Jesus said, "If you continue in my Word, then are you my disciples indeed, and you will know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Jesus further said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Paul wrote, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth." Peter wrote, "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby." David said he eagerly anticipated the calling of the night watches, that he might be awakened to meditate once again on God's Word. Job said he esteemed God's Word more than his necessary food.
Over and over again, the Spirit of God urges the people of God to read, study, meditate on, memorize AND TREASURE the Words of God in the strongest possible terms!
But, as one who has been involved in teaching the Bible for 32 years, it seems clear the trend in the church at large is more and more AWAY from serious study of the Bible (which is the very thing the Bible tells us WILL happen in II Timothy 4:3-4). Why is it getting increasingly uncommon to find Christians who truly hunger to know and cherish God's Word?
Let's wait on that answer for just now.
One thing I so often hear is that too much Bible Knowledge only leads to pride and arrogance. After all, doesn't the Bible itself say, "knowledge puffeth up?"
Hold it. Let me get this straight, please.
You're telling me that spending time seriously ingesting the Bible, which tells us over and over again we are to pay the very highest, most urgent attention to its contents (the same Bible that tells us God "has magnified His Word above all His Holy Name" Psalm 138:2); you're telling me that studying and learning the words scripture describes as the very outbreathing of God will only inevitably lead to pride and arrogance (two things God says He hates with a passion, by the way)?
So, then, knowing your Bible actually becomes a BAD THING?
And, to prove that, you're quoting . . . THE BIBLE?
Now, just how much real thought have we given this?
Is it just remotely possible there's another, ulterior motive that's REALLY behind much of the current Bible avoidance? A motive, perhaps, that we're not giving voice to? A motive that doesn't sound quite so noble and ethically-minded and spiritual? Hmmm . . .
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