Why Study the Bible

1. It is essential to spiritual growth

1 Peter 2:2 states ‘As newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.’ (NASV) We see the attitude of a new believer as needing to sustain life spiritually. How is our appetite for God’s Word appreciated? We should “long” for it or “crave” it. And of course the aim of Bible study is that we might grow and we can only grow by knowing.

2. It is essential to spiritual maturity.

Hebrews 5:12-14 helps us here. ‘For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.’ (ESV) The writersays one is mature if they’ve trained themselves through constant use of Scripture to distinguish good from evil. The Bible is the divine means of developing spiritual maturity.

3. It is essential to spiritual effectiveness.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that ‘All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.’ (ESV) We note that God is its source and its purpose is that one might be equipped for every good work – that we might be useful in His hand. God wants to communicate with humanity in the twenty first century and has written His message in a Book for us to learn.