Welcome to installment 3 of The Basics of Faithful Bible Reading. This article will help us continue to grasp why, in our lives individually and in practical daily life, reading God’s Word is vital and valuable to us as believers. We know that God’s Word is read by a vast number of believers across the globe. Still, I am afraid that most of us do not open the Bible for purposes that honor God in how it becomes applicable to our daily lives as His children and therefore do not experience its Truth and life-changing effects.
I would like to help us understand this by showing us the reality of a believer’s position and why we can rest in Christ and find His comfort through His Word, and its validation of our lives. While true regenerate believers struggle at times to grasp what the Bible says in a particular situation and how it applies to them and society, some who claim to be believers seem to open it gladly, read a few verses, apply it to themselves immediately, and go on about their day.
How in the world can that happen? Why do some walk around with their chin up, claiming they are happy Christians, while others often seem so downcast? Well, the reality is that, possibly, the one downcast reads the Bible through a Biblical lens, while the other reads through a lens of worldly philosophy.
However, what I am not saying here, is that a true regenerate believer is always discouraged and downcast. They shouldn’t be. Nor am I saying that the one who reads and goes on about their day is never discontent. But, even though discontentment may reside in the heart of both, an identifying mark of their position shouldn’t be judged by what we see immediately on the surface. We cannot immediately judge one’s spiritual state merely by noticing a possible need for an outward attitude adjustment.
Our validation comes from the Word of God, therefore making more sure of the peace we experience as a child of God. With God, we know all things work for the good of those who love Him and are those called according to His purpose. -(Rom. 8:28; ESV.)
Without the Word of God, we would not be able to grasp even a mere human understanding of such a reality. God is entirely incomparable to mankind due to Him being altogether otherly; or rather, completely separate from sinful man.
Individually, as children of God, we can quickly recall a vast amount of Scripture that has helped us see and know this truth. But, what I desire to get at here is that we do always need God’s Word, the Bible!
Imagine people we do not know approaching us and telling us their own experiences of God without any knowledge of God’s Word. It would be like a free-for-all with whatever someone wants to say God told them or showed them, or by one’s insight alone, seeming as if it becomes a good experience between just you and God. The reality is that the canon of Scripture is closed. If the Bible doesn’t say it, God didn’t say it! We are to be going off of what we have, not what we merely think God “shoulda, coulda, woulda” said.
Unfortunately, this is quite evident in many Christian circles today. Many will pray with a sort of intuition by squeezing their eyes together tightly, clenching their hands firmly, and saying “Jesus” several times, thinking it does something so meaningful for God that He would deliver some prophetic word or story that is somehow “only to them.” It then becomes evident that they do not read the Bible with the correct hermeneutics. It is as if there is no consideration of God, His Holiness, His Sovereignty, and Authority.
This is a form of blasphemy.
With that said, I would like to give us Scripture for life; to go away from here with, and to meditate upon as we desire to know Christ our Redeemer, our position on this earth, and our position in Him.
May Scripture, much more authoritative and piercing than my thoughts and writing, be that which truly reminds you of your position, and validates you as belonging to God fully as His own! Much writing here will require much reading here! But I will leave you with time now to read your Bible; or at least the passages below for further meditation upon God’s Word.
It is “In Him that we live, and move, and have our being”. -Acts 17:28; ESV.
He made us in His image and He delights in us. – Genesis 1:27 ; Zephaniah 3:17. He loves us and welcomes us even when we have rebelled severely against Him. – Luke 15:11-32. God is for those who are His. Not against them. – Romans 8:31. His will for us is that we would grow in Holiness! – 1 Peter 1. He has given you unique gifts, talents, and strengths. – Romans 12:6.
Christian, read God’s Word! Many good books we consider often, but do we treasure God’s Word to us, of His most gracious gift, His only Son?
“Read many good books, but live in the Bible” -Charles H. Spurgeon
May grace and peace be yours in Christ Jesus as you pray and consider God; who has shown us so great a love by validating us saving us from condemnation and raising us to the newness of life in His Son-Jesus Christ, the Lord of Glory!
