality of our lives. Even salvation itself, both now and forever, is made to depend upon the means of the word of God. If we are ignorant of God, it is not because he has not spoken nor revealed himself. If we lack salvation, patience, hope, assurance, peace, joy, and righteousness, then it is much owing to our neglect of God's saving word of truth.

"O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts." (Psalm 119: 97-100 KJV)

If we wish to be truly wise then we will not neglect the source of all true wisdom and knowledge, the word of God.

" Not only was the Teacher wise, but also he imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true...And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh." (Ecclesiastes 12: 9,10, 12 KJV)

Oh yes, there is hard labor involved in study, especially in much study! Ask any college student! But, sadly, how few weary themselves this way! Oh yes, many weary themselves in amusements, but how few weary themselves in musing upon the word of the Lord? (See Psalm 39: 3 KJV) So many of those who begin a study of the word of God soon quit, and should hear the words of Jesus, who said to his disciples - "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Matthew 26: 41 KJV)

"So I turned my mind to understand, to investigate and to search out wisdom and the scheme of things and to understand the stupidity of wickedness and the madness of folly." (Ecclesiastes 7: 25 NIV)

Oh how many need to study hard on this subject! "The stupidity of wickedness"! The "madness (insanity and senselessness) of folly"!

"When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe man's labor on earth—his eyes not seeing sleep day or night-then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover its meaning. Even if a wise man claims he knows, he cannot really comprehend it." (Ecclesiastes 8: 16-18 NIV)

Man cannot comprehend nor understand the deeper mysteries of his being and existence apart from the word of God and the revelation of the Holy Spirit.

"It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings." (Proverbs 25: 2 NIV)

So, why do many Christians, as professing "kings" under Christ, the "King of kings," not spend their time as kings in searching out the deep things of God? In searching and studying his word? The word of words?

"Though grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the LORD." (Isaiah 26: 10 NIV)

Oh how this reveals and demonstrates the depravity of man's fallen, corrupt, and sinful nature! Oh how his nature is so reluctant and uninterested in God and holy things!

"They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth." (II Timothy 3: 6, 7 NIV)

What a fitting description of the "learning" of many today! They learn, but they do not learn truth, or of the way to God and salvation! They learn to sin, to do evil, but they do not learn God's word.

"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11: 29 NIV)

"It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me." (John 6: 45 NIV)

Salvation is connected with knowing the scriptures, with learning about Jesus, with spiritual education in the word of God. When one reads God word, he is mystically sitting at God's feet and hearing him teach.

"Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart." (Proverbs 3: 3 NIV)

"Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart." (Proverbs 7: 3 NIV)

"But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people." (Jeremiah 31: 33; Hebrews 8: 10; 10:16 NIV)

"But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (John 14: 26 KJV)

"You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life." (John 5: 39, 40 KJV)

Salvation is in having God's word permanently impressed upon, engraven, or otherwise spiritually written upon the inner man, upon a man's heart and mind, and the result is that the word is burnt into the memory. Sadly, many, like the Pharissees, studied the word of God for the wrong reason, not realizing the the word of God was not the ultimate means of salvation, for Christ is the greater means, but that it was only a lessor means of bringing the individual to Christ. How many read the scriptures and do not see Christ? Do not come to salvation?

"Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John." (Acts 18: 24, 25 NIV)

"And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures." (Acts 17: 2 KJV)

"These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." (Acts 17: 11 KJV)

Oh that Christians would all be like the noble Bereans! Like Apollos! Like Paul! Like Jesus who knew the word of God perfectly.

"Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives." (Titus 3: 14 NIV)

And from whence is the source of this important knowledge for living? Is it not in the word of God? Why do so many lead non-productive lives today? Is it not because they have chose ignorance and disobedience to the word of God?

"Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow." (I Peter 1: 10, 11 NIV)

Searched the scriptures diligently and intently! How many do this today?

"I am saying nothing beyond what the prophets and Moses said would happen—that the Christ would suffer and, as the first to rise from the dead, would proclaim light to his own people and to the Gentiles." At this point Festus interrupted Paul's defense. "You are out of your mind, Paul!" he shouted. "Your great learning is driving you insane." "I am not insane, most excellent Festus," Paul replied. "What I am saying is true and reasonable." (Acts 26: 22-25 NIV)

Oh how few could be accused of possibly dying from studying the bible too much! In the majority of cases, people spiritually die not from studying the bible, but from not studying it! People go insane from not studying the bible, not from studying it!

"Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching." (I Timothy 4: 13 NIV)

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4: 8 NIV)

We disregard doing this to our own destruction.

"Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?" (Matthew 21: 42 KJV)

"Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God." (Matthew 22: 29 KJV)

"And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself." (Luke 24: 27 KJV)

"Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead." (John 20: 8, 9 KJV)

"For what saith the scripture?" (Romans 4: 3; Galatians 4: 30 KJV)

"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures." (Romans 15: 1-4 KJV)

We must learn the bible. It must become paramount to everything else.

"And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you." (I Thessalonians 4: 11 KJV)

No there is an area for much needed study!

Friend, what are you reading and studying daily? Where do your interests lie? In the words of men, or in the words of God?