If we browse through stats from such sources as researcher George Barna and Wheaton College we learn something very troubling: a large number of Western Christians today have lost respect for biblical authority and are weak in biblical knowledge. Many Christians are not reading, hearing or submitting to Scripture.
This brings me to several questions: Should believers study Scripture? Is it important to spend vast amounts of time chewing on God’s Word? Shouldn’t we just concentrate on living for God, rather than on accumulating knowledge? Knowledge puffs up, doesn’t it? Isn’t it more important to just obey God? After all, so many Christians have failed Christ by filling their heads with God’s Word but failing to live their faith out.
As you are probably anticipating, my own position is that God’s Word is an indispensable part of a God-honouring Christian life. The answer to the dilemma of Christians with head-knowledge of the Word but no practical outworking of it is not action at the expense of knowledge, but rather action that is formed and shaped by knowledge.
Let me begin by stating that I realize that I will be making some huge assumptions as I attempt to answer the question of why Christians should read Scripture. First of all, I am trusting that you hold to a belief in absolute truth and absolute morality and I am working with the hypothesis that you already believe that God’s Word is truth.
If you struggle with any of these convictions, let me offer you the following suggestions. First of all, if you have not taken the time to examine your opinions concerning absolute truth, absolute morality and God’s Word (and the ground on which your opinions are based), please take the time to do so. I hope to write on these topics, but in the meantime, there are many helpful resources which can provide solid arguments and thought-provoking questions in favour of my assumptions. So often, we reject what we do not understand and disagree with opinions that upset our spirits but have never been seriously contemplated in our minds. You owe it to yourself to understand why you believe what you believe.
Furthermore, please read on in spite of your disagreement with my assumptions. At very least, it will create in you a greater understanding of your fellow human beings and lead to more civil dialogue on such an important topic.
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