(Why Should We Read the Bible - Part 1 | Part 2)
In the first part of this study, we looked at some of the reasons we should read it. In this section, we continue that study.
Jesus' Words Give Us Life
The Scripture: John 6:63
"The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life."
1. How does Jesus describe His words?
Scripture Cleanses and Purifies Us
The Scripture: James 1:21
"Get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you."
2. How do we get rid of moral filth and evil?
3. What does the word planted in us do?
4. How should we accept it?
It Protects Us
The Scripture: Eph. 6:13, 14-18
"Put on the full armor of God...Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition, take up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take up the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions."
5. What are some of the weapons we are given?
6. What is the sword of the Spirit?
In the Bible we will also find many other treasurers.
Peace
The Scripture: Psalm 119: 165
"Great peace have they who love Your law and nothing can make them stumble."
7. What else do we have when we love God's law?
8. How does it protect us?
Joy
The Scripture: Jeremiah 15:16
"When Your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear Your name, O Lord God Almighty."
9. When we inwardly digest it, what else does Scripture give us?
The Scripture: Psalm 119:111
"Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart."
10. How does the psalmist describe God's statutes?
Wisdom and Insight
The Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:15
"From early infancy, you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus."
11. What is able to make us wise?
A Jewish boy officially started studying the Old Testament at the age of five.
The Scripture: Psalm 119:98-99
"Your commands make me wiser than my enemies for they are always with me. I have more insight than all my teachers for I meditate on Your statutes."
12. What makes the psalmist wiser than his enemies?
13. What makes him wiser than his teachers?
Understanding
The Scripture: Psalm 119:130
"The unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple."
14. What does the unfolding of the Gospel do?
The Scripture: Psalm 119:104
"I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path."
15. What does this understanding do?
Direction
The Scripture: Psalm 119:105
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path."
16. What is the word to the psalmist?
Without light we grope through darkness.
Comfort
The Scripture: Psalm 119:50
"My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promises preserve my life."
17. What gives the writer comfort in his suffering?
Healing
The Scripture: Psalm 107:19-20
"They cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them from their distress. He sent forth His word and healed them."
18. How does the Lord heal?
It Foretells the Future
The Scripture: 2 Timothy 4:3
"For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."
19. What will men do in future days?
20. What will they believe instead?
We already have evidence of this. Newspaper accounts tell us that today many in the Scandinavian and Baltic countries are returning to the old mythological practices.
It Keeps Us from Spiritual Death
The Scripture: John 8:51
"I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps My word, he will never see death."
21. How are we saved from spiritual death?"
The Scripture: Hebrews 2:15
"Free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death."
22. By what is man held in slavery?
One of man's greatest fears is death. Following Jesus releases us from that fear.
It Gives Us Assurance of Our Salvation
The Scripture: 1 John 5:13
"I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life."
23. What is one reason the scriptures are written?
What wonderful blessings await those who read the scriptures. Begin reading them today.
It would also be a good idea for the reader to review this study periodically as a means of continually whetting her appetite for God's word.
The Answers
- They are spirit and life.
- By accepting the word planted in us
- Save us
- Humbly
- The belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit
- The word of God
- Great peace
- It keeps us from stumbling.
- Joy
- As his heritage and the joy of his heart
- Holy Scriptures
- Keeping God's commands with him.
- Meditating on the statutes
- It gives us understanding
- Causes us to hate every wrong path
- A lamp and a light
- God's promises
- By His word
- Turn away from sound doctrine and the truth
- Myths
- By keeping Jesus' word
- His fear of death
- That we may know that we have eternal life
All scripture quotations in this publication are from the Holy Bible, New International Version
(unless otherwise indicated)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, New International Bible Society
Copyright © 2005 by JoAnne Sekowsky