Dear Brethren,

Why is Bible Study so important?  What is the correct way to go about studying the Bible?  The Bible is the most read and least understood book on the face of the planet.  After years of reading its words and taking them to heart, each of us should be able to say unequivocally, “The Bible is the inspired Word of God.”  Peter said that every word in the Bible was long ago “breathed” by God and not conjured up by the will of man: but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit (2Peter 1:21).  God desires that we study what He has preserved for us in His Word of Truth:

2Timothy 2:15  Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.

Brethren, do you love to study your Bible?  While reading its pages do you feel a sense of connection with God?  Do you love Bible Study?  When I was a sophomore in High school back in 1958, song writer and recording artist, Phil Spector, inspired by words on his father's tombstone, wrote and performed with the group the Teddy Bears, an appealing little tune, “To Know Him Is to Love Him.”  It rose on the charts to number one in America and number two in England.  Everyone loved it.  It included lines like, “To Know Him Is to Love Him, (He) makes my life worthwhile, and to Know Him Is to Love Him and I do.”

Bible Study for the converted brethren is a lot like that.  We come to know God better and draw near to Him.  Bible Study should never be burdensome and tiring, but invigorating and exciting.  After all, God speaks to us through His inspired Word – the Holy Bible.  In turn, we speak to Him in prayer.  What we wish to know, is everything that God is making available to His Church brethren today.  How could we consider anything less?  God knows us, and we should want to know as much about Him as possible.  The Holy Scriptures contain everything we need to attain to salvation:

2Timothy 3:15  From a child you [Timothy] have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

There are some prerequisites for spiritually profitable learning from the Scriptures.  First of all, it is not possible to draw near to God unless we have proved for ourselves that He exists and rewards those who are diligently seeking Him (Hebrews 11:6).  There are easily a half-dozen ways to prove the reality of God for ourselves—not simply taking someone’s word for it.

Can we believe the internal evidence and the mind-boggling claims made within the Holy Bible without knowing to the core of our being that it is the Word of God?  The purpose of the Bible is to reveal the divine authority of God over mankind and to make known His universal plan of salvation, and how it is being achieved.  It is possible for us to prove for ourselves that the Bible is the Word of God by obeying its teachings and principles.  As Jesus said:

Luke 11:28  Blessed are they that hear the Word of God, and keep it.

We are blessed in that God is opening our minds to His Truth through the study of His Word.  Most of the world is not privileged at this time to grasp the awesome truth of God.  False doctrines like the rapture, Trinity, Christmas, Easter, immortal soul, all men are being judged now, heaven and hell, and Sun-day worship have placed a veil over man’s eyes in the past - but now the truth is being made known to those of us being called out of this dark world (John 6:65).  When learning about God we never base our understanding on anything but God's Word because going outside of the Bible to arrive at conclusions will contradict what God says in His Word.

The true knowledge of God is been hidden from the world but it is being revealed to God's people.  God has removed the scales from the eyes of His children and opened our ears to hear (John 12:40).  He has anointed us with His Spirit to lead us, and granted us the faith to believe—making us His Children even now (1John 3:2).  Personal Bible Study is one of the ways God reveals His truth to us:

1Corinthians 2:9-10 God reveals those things that He has prepared for those who love Him by His Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.

In our natural state our thoughts are not the same as God’s thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).  That has got to change so that we begin to think just like God does.  That is why we study God’s Word:

Philippians 2:5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.

Romans 12:2  Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

In today’s sermon we will discuss the crucial importance of regular Bible Study.  Nothing is more important for us than learning who and what God is – and what His Plan is for us.  Study God’s Word and you will come, not only to believe it, but also to love it!

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Sermon:

"Word of Truth"