God intended that His word, the Bible, be understood and applied (2 Tim. 3:16-17). He wrote it in such a way that we can understand it when we read (Eph. 3:4). To claim that the Bible cannot be understood is tantamount to saying God failed in revealing His will. One cannot attack a book without maligning its author.
While the Bible can be understood, it is not all easy to understand. There are sections that are hard to understand (2 Pet. 3:16). These passages are not impossible to understand, but require effort to ascertain the meaning. Sometimes help is needed in arriving at the proper meaning (Acts 8:31). The Bible is a tremendous volume that is able to provide nourishment to people at various stages of spiritual development. Both milk for the babies and meat for the mature may be found within its pages (1 Cor. 3:1-3; Heb. 5:12-14). It is an inexhaustible resource of wisdom that ever challenges man with the loftiest of themes (Psa. 139:17-18).
God’s word is truth (Jn. 17:17). Jesus Christ is the personal revelation of truth (Jn. 14:6). While we will never know everything, we can all glean enough truth to be set free from sin, if we continue in Jesus’ word (Jn. 8:31-32). It is God’s desire that all men come to saving truth in Christ Jesus (1 Tim. 2:4). All truth necessary for salvation was revealed to the first-century apostles and prophets and preserved in a literary reservoir that is the twenty-seven books of the New Testament (Jn. 16:12-13; Heb. 2:3-4; Jude 3).
Each Christian has the responsibility to study this word and grow in knowledge of the truth (2 Peter 3:18). If we do not grow, we may forget even the basics that we should know (Heb. 5:12). We can become blind to what God has done for us (2 Pet. 1:9). We can even become entangled in the pollutions of the world that we had once escaped when we had come to the knowledge of the truth (2 Pet. 2:20). Instead of forgetting the soul-saving truth that has been presented to us, let us study all the more that God will approve of us for correctly handling His word (2 Tim. 2:15). God wants us to be filled with knowledge of His will, always increasing our understanding (Col. 1:9-10). This way we will be firmly established in His truth and richly blessed by having His words in our hearts and on our tongues (Col. 2:2-7; 3:16).
What does your personal Bible study throughout the week show about your desire to know more about God’s word? What about your attendance at the Bible classes offered by the church? What about not merely your attendance, but your preparation for these studies? Do you go home afterwards and think and study further on points made in these classes? Or are the Bible classes of the church just a box that you check each week because you were physically present? Do you desire to know more of God’s word?
-Mark Day
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