Day 22 How to Study the Bible

Multiply

Part II: How to Study the Bible

Session 1: Why Study the Bible?

For a Christian, nothing should seem more natural than reading the Bible. Peter, one of Jesusʼ first disciples, compared it to a babyʼs natural craving for milk. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. (1 Pet. 2:2-3)

Like a newborn depends on milk to survive and to grow, we should equally depend on the words of Scripture for our spiritual survival and growth. The words of this book have impacted millions of lives over thousands of years, and God wants it to change our lives as well. If you donʼt already love the Bible, pray that you would.

No matter what your experience with the Bible has been, itʼs helpful for all of us to step back and think about what the Bible actually is. When we talk about the Bible, we sometimes use profound language without considering what weʼre really saying. Perhaps the strongest thing we

can say about the Bible is that it is the “Word of God.” 

But have you ever thought about what that means? That concept should blow our minds. When we talk about the Bible, weʼre actually talking about something that the all-powerful, all-knowing, transcendent God decided to write to us! What could be more important?  Think of how you would respond to hearing a voice from Heaven speaking directly to you. We should approach the Bible with the same reverence.

If we really believe that the Bible is the Word of God, then it should be much more than a book that we are familiar with. It ought to shape every aspect of our existence. It should guide the decisions we make in life. If God is the designer and creator of this world, if He made us and

placed us on this earth, and if He has taken the time to tell us who He is, who we are, and how this world operates, then what could be more important to us than the Bible?

But even after we decide that the Bible is important, we still need to learn to approach it in the right way and with the right motives. Many Christians misuse the Bible because they never ask themselves why they are studying it in the first place. The purpose of this session is to help you think through the nature of the Bible, why it is important to study, and how it should transform

our lives.

Studying the Right Book for the Wrong Reasons

Before you go any further, ask yourself why you study the Bible. Donʼt be overly optimistic with this; try to assess your heart. When you pick up the Bible and begin to read it, what is motivating you? Are you driven by guilt? Do you have a desire to know God more fully? Are you looking for arguments against other perspectives? Are you looking for material for a Bible study or sermon?

1. Take a few minutes to examine your motivations and write down a few thoughts below:

The fact of the matter is that most Christians study the Bible for the wrong reasons. Here we will explore four motivations for studying the Bible that we need to move beyond: guilt, status, jealousy, and teaching material.

Guilt

Many people are motivated by guilt. We all know that we should be reading our Bibles—itʼs just one of those things that Christians are told they are supposed to do. It is often added to a list with things like church attendance, tithing, and not swearing. Nobody wants to admit that they read the Bible out of guilt, but guilt is a powerful motivator.

Very often this guilt is connected with legalism. We create our own standard (I must read __ chapters per day) and then hold ourselves to it, never stopping to consider that God has not placed this standard on us, we have placed it on ourselves. It doesnʼt take long before we begin holding other people to that standard as well. And thus a culture of guilt is formed, a culture where

“good Christians” read their Bibles because theyʼre afraid not to, and “bad Christians” feel guilty about not meeting their Bible reading quota.

Status

There is a certain status or air of respect reserved for those who know their Bibles well. And rightly so. We should all aspire to know Godʼs Word inside and out. It should be on the tip of our tongues and deeply engrained on our hearts and minds.

But take a minute to ask yourself why you want to know the Bible well. God is pleased when we treasure His Word, but do you really think He is pleased with your desire to appear smart? Does your desire to be the “go-to-guy” who is never stumped really bring Him glory? What about your desire to be recognized as the best or the most spiritual person in the room?  Itʼs not about studying the Bible too much (as if that were possible), itʼs about your motivation. Too often Christians are motivated by status when we should be motivated by a

desire to know God, to be changed by His Word, and to love and serve the people around us.

Jealousy

Another motivation that is very closely connected to the pursuit of status is jealousy. Chances are, you know someone who knows the Bible inside and out. Maybe youʼve noticed how that person gets treated, and you want what he or she has. Competition is a great motivator, but itʼs the wrong reason to study the Bible. God cares more about your character than your productivity; and letʼs face it, studying the Bible in order to be better than someone else is ridiculous.

Teaching Material

Sometimes our motivations get skewed when we have to study the Bible in order to lead a Bible study, preach a sermon, or just have some sort of Scriptural gem to share with someone. This tends to be a much more subtle misuse of the Bible. Itʼs not wrong to use the Bible in preparation for teaching other people. In fact, itʼs necessary. The problem arises when we begin to approach the Bible only as a source for teaching material. If you are in a role where you preach or teach to

others, do you find yourself simply scanning the Bible for nuggets to share? Or do you soak in the Scriptures because of what they have to say to you, listening to what God wants to teach you, allowing the Bible to transform you in unexpected ways?

2. Take a minute to think about your past experience with studying the Bible. Which of the wrong motivations listed above are you guilty of? Can you think of any others?