Studying the Bible

If I were going to aspire to be like someone in the Bible, it would not be the rich young ruler who came asking Jesus, ""what must I do to have eternal life"" but went away sorrowfully, unwilling to give up his riches and to follow Jesus (Matthew 19:16-22); nor would I be envious of the rich man who faired sumptuously on earth but was tormented in Hades (Luke 16:19-31). Rather, I would desire to be like Enoch who ""walked with God"" (Genesis 5:22) or Abraham who was known as the ""friend of God"" (James 2:23) or Moses who was called ""faithful"" (Hebrews 3:2) - people who were close, or near to God, whom God knew and blessed and loved. What could be better than drawing near to God in this world and living with Him throughout eternity?

One way to draw near to God is through studying the Bible. In fact, we must study the Bible if we want to draw near to God. The scriptures are inspired, or God breathed (2 Timothy 3:16), and through the scriptures God speaks to us and reveals Himself to man (Hebrews 1:1). We must be eager to listen to God and to learn of Him. Only by studying the scriptures can we know the mind and will of God, and by doing His will we can draw close to Him (1Corinthians 2:10-16; Matthew 7:21,22). Faith in God comes by hearing the word of the Lord; without faith we cannot please Him (Romans 10:17; Hebrews 11:6). It was Abraham's faith that made him God's friend. The strength of our relationship with the Lord also depends upon a faith established by the word. Through study we gain knowledge; without knowledge our zeal for God may be misdirected and lead us away from the Lord rather than allowing us to draw near to Him (Romans 10:2,3). We cannot walk with the Lord unless we walk in His ways (Amos 3:3). The Bible is the word of life; only by studying and obeying it can we draw near to God who is the source of life (Ephesians 4:17,18). We must, therefore, study diligently to be approved of God and to draw near to Him (2Timothy 2:15).

The psalmist is an example of one who was close to God. He viewed God as a shepherd who led him to ""green pastures"" and beside ""still waters"" (Psalms 23:1,2), and he called God his rock and his refuge (Psalms 18:2; 91:2). The psalmist was close to the word, too. He loved it, believed it, sought it, delighted in it, meditated on it, and did not forget it; he hid it in his heart that he might not sin. The psalmist esteemed the word of God more precious than silver or gold and sweeter than honey, and he panted after it (Psalms 119). If we aspire to draw near to the Lord as did the psalmist, we, too, must love the word of God and seek to know it.

It has been suggested that we can read the Bible through in one year, if we will read it for only thirty minutes a day. Reading the Bible in this manner will familiarize us with God's entire word. Furthermore, one speaker, though not talking about the Bible, suggested that if we would spend one hour a day reading about a subject or listening to tapes about the subject, we would gain in just one year a knowledge equivalent to that of a Ph.D. in that field of study. Think of what that could mean in terms of Bible knowledge! We can draw near to God through study if we make it a priority in our lives and endeavor to do so.

To help us gain the most from our Bible study, we should choose a time when we are not physically fatigued and a place away from the television and other distractions and interruptions. Many good Bible helps such as concordances, commentaries, Bible dictionaries, and books written about Bible subjects are available and can prove beneficial in our studies. We may need the help of others in understanding some of the Bible, and there is nothing wrong in seeking that help (Nehemiah 8:8; Acts 8:30-35). Furthermore, we need to clear our mind of other things so we can concentrate on the Word. It will help if we ask ourselves how what we are studying relates to other truths that we have learned from the scriptures or how it applies to us. Establishing good study habits will enhance our study of God's word and thus help us draw nearer to God.

One writer likened Christians who do not have an expanding, deepening knowledge of God to players who have no coach, no rule book, no game schedule, no playing field, and no training program (Howard, Balancing Life's Demands). It is the ""the word of his grace"" that builds us up and allows us to draw nearer to God (Acts 20:32).