Why Should We Read the Bible Itself?
-
![Plus]()
- Updated Apr 30, 2024
There are so many wonderful resources out there to encourage us in our faith and point us to the Bible. Whether it be devotionals, prayer books, or Bible studies, there are many possibilities of products that we can use to increase our faith and motivate our walks with God. However, there is a danger if we become more reliant on a person’s words than God’s Word. Why should we read the Bible itself?
The Bible Is God’s Word to Us
There is great excitement in knowing that the Bible is God’s Word to us. It is His inspired book covering the story of creation, humanities brokenness from sin, His plan of redemption, Jesus’ sacrifice for all who believe in Him, Jesus’ ascension, the gift of the Holy Spirit, the start of the church and Christ coming back for us to have eternity with Him. This grand message of the One true God who loved us enough to die for our sin so that we could be reunited with Him is everything.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”
The Bible Is the Only Book That Has Power to Change Us
I am someone who absolutely loves and supports supplemental books and materials. I am a big-time Bible study guru and appreciate the amazing work and insight that many wise believers shares as they help us to look to Scripture. However, with that said, we all need to be careful not to replace our Bibles with the words of another person. Only God’s Word has the power to change us.
Golden nuggets and practical applications that men and women apply can absolutely be impactful, but only Scripture itself has the power to move and change our hearts. His Word is living and active. The Bible convicts us, teaches us, grows us, and reveals our Savior. We need to make sure that we have high regard for Scripture no matter what resource we are using and to always test what is being said about God and His Bible, with His Word about Himself.
Hebrew 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
The Bible’s Story and Purpose can be Missed by Pulling out Certain Pieces:
Sometimes are so fixated on a verse or a passage that we miss the entirety of what God is trying to say. The Bible was written and compiled as a whole for a purpose. If we only stay in the New Testament, we will miss the total picture of God by excluding the Old Testament. Or if we only ever stay in the Old Testament, we will never read and know of the Messiah Jesus and the Holy Spirit that we have today. If we only ever read Revelation, we would be stuck always thinking about the future and never learning from the past and living in the present. The Word of God all has a place in our lives and we need to seek and learn from all of it even if there are books or passages which appear more challenging and less interesting. The Lord has a purpose and intent for including them.
Deuteronomy 4:2 says, “Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you.”
The Bible Is Holy and Eternal
The Bible is holy and eternal. The Word of God is holy, it is upright and flawless. He was intentional about every word in His book. The Bible is holy because the God who wrote it is holy. The Lord is sinless and does not make mistakes, so His Word is perfect. The books and materials that people write, in fact, this article that I am writing now, are all going to fade away. However, God’s Word lasts forever. There is peace and security in knowing that He is always consistent and His Word never changes. He is faithful.
Psalm 33:4 “For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.”
Matthew 24:35 says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”
The Bible Is Perfect
God’s Word is perfect. It is without error. It is His message to us. Our Lord, Creator, and Savior decided not to just leave us without instruction, but to give us the testimonies of His redemptive plan. Although not everything we read is done perfectly because the people within the writings sinned greatly, the message itself is perfect. If a painter is perfect it means that he would never make a mistake on a painting or if a pianist was perfect she would never miss a note while playing her instrument. Perfect means without flaw. Our God is, has always been, and will always be perfect. He says that His way is perfect and His Word is too. We can celebrate this gift of completion and beauty in a broken and sinful world where we long for perfection.
Psalm 18:30 says, “As for God, His way is perfect: The LORD’s word is flawless; He shields all who take refuge in Him.”
Whether you are using a resource or not, may we all continue to grow in our love and appreciation of Scripture. The Lord gifted us with His Word. It has purpose, and power, it is holy and eternal, and it is perfect. There are some incredible Bible reading plans to help us dive deeper into studying Scripture in its entirety.
90 Day Bible Reading Plan: Every Word: A Reader’s 90-day Guide to the Bible
This is a 3-month reading plan. It can also be done with a “catch-up day” every week to be 103 Days. You will read about 12-13 chapters a day. This is a way to read Scripture as a whole and less about detail.
Bible in a Year Plan: The Bible Recap
This is a wonderful year long Bible reading plan that gives you about 3-5 chapters of scripture a day and takes you through the Bible chronically. It includes a short daily podcast.
For More plans visit Crosswalk: Bible Reading Plans to Take On
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/artisteer
