In 2 Timothy 2:15 the Apostle Paul encourages his protege Timothy to "Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that doesn't need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
Can you rightly divide the word of truth? Do you study the Word of God? Some Christians never read the bible, let alone study it. When you become a Christian you enter into a relationship with the living LORD Jesus Christ. Relationships require time. How much time do you spend with Him each day? Consider how much time you spend watching TV or a movie, a ball game, fishing, hunting, playing. God has miraculously preserved his Word for us for thousands of years, so that we can grow in our knowledge of him, and learn how to live holy lives. What good is it if we don't spend any time reading it? Do you only open your Bible when the preacher is preaching?. You can't learn what it says just by having it in your house. Don't just rely on devotionals. Crack open your Bible and spend some time in it. You need to read it, study it, memorize it, meditate on it.
Consider when Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness to turn stones into bread. He replied that "...man can not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). Do you have enough of the Word in you to resist the enemy? You will be tempted sooner or later.
2 Timothy 3:16,17 says, "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." If God went through the trouble of humbling Himself and becoming a man, and was obedient to the point of death on a cross, and then wrote about it in a book and preserved it for thousands of years so we could know all about Him and how He wants us to live, don't you think He wants us to read it...to know what it says?
Most Christians don't see their need for personal Bible study because they say, “I go to church every week. Why do I need to study the Bible for myself? The pastor does that for me and then tells me what it says.”
So, why study the Bible? The Bible shows us who God is and who we are... and thus our deep need for Him. The entire Bible was written so that we could see and be saved by the glorious God of the universe and truly know Him through faith in Christ.
Our need for the gospel isn’t limited to just being “saved”. God also gave us the Bible so that we would study it and be sanctified, constantly being changed to be more like Jesus Christ. We constantly need to be immersed in the Bible. As Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” The only way to do that is through Bible study. The result is that I am being “transformed by the renewing of my mind” into what God desires(Romans 12:2).
We also need to study the Bible to increase our faith in God as we go through both good and bad times in life. The Holy Spirit works through the Scriptures to build our faith in God. Reading and knowing the promises of God increases our faith. Romans 10:17 says, “faith comes from hearing and hearing by the Word of God.”
Bible study fans the flames of my faith. It is the way that we are saved, sanctified, and walk by faith. God is so gracious to have given us such a wonderful treasure, His word, to help us treasure The Word, our Lord Jesus Christ!
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