Faithfully reading and studying the Bible is hard. It requires commitment. It takes time away from other things. And the results and benefits are rarely instantaneous.
In fact, I even found 3 reasons to stop reading the Bible in the Bible itself. Check these out:
- Reading it makes us accountable (Luke 12:47-48; James 3:1) – The more we know about God, His will, and His ways, the more God expects from us in stewardship, worship, and discipleship.
- Reading it isn’t enough anyway (James 1:22-25) – Simply “listening” or reading is a waste of time. If we don’t obey it, we trick and delude ourselves.
- Reading it can be painful (Hebrews 4:21-13) – God’s Word is not “dead” text, just ink on a page. It is a living thing, the very breath of God breathed out. It has the supernatural ability to penetrate our hearts and judge our thoughts, laying everything bare and exposed.
Sounds like it would be better to let our Bibles just sit and collect dust on the shelf, doesn’t it? Yes, then we could be our own boss. We could decide what to do and when to do it. We could rely on ourselves and only on ourselves.
Yep. Certainly we would be better off. Wouldn’t we?
While I could launch into dozens of reasons to read and obey God’s Word, today only one is necessary. Knowledge of God’s Word leads us to eternal salvation.
14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:14-17
Without Jesus Christ and the salvation that comes only through Him, we would be eternally doomed. God’s Word reveals Christ and His salvation and shows us how to follow Him. Reason enough.
What reasons have you heard to not read the Bible? What excuses have you used? If you read the Bible, why do you?
Your 3 reasons to stop reading the Bible is misleading..
2 Tim. 3:15 says “And that from a babe you have known the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise unto salvation…” WISE unto salvation… Not reading it will NOT save them from being accountable. We are all accountable.
Yes, reading is not enough, but to say to stop reading it because reading is not enough is too childish, you don’t stop taking medicine when you don’t see the effect, you drink it until you are cured. The Bible is the same, you don’t stop reading it just because you feel that you can’t follow it. And mind you, we don’t read it just to follow it.
In John 6:63, the Lord clearly says “…the words which I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.” While Jeremiah says, 15:16 “Your words were found and I ate them” WE DO NOT MERELY COME TO THE WORD FOR US TO LEARN SOMETHING, WE COME TO THE WORD TO EAT OF IT, IT IS FOR OUR SPIRITUAL NOURISHMENT. WHEN WE EAT THE WORD, IT BECOMES SPIRIT AND LIFE TO US. HOW WONDERFUL IS THE WORD.
Yes, reading it may be painful just as in Revelation 10:9, when the Angel said to John “…Take it and devour it, and it will make your stomach bitter (that is in our experience), but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey. But this will perfect us as what John says “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
1 Tim. 2:4 says “[God] Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the full knowledge of the truth.”
Ignorance was never an excuse…
Whenever we speak something it should be for the glory of God and for the building up not just for self-gain and for people to say that you know something. Let me ask you, what is the benefit that God’s people can get through the verses which will give them the “so-called” reason to stop reading the Bible. May the Lord enlighten us.
Thanks for coming by. So sorry you misunderstood! The blog title is meant to be sarcastic and the post merely a tool to point to the glorious nature of God’s Word.