“…grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
– 2 Peter 3:18
This month’s series is offered to encourage you as we near the season of Spring to spring into a healthy spiritual lifestyle. This week’s topic is the benefits of Bible study.
If you yearn for a closer relationship with God by tapping into and experiencing the transforming power of God’s Word, there must be regular Bible study engagement. It is difficult for a believer to live a Christ-centered life or to grow spiritually unless they are equipped with instruction from God’s Word. The Bible is God’s Word to us and when we read it, God will speak through His Word to us. Many Christians, though, have abandoned daily Bible study. Canadian Christian theologian J.I. Packer once remarked: “If I were the devil, one of my first aims would be to stop folk from digging into the Bible.” Satan is threatened by believers who are well versed in the Scriptures, who trust God and who firmly stand on the promises of God. When you engage in regular Bible study, it is not only your best weapon against Satan, but it helps to reverse the disturbing and dangerous trend of biblical illiteracy, theological syncretism and you are able to detect false teaching.
Benefits of studying God’s word.
Bible study is a deterrent to sin. Ray Wiley in Josh McDowell’s Youth Ministry Handbook: Making the Connection indicates one of the primary reasons for personal Bible study is to dissuade believers from sinning. Just as the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness (Mark 1; Matthew 4; Luke 4), the enemy will seek to tempt you to sin. In the wilderness temptation, although the devil misquoted Psalm 91, Satan could not trick Jesus because Jesus knew what the Old Testament said; after all, Jesus was the Word made flesh. (John 1:14.) Satan will try to mislead believers today who do not know what God’s Word says. “Biblical truth,” according to Wiley, “is a tremendous deterrent to sin regardless of what form temptation takes.” Once you know the truth, and obey it, Satan cannot trick you with his lies.
Bible study provides spiritual knowledge.
Hosea says God’s people are destroyed from the lack of knowledge. (Hosea 4:6.) Hosea was not suggesting there was a lack or shortage of information available to the Israelites; but that the information was being rejected by God’s people. Even today, believers are not deprived from a lack of information; it is readily available in God’s Word. Many believers, still, have chosen to reject the information by failing to study God’s Word. Spiritual knowledge is found in the Bible, but to know God’s Word, you must study it.
Beloved, our cities, communities and churches need spiritually maturing men and women who are biblically dedicated and who have one overriding goal — to do all to the glory of God! Do not neglect to “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15.) To be found approved you must study God’s Word daily. It will help you develop a stronger relationship with God and experience the transforming life that only comes when you sit at the feet of Jesus, studying, obeying God’s Word, and allowing the Holy Spirit to lead you into all truth.
*Source: Willey, Ray, “Josh McDowell’s Youth Ministry Handbook: Making the Connection,” Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2000.
Next Week: Spring into A Healthy Spiritual Lifestyle (Part 2)
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