Why Read the Bible? (Bulletin Article for September 16)

This article is an “unfinished” list. There are literally dozens of reasons to read the Bible. To help you get a list started, and, hopefully, to motivate all of us to read the Bible more, I offer the following reasons.

1. It is how God speaks to us today. The time of miracles has past (cf. First Corinthians 12-14), but God still communicates with His children. Hebrews 11:1-2 reminds us that God has “in these last days spoken to us through His Son.” If we want to hear the Message from God, we will open His Word and “listen.”

2. It contains the story of the greatest life ever lived. While Jesus never traveled extensively and never wrote much material, His life is the greatest example we could ever follow. You can read wonderful biographies of great men and women throughout history, or you can turn to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John and read the greatest; the story of the One Who “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38).

3. It shows us the way to heaven. There are dozens of “ways” offered by man, but God offers just one way of salvation. I would much rather read and know that way from the very mind of God than listen to what a man says.

4. It offers encouragement. Many read self-help books like Chicken Soup for the Soul when feeling down or depressed. There’s nothing wrong with books like those, but they do not come anywhere near offering the encouragement found in the Bible. In the Bible we learn from men like Joseph how to go from the prison-house to the palace. We learn from ladies like Esther how to be “just another person” and then take advantage of our one moment in time.

5. It gives wisdom. No one likes to be out in the dark. We all like to have intelligence and wisdom. God’s Word offers us the greatest wisdom, and the promise that God will grant even more wisdom if we just ask!

6. It shows us examples of how to live…and how not to live. One of the greatest facts about the Bible is that it shows us heroes in their triumphs and failures. It also shows us when evil folks do some things correctly. The Bible gives us examples of faithfulness (Abraham) and total failure (Jezebel).

7. It teaches us about the church. While the family is great and government is God-ordained, the church is the greatest institution in the world. In the pages of the New Testament, we learn about the beginning of the church, and about its growth. We also learn how to organize the church and how to honor God through her.

While you can add to this list, these seven facts should get you started and help you open God’s Word to read.