The Basics of Faithful Bible Reading – Value for Life
Welcome to installment 2 of The Basics of Faithful Bible Reading. This article will discuss what I think will be one of the most important topics of the blogs I will be writing on this subject. When I hear the word value concerning the Bible, I cannot help but think of the Bible alone as the most essential resource a believer will ever possess. Indeed without it, we can never understand what Christianity is, much less its sole value, and its value for believers.
Before I get into this topic of value, the how and why when it comes to Bible reading, let me mention that there is a universal value we must not miss. This means that all human beings ever created, yes, even Hitler, are recipients of it without any input of consciousness or individual decision. This sign alone is the fingerprint of God upon His most valued creation- mankind. We are all made in the Imago Dei; The image of God.
That we are a product of God, let alone the most valuable to Him, is the very essence of our unhindered value as humans. (Genesis 1:26-27; 9:6)
Many rich doctrines of the Bible could help us understand why the Bible alone is valuable, and its value for the Christian life.
For the sake of this article’s length, and your time in the Bible, I will not give a breakdown of these values here. Still, I will list a few along with Bible passages that I encourage you to look up and read on your own, which is my intent behind this series encapsulating a “back to the basics” approach to the importance of daily Bible reading by the believer!
A few of these doctrines from Scripture that help us see the value we have as believers are:
Redemption- (Galatians 1:4)
Restoration- (Hosea 6:1)
Adoption- (Galatians 4:5-7; Ephesians 1:5)
Justification- (Acts 13:38-39)
Sanctification- (Hebrews 12:10)
The pursuit of knowing God will be a lifelong journey of casting off our understanding, (Proverbs 3:4-6) and submitting to what God would have us know about Himself.
Often, we come to the Bible with preconceived notions of how it should make us feel for the rest of the day. Although daily Bible reading is vital for believers, we sometimes expect, but do not always get that “nugget of the day” we hoped to find, put in our pocket, and have with us to refer to at any given moment we may need it.
We can think of things such as, “If I just have something to remember from my morning devotion time, then I can look at the day with surety that I will get through it no matter what comes my way!” Now, this approach doesn’t prove one to be a false convert, but I would submit that it isn’t a very healthy thought on how we understand why the Bible should be a daily part of our lives as believers in the pursuit of godly living.
As believers, we must remember that the Bible is God’s revealed Truth. God’s mercies are new every morning, last longer than today, and will be new again tomorrow! It is forever the same and never-ending!! (Lam. 3:22-24)
As I mentioned in earlier blogs, I desire this series to provide practical advice that can help us grow in our relationship with Christ by reading our Bible as Christians should be daily.
Believer, how are we to know anything of God-honoring value if we are not careful in handling the Word He gives us for our daily lives? For if we are not digesting the pages of Scripture daily, then something else has taken the place of the One who is to be our first love.
One of the most important things I believe a Christian deems valuable to know is how God has revealed Himself to us. He has done this in a way that He alone could have orchestrated, commanded, and allowed.
The Bible tells us that men spoke from God, who were carried along by the Holy Spirit, to write His Word. Although there are many verses related to this truth, we can know this in just these three alone:
“For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Peter 1:21, ESV).
“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets.”(Hebrews 1:1, ESV).
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”
(2 Timothy 3:16, ESV).
Slowly, God has revealed Himself over time so that we will know Him as He is, and the value of His nature. We spend the rest of our lives getting to know our great God! Oh, the fountain of value that we should treasure! (John 7:37-39).
God desires a perfect relationship with His people. God, of course, could, at any moment, make everything perfect just the way He wants it. But, what tenderness and love come from a Father who is patient with His children, giving such grace so that we may mature and grow in Him and see His great love for us in this way! He desires that we know Him, not just merely of Him or about Him.
(Ephesians 2:4)
From a Holy God, that is of much value to consider, Christian.
Unlike created humanity in their fallenness, God, in His great love for His Bride, the Church, has approached us in His perfection through Christ His Son so that we may know Him as the God-man: Christ – the Lord of glory.
The child of God can look back and see how gracious, merciful, and patient God has been in His steadfast love for them. We dare speak of God’s slowness as if it is like the slowness of man towards repentance! It is we who are slow in our response! The slowness of God is only that of His patience towards us. The patience of Christ is hidden in the mystery of God’s mercy towards us as we are prone to sin, and even actually sin as believers!
(2 Peter 3:9;Romans 5:8).
As we recognize the value of Christ, we have a more profound desire to know Him.
The more we see Christ for Who He is, the more we see His blessing upon us as Children of God.
If we are to love God, we must love His Word. An unconventional approach to the Bible is initiated by a regenerated heart that desires to know its Creator. Not merely a worldly construct of Jesus based only on a worldly philosophy of how we relate to Him.
Now that I have given us some insight into the Bible’s value for life, let’s look at:
Psalm 19:7-9.
I chose this passage for our context because I see it answers two frequently asked questions regarding the Bible and the believer.
Here we will see a parallel of six characteristics of the LORD and their (6) benefits for the believer. As you read the layout of this passage, you will go back and forth between the questions to see its cause and effect from the Bible to the believer and will hopefully gain insight into the concept of the value it portrays.
- Why is the Bible alone valuable?
The Bible is God’s Word, and that alone makes it perfect, which gives it the essence of incomprehensible and incomparable value.
“The law of the LORD is perfect..” (vs. 7a)
“the testimony of the LORD is sure..”(vs. 7b)
“The precepts of the LORD are right..” (vs. 8a)
“The commandment of the LORD is pure..”(vs. 8b)
“The fear of the LORD is clean..” (vs. 9a)
The rules of the LORD are true..”(vs. 9b)
That which gives great value must, within itself, hold a still more significant value.
Light always overcomes darkness.
“..reviving the soul.” (vs. 7a)
“..making wise the simple.” (vs. 7b)
“..rejoicing the heart.” (vs. 8a)
“..enlightening the eyes.” (vs. 8b)
“..enduring forever.” (vs. 9a)
“..and righteous altogether.” (vs. 9b)
(ESV)
It could be said that Psalm 19:7-9 is a “special revelation” that reiterates the value of the character of God, through the decrees of God, for the Child of God. It pictures a glorious transaction that transfers from God to the soul of those who believe in His Son. As we read these verses, it reveals what the Word of God does for the Christian. Essentially, it is showing us what had already taken place before we ever understood it, or were even born for that matter!
In the sense of salvation now, we can, by this passage, grasp that God saved and loved us before we ever knew Him, and surely before we ever loved Him.
We were valuable to God before He was valuable to us!
While we were sinners, Christ died for us! (Romans 5:8; ESV)
When God saved us, He opened our eyes. He transferred us from the darkness to the light, and we immediately realized that amidst all that we sought after in hopes to find a lasting, valuable “fix”, is suddenly like dung compared to the value we come to know as Christ the Lord of Glory crucified in our place.
We can therefore say with Paul,
“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.” Philippians 3:7 (ESV).
1 Cor. 2:2, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Christ and Him crucified”.
1 Corinthians 2:2 (ESV).
The Word of God is the only valuable resource for life and godliness. We are encouraged to spend our days in the joy we have because of Christ. We often live with anxious hearts and racing minds, but the Lord tells us that in weakness, He is our strength. 2 Corinthians 12:10b; (ESV).
Based on Scripture alone, we have no excuse for not resting in Him and His promises to us who believe upon, love, and savor the Lord Jesus Christ.
The last sentence of Matthew 6:26 asks us, “Are you not of more value than they?”
Who or what are the “they” here? They are the creatures and creations God provides for that are not even made in His image. Birds, lilies, the grass of the field, as the passage goes on to say!
All humanity that has ever been and that ever will be created is created in the image of God. The value we place on the beauty of things around us doesn’t compare to our value to God.
How much more then should we, as God’s chosen people, redeemed from the fall, honor our great God in thanksgiving and rejoicing because of who we are in Him!
Ultimately, we see that the Decree, or Word of God, is divine by proving God’s righteous character, and bringing great value to all who love God and find their rest in Him! Isaiah 26:3 (ESV).
Believer, remain in Him. The Bible contains this value we rejoice in.
It is the Word of God written for us! Treasure it with all your heart! Bible reading is the believers’ most
worshipful duty!
“So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.”
James 4:17 (ESV).
