Reading God's Word
A guest post by Chad Ramsey.
Because God has communicated His will to us, we are obligated to read and obey it. Although it is a wonderful blessing to possess the inspired Scripture, possessing the Bible is not enough. Unless we seek to learn the truth of God’s word, we will not benefit from the instruction it contains.
Consequently, we must dedicate ourselves to reading God’s word. This, of course, cannot be an occasional practice. Instead, those who wish to please God should read and reread the Bible.
The Importance of Reading the Bible.
The importance of reading God’s word should be obvious.
By reading Scripture we become aware of God’s plan for our lives. Those who love the Lord will conclude as the Israelites did after Moses read the law to them: “All that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient” (Exodus 24:7).
For those interested in learning and following God’s precepts, reading Scripture is a joy, not a burden. This was certainly the attitude of the psalmist who proclaimed: “Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day” (Psalm 119:97).
There is no substitute for daily Bible reading. We must read for pleasure. We must read for direction. We must read for comfort. But above all, we must read! Thus, the apostle Paul charged Timothy: “Till I come, give attention to reading” (1 Timothy 4:13).
Perhaps it would be useful to emphasize how this should be done.
Read the Bible Thoroughly.
First, we should read the Bible thoroughly.
Although we all have sections of Scripture that we favor, we must not neglect to read the sections with which we are less familiar. Our approach in this regard should be similar to that of Joshua.
According to Joshua 8:34-35:
“…he read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings, according to all that is written in the Book of the Law. There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel….”
A thorough reading is warranted because the entirety of Scripture is inspired (cf. 2 Timothy 3:16).
Read the Bible Reverently.
Second, we should read the Bible reverently.
Like the people who stood when Ezra opened God’s word (Nehemiah 8:5), we should approach Scripture with the utmost respect.
The message of Scripture is the message of God. Consequently, we must never regard Scripture in a flippant or cavalier manner.
Read the Bible Curiously.
Third, we should read the Bible with a desire to learn.
Obviously, there are some passages in both the Old and New Testaments that are more difficult to understand (cf. 2 Peter 3:15-16). Nevertheless, just because a text is difficult to understand does not mean that it is impossible to grasp. One can know the truth (John 8:32), and as Paul said, “when you read, you may understand” (Ephesians 3:4).
If we have the ability to communicate with one another through written means, surely the God who created us can communicate His message in a form capable of being understood.
Read the Bible Seriously.
Finally, we should read the Bible because we will be held accountable for so doing.
Serious students would do well to consider the instances wherein Jesus asked His audiences: “Have you not read?” (cf. Matthew 12:3, 5; 19:4; 22:31). By asking this question, our Lord implied individuals are accountable for reading and knowing Scripture.
The same, of course, is true of us today. Whether you are following a daily Bible reading plan or simply opening your Bible for a period of devotion, nothing can take the place of reading God’s word.
Chad Ramsey preaches for the Gloster Street Church of Christ in Tupelo, Mississippi. You can access their Bible classes and Chad’s sermons on Gloster Street’s YouTube page.
Chad was - and still is - “my preacher” from when I spent my high school and early college years at Gloster Street. I’m thankful to be able to share some of his writings with you.
