Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may
be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. – Joshua
1:8 (NIV)
This article is culled from the book Wilmington’s Guide to the Bible. I trust you will be as blessed
as I was when I first read it.
INTRODUCTION.
At first glance it would seem totally unnecessary to discuss reasons for studying God’s Word.
One might assume that, upon conversion, the most natural thing for a new believer to do would
be to begin a lifelong study of that Book which originally brought him to Christ. But personal
observation, as well as church history, proves the facts to be quite the opposite. The truth is
most Christians know very little about the Bible! Here then are some sound reasons for
studying the Scriptures.
I. Because of its Author.
Often God is thought of as a Creator, a Redeemer, a Shepherd, a Judge, etc. This is
correct thinking, of course, for he does indeed function in all these roles. But there is
one great accomplishment of God which is almost always left off the divine attribute
lists compiled by men. This wonderful but forgotten role is that of Author! God has
written a book, and that profound and priceless book is the Bible. As testified to by any
human author, the nicest thing one can say to an author is, “Oh, yes, I’ve read your
book.”
It is tragic but true fact that many of the Christians who will someday (along with all
believers) stand before the judgement seat of Christ will be sadly forced to admit that,
while they were saved by heeding the salvation message in God’s Book, they
nevertheless failed to take time to read it. Thus, if for no other reason, the Bible should
be carefully read to allow the believer to proclaim to Christ on that day: “Dear Jesus,
there were many things I did not do on earth that I should have done, as well as other
things I did do that I should not have, but one thing I did – I read your book!”
II. Because of the often –repeated command to read it.
“This book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein
day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein:
for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success”
(Josh. 1:8).
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).
“But he answered and said, it is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but every
word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Mat. 4:4). Especially to be noted is this
last verse. Jesus said every word
III. Because the Bible is God’s chosen way to accomplish his divine will.
A. Sinners are saved through the message of the Bible.
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they
call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of
whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall
they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them
that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tiding of good things! But they have not
all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith
cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom 10:13-17).
“But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men
of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my
words” (Acts 2:14).
“Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to
the rest of apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37).
“Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word. Then
Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people
with one accord gave heed unto those things which Phillip spake, hearing and seeing the
miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that
were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were
healed. And there was great joy in that city” (Acts 8:4-8).
“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God,
which liveth and abideth forever” (1 Pet. 1:23).
“Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth-that we should be a kind of first
fruits of his creations” (James. 1:18).
B. Saints are sanctified through the message of the Bible.
“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John. 17:17).
“As newborn babies, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1
Pet. 2:2). “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain
from fornication” (1 Thess. 4:3).
“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to
thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy
commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee”
(Ps 119:9-11).
“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add
thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar” (Prov. 30:5,6).
“If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be
done unto you” (John 15:7).
“And now, brethren, I commend you to be God, and to the word of His grace, which is
able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are
sanctified”. (Acts 20:32).
IV. Because our enemy the devil has read it.
During the account in Matthew 4, Christ is tempted three times by the devil. On each
occasion the Savior answered Satan with the phrase, “It is written,” and then proceeded
to quote from the Word of God as found in the book of Deuteronomy. But what is
almost always overlooked is the fact that the phrase “it is written” is repeated four
times in Matthew 4, and the fourth time it is the devil using it to quote Scripture to
Christ! Note the background at this point.
“Then the devil taketh Him up into the Holy City, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the
temple, and saith unto Him, if thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is
written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee, and in their hands they shall
bear up thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone” (Mt. 4:5,6).
Here Satan quotes from Psalm 91:11,12. It is taken completely out of context, to be
sure, but how did Satan know about it in the first place? The answer is painfully obvious.
One day when had nothing better to do, he must have sat down and studied Psalm 91.
Many Christians today have probably never even read this Psalm, but the devil
apparently has it memorized! Thus, we need to read God’s Word lest Satan get an
advantage upon us.
To be continued!
Remain Blessed!
Please continue to join us on Asempa 94.7 FM – Sundays 5.30 am., Sunny 88.7 FM – Tuesdays
5:30 am; and YFM 107.9 – Sundays 6.30am; for our Radio Bible Study as well as Sunny FM
88.7 FM every Sunday at 3:30 pm. for Hymns and their Stories.