Why Bible Study is a Necessity in Your Life
INTRODUCTION.
A. How well would do you know the scriptures?
1. Do you know how many days it took God to create the world?
2. Do you know how may days Noah and his family were in the ark?
3. Do you know the names of the twelve sons of Jacob?
4. Do you know the names of King David’s sons?
B. Some people may say that those questions are trivial questions. There are other questions which, for Christians, are very crucial.
1. Do you know what the Bible teaches about how to be saved?
2. Do you know the reasons why we do not observe the Sabbath Day as holy?
3. Do you know why we do not use musical instruments during our worship services?
4. Do you know what you need to do in order to over come sin?
C. If you do not know the answer to the above questions, it is possible that you could be led away from the Truth. Such a weakness in Bible knowledge can be very dangerous to any Christian. (Hence the need to not only know the Bible for ourselves, but to also teach the Bible to our children and to those who are babes in Christ.)
D. Consider the following example found in Matthew 22:29.
1. In this text, Jesus criticized a group of people because they did not know the scriptures. He said, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.” (NKJV)
a. Both the KJV and the ASV read, “Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, . . .”
b. The Greek word translated as “ye do err” and “you are mistaken” is planao. Planao, in the KJV, is translated as “deceive” twenty four times, “err” six times, “go astray” five times, “seduce” two times, “wander” one time, and “be out of the way” one time.
c. The Greek word planao means, “1) to cause to stray, to lead astray, lead aside from the right way . . .” (Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon)
2. Because these people did not know the scriptures, they were in error regarding their understanding of the resurrection. They had been lead astray due to their ignorance.
E. Not knowing the Bible can be a very dangerous problem for any person. With this lesson, I hope to show you several reasons why the study of the Bible is a necessity in your life.
I. BIBLE STUDY BUILDS FAITH.
A. A person cannot know what they are to believe without knowledge of what they are to believe. In other words, if you are going to believe in something, then you must possess knowledge of that something. When you study God’s word, it will build your faith in God. (Romans 10:14-17)
B. Without the building of your faith, you will not please God. (Hebrews 11:6) Your faith guides you and drives you onward in your obedience. Studying the Bible tells you what to believe, why to believe, how to believe, and the benefits of belief.
II. BIBLE STUDY WILL SHOW YOU HOW TO LIVE.
A. Through studying the Bible, you allow the Lord’s Word to be a light to your path. (Psalms 119:105)
B. The benefit of God’s Word lighting your path is that it tells you how to live. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
1. Doctrine – teachings and instructions
2. Reproof – refers to a proof or that which tests, proves, or convicts
3. Correction – means to restore to a right state, an improvement of life or character
4. Instructions in righteousness – this refers to the education or training of a person to walk in a manner that is acceptable to God, to walk righteously or in the way that is right.
5. Complete or mature - perfect, KJV – the Greek word here means fitted, complete, or perfect – God’s word is intended to bring every Christian to the point of being complete in their understanding and service to God. This follows in the last phrase of verse 17.
6. Thoroughly equipped for every good work – “thoroughly equipped” means to complete or to finish. The person who studies God word will be complete, ready to understand every good work in serving the Lord.
7. The word of God shows you how to live by giving you the necessary teachings and instructions, by proving you or convicting you when you are wrong, by showing you how to restore yourself to a right state when you are weak, and by educating or training you to walk rightly in a manner that is acceptable unto God. If you will study the Bible regularly and apply its teachings in you life, then you will be better equipped to serve God in every area of your life.
C. It is no wonder that Paul told Timothy to study to show himself approved unto God. When you study God’s word, you will learn how to rightly divide the word of Truth. “Be diligent (Study, KJV) to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15, NKJV)
1. “be diligent” or “study” – “1) to hasten, make haste 2) to exert one’s self, endeavour, give diligence” (Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon)
2. “rightly divide” – “1) to cut straight, to cut straight ways 1a) to proceed on straight paths, hold a straight course, equiv. to doing right 2) to make straight and smooth, to handle aright, to teach the truth directly and correctly” (Ibid.)
D. One more thought, by adding knowledge to your faith, you will be fruitful in the work of the Lord. (2 Peter 1:5-8)
E. Through Bible study, you will know how to live, you will understand the changes that must be made in your lives and you will develop the desire to make those changes.
III. BIBLE STUDY PROMOTES SPIRITUAL GROWTH.
A. Once you are willing to turn to the Bible to learn how you are to live, you must begin by putting off sin and replacing it with a desire to study God’s word. (1 Peter 2:1-2) As Peter clearly teaches, through a study of God’s word, Christians will grow spiritually.
B. It is God’s intention that every Christian reaches a point in their understanding of the Bible where they can teach other people. (Hebrews 5:12-14) However, in order to reach this point, you must study God’s Word, the Bible. Without such faithful Bible study, you will never grow and will never be able to teach the lost.
C. Not only does Bible study allow spiritual growth that results in the teaching of the lost, but it also provides spiritual stability. (Ephesians 4:11-15)
1. “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,”
2. “for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry”
3. “for the edifying of the body of Christ”
4. “till we all come to the unity of the faith”
5. “till we all come to the unity . . . of the knowledge of the Son of God,”
6. “till we all come . . . to a perfect man”
7. “till we all come . . . to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ”
8. “that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,”
9. “but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—“
D. Remember what Paul told the Ephesian elders, “So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” (Acts 20:32; NKJV) If the “word of His grace” could build up the elders in Ephesus, so too can it build you up.
CONCLUSION.
A. Be honest with yourself. How well do you know the Bible? Do you know enough to defend your faith, to give an answer for the hope that lies within you?
B. If you are not studying your Bible, then . . .
1. Your faith will be weak, it will never grow beyond spiritual infancy.
2. You will not know who to live. You will be unable to distinguish between that which is right and that which is wrong.
3. You will not grow to spiritual maturity. You will always be a spiritual babe, never going past the rudimentary levels of understanding and appreciation for God and His Word. Like a starving infant will eventually die, so too will you suffer spiritual death.
C. Pick up your Bible today and make the time to study your Bible every single day.
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Why Bible Study is a Necessity in Your Life – February 9, 2003 -- File # 110
by John M. Duvall – Lawton, OK