Good News For Youth (GNFY) published under the oversight of the Alkire Rd Church of Christ elders and posted by permission of the editor.
Do You Study Your Bible?
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| Paul wrote to Timothy, "Study
to shew thyself approved unto a God, a workman that needeth not to be
ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (II
Timothy 2:15). This injunction is still proper for each one
today. We need not only to read, but to study the Bible. If
we will take time to read and study it, the Bible will help us
wonderfully in our lives.
By studying God’s word, we will find light to guide us a little farther down the path of right. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalms 119:105). The darkness of sorrow, despair, sickness and sin can be driven away by the light of the love of God, through His word.
By studying God’s word, we shall have our hearts cleansed. "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you" (John 15:3). Our motives will be changed; our outlooks will be different; and our attitudes toward others will be altered. Purity, will begin to replace impurity; emptiness will be filled by goodness.
By studying God’s word, we shall gain in faith. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). The greater our faith, the greater our service and dedication will be. "But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him" (Hebrews 11:6). So, we certainly should be striving to grow in our faith, seeking to increase it daily. |
By studying God’s word, we may learn
things we did not know before. We may learn how lightly we
have taken serious commands. We may come to see how we have been
living in transgression of God’s will. We may learn to rejoice
in the suffering which sometimes comes while serving Him. "All
scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in all
righteousness; That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished
unto all good works" (II
Timothy 3:16,17).
By studying God’s word, we may be strengthened so as to better overcome the tempter. "I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one" (I John 2:14). How better than by God’s own instructions could one be able to resist Satan successfully?
By studying God’s word, we may gain heavenly life. "...the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life" (John 6:63). We must all answer individually. So much will depend upon how we have studied and infused into our lives what we have learned from that study.
These are by no means the only benefits of studying the Bible, but are not they enough? Why not decide now to study the Bible daily and see how much it will improve your life? |
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-- Oran Rhodes, January 2001 --
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When
judgment comes, we will be judged by the word (