Why We Need To Study the Bible

A dear brother in Christ in Singapore mentioned to me in an email recently that he was going to be teaching the topic above in a class in the very near future. It got my wheels turning. It’s a good topic—a very good topic—and I’d like to make a few suggestions of my own in hopes of encouraging further Bible study by my readers.

Why study the Bible?

1. It’s the Word of God. I cannot think of a better reason than this. “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 complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (II Timothy 3:16-17). The philosophies of man can, at times, be interesting. But frankly, most of it is junk. Men may have some good suggestions on how to live on this earth; but every “good” suggestion will have its roots ultimately in God’s Word. There is no Book more important than the Bible.

2. We will be judged eternally by that Word. “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my sayings, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I spake, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:48). When you stand before God on the Day of Judgment, your life is not going to be compared to what is written in “Mark’s Current Events Blog;” it will be compared to what Jesus said. Maybe my rantings on my blog will cause some to think about various current issues and make wiser choices for making our country better. But, ultimately, there’s only one thing that is going to be important to you and that’s not how you vote in the next election, but how you measured up to God’s Word. Eternity, not this world, is the truly the most imperative of all matters.

3. The Bible tells us how to live eternally. There indeed is a such a thing as eternal life. Life that never ends. It comes through Jesus Christ: “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live; and whosoever liveth and believeth on me shall never die” (John 11:25). And it is only the Word of God that can lead us to that final, glorious, everlasting life: “Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). Thus, we should “receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21). But if we do not study that Word, we will not know it.

4. We will be destroyed by sin if we do not know the Bible. Hosea 4:6 reads “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” The law of God was a “strange thing” to them (Hosea 8:12). Israel went into captivity for failure to know and keep God’s law: “Therefore my people are gone into captivity for lack of knowledge” (Isaiah 5:13). If we do not study the Bible, we will not know it. If we do not know it, we will not know how to live or recognize false teaching when we hear it. And thus it will be very easy to succumb to the deceit of those who love personal glory rather than the souls of men: “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them that are causing the divisions and occasions of stumbling, contrary to the doctrine which ye learned: and turn away from them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent” (Romans 16:17-18). The “innocent” are those who are unsuspecting, trusting, ready to believe, and unable to discern between truth and error. There are an awful lot of people in the world who can make error sound like truth. And if we don’t study the Bible, we will be destroyed for that lack of knowledge.

There are many reasons to study the Bible. The 119th Psalm gives almost 176 of them. Here are just a few mentioned in that marvelous song:

--The Word of God protects us from sin: “Thy word have I laid up in my heart, That I might not sin against thee” (v. 11).

--It protects our youth from sin: “Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word” (v. 9).

--It strengthens us in distress: “My soul melteth for heaviness: Strengthen thou me according unto thy word” (v. 28).

--It sets us free: “And I shall walk at liberty; For I have sought thy precepts” (v. 45; see also John 8:32).

--It gives us courage: “I will also speak of thy testimonies before kings, And shall not be put to shame” (v. 46).

--It enables us to have the greatest friends in the world: “They that fear thee shall see me and be glad, Because I have hoped in thy word” (v. 74).

--It gives us greater wisdom than the supposed “wise” of the world or of previous ages: “I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, Because I keep Your precepts” (vs. 99-100).

--It directs our path in this life: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And light unto my path” (v. 105)

--It endows us with a healthy respect for God: “My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; And I am afraid of thy judgments” (v. 120).

--It sheds light and understanding onto our lives: “The opening of thy words giveth light; It giveth understanding unto the simple” (v. 130).

--It provides peace: “Great peace have they that love thy law; And they have no occasion of stumbling” (v. 165).

I have not begun to exhaust, in this short article, all the benefits of Bible study. But it is important to remember that we must be “doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22). It doesn't do much good to wear out our Bible reading and studying it if, in the end, we aren't going to obey it.  Bible study is valueless without proper application. With proper application, it is the most valuable thing in the world, for it will lead us to eternal life.

Reader, how much time to you spend with your Bible? Truly, let us say with David, “Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day” (Psalm 119:97).