importance of reading the bible essay

• Why Should I Read the Bible?

By Billy Graham   •   September 2, 2021   •   Topics: Bible

Do Christians have to read the Bible? Maybe you’ve tried, got overwhelmed or discouraged, and gave up. Why should you read it anyway?

Many people asked Billy Graham that same question over the years. Here’s his response: 

Today, many people keep the Bible a closed book. One reason is because we don’t realize how much we need it. If I suggested that you stop eating for a few months, you’d ignore me—and rightly so. We need food in order to survive, and without food we’ll grow weak and eventually die.

Yet many Christians are spiritually starved and weak because they ignore the spiritual “food” God has provided in the Bible. The Bible is not an option; it is a necessity. You cannot grow spiritually strong without it.

Job said, “I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread” (Job 23:12). Is the Bible this important to you?

Don’t look on the Bible as a bad-tasting medicine—think of it instead as a delightful food that God has given us to strengthen our souls! The Psalmist said, “Blessed is the one … whose delight is in the law of the Lord” (Psalm 1:1-2).

You see, God wants you to grow in your faith—and one of the ways that happens is through reading God’s Word and letting its truth sink deeply into our hearts and minds. Through the Bible we learn how God wants us to live, and we learn too what He has done to save us.

Most of all we discover who He is and what He wants to do in our lives. The Apostle Paul put it this way: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

>> Tips for reading and understanding the Bible

How can you make the Bible come alive? First, use a translation you can understand. Then start with one of the Gospels (I often suggest John), reading at least a paragraph or two every day. In addition, always ask God to show you what it tells you about Jesus and His love for us.

I’m thankful you’ve made your personal commitment to Christ; it’s the most important decision you will ever make. But don’t stand still in your faith. Instead, ask God to help you grow stronger every day, as you pray, and learn from God’s Word, and gain encouragement from other believers.

How can you know the Bible is true? Here are 5 reasons you can trust what it says.

More Stories

Armor of God Part 5: Sword of the Spirit

The Bible: A True Bestseller

These Phrases Seem Biblical, But Are They?

Can We Trust the Bible If It Was Written by Humans?

Giving Up on God? 7 Encouraging Answers from Billy Graham

Read Today's Devotion

The manifestation of faith.

How to go to heaven

How to get right with god.

Why should we read the Bible / study the Bible?

For further study, related articles, subscribe to the, question of the week.

Get our Question of the Week delivered right to your inbox!

Home — Essay Samples — Religion — Bible — The Importance of the Bible

The Importance of The Bible

• Categories: Bible Biblical Worldview

About this sample

Words: 606 |

Published: Mar 20, 2024

Words: 606 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

Table of contents

Religious importance, literary and cultural importance, historical and educational importance.

Cite this Essay

To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below:

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Dr. Heisenberg

Verified writer

• Expert in: Religion

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

4 pages / 1827 words

5.5 pages / 2487 words

4 pages / 1767 words

5 pages / 2352 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Bible

Exodus 16 and Numbers 11 both recount the story of the manna and quails. Though these two chapters concern the same story, they offer different details and variable facts. The two stories differ especially in their [...]

In the first 18 lines of John, the story of Jesus is introduced with a jarringly brief and emphatic summary of history from the beginning of time to the birth of Christ. This passage formalizes the concept, suggested more subtly [...]

Overall, Elijah the prophet plays a crucial role in the Bible, offering significant contributions to the narrative and teachings within the text. His calling by God and his subsequent prophetic ministry highlight his unwavering [...]

In the biblical narrative, David is a young shepherd who first gains fame as a musician and later by killing Goliath. He becomes a favorite of King Saul and a close friend of Saul's son Jonathan. Worried that David is trying to [...]

The Gospel of Luke opens with a four-verse reflection on the Evangelist's intentions regarding his Gospel and what he hopes to achieve in writing it. He expresses his desire to construct a revised edition of the story of the [...]

Throughout Mark's Gospel, we see Jesus referred to as the 'Son of God' and the 'Son of Man' on numerous occasions, the former occurring a total of eight times within the text, and the latter, being 'the most frequent of the [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

10 reasons to read the Bible

Why read the Bible? Why wake up 15 minutes early each day? Why go to all that trouble?  After all, sleeping is better than reading, right?

Before you close the book on God’s book, here are 10 reasons to read the Bible:

1.  Reading the Bible shows us God’s character. The Bible is our definitive source for the answers to our questions about God.

“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven” ( Hebrews 1:1-3 ).

2.   Reading the Bible teaches us to imitate God.

“Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children” ( Ephesians 5:1 ).

3.  Reading the Bible helps us discover our next step.

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” ( Psalm 119:105 ).

4.  Reading the Bible keeps us from sin.

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” ( Psalm 119:11 ).

5.  Reading the Bible helps us to renew our minds so we can know God’s will.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” ( Romans 12:1-2 ).

6.  Reading the Bible allows us to be certain of what God said. The Bible is our final authority.

“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” ( John 17:17 ).

7.  Reading the Bible allows us to receive the desires of our heart.

“If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” ( John 15:7 ).

8. Reading the Bible is how we learn about the gospel.

“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life” John 5:39-40 .

9.  Reading the Bible gives us courage.

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” ( Joshua 1:8-9 ).

10.  Reading the Bible helps us to be fruitful.

“... but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither —   whatever they do prospers” ( Psalm 1:2-3 ).

discipline bible purpose

What's happening at NewSpring Church?

• Need to Know: Weekly email to keep you informed about what's happening at NewSpring
• Fuse News: Email for Fuse parents sent on the first Monday of the month
• KidSpring Scoop: Email sent each Friday with the scoop on what's happening in KidSpring.

Choose One Need to Know Fuse News KidSpring Scoop

Where would you like to go?

Find a Group

Looking for something specific?

• Bible Reading
• Connect Classes

Watch & Read

• Devotionals
• Young Adults
• NewSpring Network
• Why We Give
• Giving History

• Why the Bible Answering your questions about the Bible
• Get a Bible Find the Bible that's just right for you.
• Read the Bible The story of the Bible and tools to study it.
• Know the Bible Resources to help you understand it.
• Live the Bible Helping you live out a biblical worldview.

Why Read the Bible?

Tired of Empty Promises? Try Reading the Bible

Here’s Why You Need the Bible

Have You Ever Wondered About God?

4 Questions Before You Dismiss the Bible

Discover resources that will encourage and equip you to engage with the Bible with the loved ones in your home.

• The Big Questions
• Ask a Question

What questions do you have?  Contact us and one of our team members will personally respond to you by email. 

Have questions about your relationship with God? Start a conversation with one of our responders who is ready and willing to answer your questions.

• Popular Verses
• Biblical Worldview
• Life Challenges
• Books of the Bible
• Biographies
• Historic Works

Love is patient, love is kind…

For God so loved the world…

All things work together….

Count it all joy……

For I know the plans…

The Lord is my shepherd…

Do not be conformed…

I can do all things…

Do not be anxious…

Seek first…

Cast all your anxiety…

Fear not, for I am with you…

Be strong and courageous…

Whoever dwells in the shelter…

Leviticus 

Deuteronomy

Ezra-Nehemiah

Esther 

Ecclesiastes

Song of Songs

Lamentations

Daniel 

1 Corinthians

2 Corinthians

Philippians

1 Thessalonians

2 Thessalonians

1 Timothy 

2 Timothy 

Titus 

3 John 

• Recent Articles
• Quick Reads
• Devotionals
• Bible Book Introductions
• Bible Book Backgrounds

How Jeremiah Helps Us Answer the Question, "What Is My Calling?"

How god's anger helps us make sense of our own anger, 4 ways to approach the bible from john newton, metaphors for the church in the bible and why they're important, what 1 peter 1:8 teaches us about true spirituality, one way to know if you’re a true christian, jesus died to cancel the legal demands of the law against us, jesus died to absorb the wrath of god, what happens when you pray before you read scripture, where to start reading the bible as a new believer, consider the wonders of creation, seek god (especially when you don’t want to), are you feeling low, ask for a life-giving promise, yes, god has a hand in the weather.

Leviticus  

1 Timothy  

1 Chronicles

2 Chronicles

• Recent Podcasts

The Story Behind the Band Stillcreek and the Incredible Treasure of Psalm 119

Sex, dating, and relationships, and whether the bible has anything to say about it, how a military wife learned to pray and how you can too, choosing faithfulness over fame and the priority of abiding in jesus, 10 reasons why we need to read the bible daily, why do we read the bible.

We prioritize daily Bible reading because without it we fail to achieve life’s great purpose: “to make God in Christ look magnificent—to make him look precious and valuable, to look like the supreme treasure that he is” (Philippians 1:20).  

And yet, “there’s so much in us that is inclined to think or feel or act in ways that don’t make Christ look great.” To accomplish our great purpose, we must see glory. “If we don’t desire and cherish and enjoy and savor and treasure Christ, we will not commend him as magnificent in what we feel and say and do.

Christ is most magnified in us when we are most satisfied in him, and we cannot be daily satisfied in the depths of our soul in Christ if we don’t see him and savor him.” And that will “only happen” by a “steady meditation on the word of God in the Bible.” In Scripture we behold Christ’s glory, and this glory transforms us from the inside out (2 Corinthians 3:18; 4:4).   

What Motivates Our Bible Reading?

Proper Bible reading is motivated by a desperation to see God. “The reason I read the Bible is because I am stone-cold dead without Christ and his Word. But I want all my life—every part of it—to be glorious. I want life to be beautiful. I want life to be vastly more than it is if I’m left to myself. I want to see how astonishing reality is at every turn—every person, every rock, every tree, every animal, every work of salvation. I know that, left to myself, I am an absolute dud. I am blank, nothing deep, nothing moving, nothing intense, nothing beautiful, nothing precious, nothing sweet or wonderful— just empty, blank, unmoved, coasting along from one worldly preoccupation to another.”  

There’s “one hope for John Piper: that I would have eyes to see the God-entranced magnificence of everything—namely, that God would be pleased in my Bible reading to cause me to see the glory that is really there.” We must see and savor the glory that shapes us into redeemed sinners who magnify God by being satisfied in him. Set in this context, Bible reading is truly an “awesome quest.” [ 1]  

Why Read the Bible Daily?

To a new believer who asked why daily Bible reading is so essential to a fruitful life: “I have never met a mature, fruitful, strong, spiritually discerning Christian who is not full of Scripture, devoted to regular meditation on Scripture, and given to storing it in the heart through Bible memorization—and that’s not a coincidence.”

Indeed, “it is absolutely essential, after coming to faith in Christ, to be radically, deeply, experientially devoted—unshakably, unwaveringly persuaded—that reading and meditating on and understanding and memorizing and enjoying the Scriptures is absolutely essential for the Christian life.” It calls for daily practice.     

10 Reasons Why We Need to Read the Bible Daily    

Here are ten reasons we need the word daily.  

1. Scripture is a means of preserving our salvation. Salvation is a dynamic reality that functions in three tenses: past, present, and future. And in the present reality, “God saves us daily by Scripture” (1 Timothy 4:16).  

2. Scripture meets Satan’s temptations (John 8:32, 44; 1 John 2:14). “Every time Jesus was tempted by the devil, he struck back with ‘the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God’” (Ephesians 6:17). And he had it memorized “so he didn’t have to carry a book in the wilderness.”  

3. Scripture is a means of grace and peace to us (2 Peter 1:2).  

4. Scripture is meant to sanctify our lives, to make us more and more holy (John 17:17). “We don’t become perfect in this life, but we do become holy” through the Spirit’s work in our lives via the word.    

5. Scripture gives us joy (Psalm 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:6). “Life without joy is unbearable. The Christian life is filled with afflictions. But in them all, God sustains joy, and he does it by the Scriptures.”  

6. Scripture protects from error (Ephesians 4:13–14). How do Christians avoid becoming leaves blown around by all the cultural winds of opinions? The answer: “The unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God—knowledge that they experience not as the opinion of man, but as the word of God. That’s found in one place: the scriptures.”  

7. Scripture gives us hope for eternity. Scripture promises us that the frustrations that limit our joy in this life will be removed in the age to come.  

8. Scripture keeps us from being startled by false teachers and apostates (2 Timothy 4:3).  

9. The Bible calls for careful handling, which we can only learn through day-by-day familiarity with the word (2 Timothy 2:15).  

10. The Bible sustains our lives (Matthew 4:4). “Spiritual life—eternal life—just like physical life, must be fed, not by bread, but by the Word of God. If you think that you have eternal life as a kind of vaccination against hell, which needs no nourishment, you don’t know what spiritual life is.” Spiritual life is sustained by the daily bread of God’s Word. [2]  

How Do I Get the Most From My Bible Reading?

With all these convictions in place, how do we maximize the impact of our daily Bible reading?     

People are very different, and Bible reading will be a different experience for everyone, including the man who initially asked the question. “How disciplined is he? How much time does he have available? What skill does he have in reading—what speed and comprehension? How familiar is he with all the parts of the Bible, even those maybe he hasn’t read at all? What level of curiosity does he have that might drive him to slow down and figure things out that are puzzling to him?” Our Bible reading experiences differ because “our capacities for reading and comprehending, our speed, and our life situations are different.”   

  Despite the variables, here are common helps.     

7 Ways to Maximize the Impact of Your Daily Bible Reading

 1. Belong to a great church that models careful Bible reading by preaching verse by verse.

“Few things are more helpful in grasping the totality of Scripture than a steady, week in and week out, month in and month out, year in and year out, decade in and decade out feeding on the preached word of God. Oh, this is so important. If your pastor doesn’t preach Bible texts and explain to you what they mean, please try to find another church. Because the decades of your life will be gloriously transformed if you sit under the preaching of the word like that for a long, long time.”    

What you hear preached on Sunday morning should illuminate what you read on Monday morning. 

2. Find friends who offer accountability and ask you how your reading is going.

3. Set your routine. “Set aside a place and a time where you’re going to read your Bible every day. If you don’t have a set place and a set time, Satan—along with your own flesh—will almost certainly push your Bible reading right out of your schedule and out of your space.”

 4. Pray. “ Pray earnestly over your Bible reading before you read, while you’re reading, and after you read. Pray that God would show you what’s really there and make it real for you.”  

 5. Appreciate the deep change that comes from persistence.

The Bible is huge. In a given day you’ll read four chapters, most of which you will forget in an hour. In this sense, daily reading will soon feel “absolutely overwhelming and pointless.” But in the discipline, Scripture is “lodging itself in your mind and in your heart in ways you cannot comprehend. The so-called forgotten language , the forgotten paragraphs , the forgotten words , the forgotten stories , the forgotten points are becoming a repository from which the Holy Spirit can draw out things you do not even know are there.” 

6. Take something specific from your reading.

More practically, aim to “take one crisp, clear sentence with you—something encouraging, something motivating, something strengthening, something guiding. Write it down on a little piece of paper, stick it in your pocket, stick it in your purse, whatever. Say it to yourself over and over again during the day. Those sentences accumulated—365 of them—are an amazing power and stockpile of truth over time.”  

7. Very practically, use the Discipleship Journal Bible Reading Plan to read from four places in the Bible, with the benefit of catch-up days built into the monthly rhythms. But read it. Read all of it. Because “if we leave out big parts of the Bible, we probably won’t know God the way we should.” [3]  

The Discipleship Journal Bible Reading Plan

[1] APJ 1140: “ A New Year, A New Bible Reading Plan ” (January 1, 2018).

[2] APJ 1512: “ Ten Reasons to Read the Bible Every Day ” (August 14, 2020).

[3] APJ 1296: “ How Do I Make the Most of Daily Bible Reading? ” (December 31, 2018).

Content taken from Ask Pastor John by Tony Reinke, ©2024. Used by permission of Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers, crossway.org .  

Tony reinke, crossway publishing.

Do you have questions about what the Bible says, or about your relationship with God? Start a conversation with one of our responders who is ready and willing to answer your questions!

Bibles.net is here to offer you hope. Learn more about us .

• My Highlights
• My Bookmarks

Forgot Password

• Watch God.tv

A Scientific Study Reveals What Actually Happens When You Read The Bible

You always hear people say that it’s important to read the Bible. But do you know why? A scientific study reveals the answer.

What Happens When You Read The Bible

Makayla Andrus shared the impact of reading the Bible 4 times a week.

“I recently heard of a scientific study of what actually happens to you when you read the Bible. The study was done on people ages 8 to 80.

“On days one and two, there wasn’t much of a difference but on day three, they started noticing a change. Here are the stats of what actually happened when the people read the Bible four times a week or more,” she said.

“Loneliness went down 30%. Bitterness went down 43%. Anger went down 32%. Alcoholism went down 42%. And watching pornography went down 60%.”

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Light Your Home | Makayla Andrus (@_lightyourhome_)

One of the many testimonies shared prove that the word of God is alive. It changes hearts and minds, and transforms from within.

READ: SONGWRITER STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN RECALLS WHEN HIS SONG WAS PLAYED IN OUTER SPACE

Jerry Devoe loved committing crimes because of the sense of power it gave him. He got involved in different crimes because he loved victimizing people. The criminal lifestyle became his identity for more than 25 years. Until one day, he read a Bible inside the jail out of boredom and curiosity.

“What is this Jesus have for me?” he said back then.

Jerry tried to change, but he struggled to break his felonious behaviors. However, Jerry started to feel guilt and shame whenever he committed them. So, he turned to the Bible to find hope.

“Lord, if You’re real, if You have a will for my life, help me to understand it,” he prayed.

Then finally, at 42 years old, Jerry gave his life to Jesus and left the life of crime.

Verses To Inspire You To Read The Bible

To help you better, here are few verses that will inspire you to read the Bible:

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).

“Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8).

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

Header image | Photo by Fallon Michael: https://www.pexels.com/photo/eyeglasses-on-book-beside-macbook-3551711/

• Tori Kelly Sets Out On 20 Night​ Gospel Tour
• On His Way To The Operating Room, Christian Businessman Gets Healed From Heart Disease
• 5 Ways To Keep Your Emotions Under Control
• 6 Countries, 14 Orgs Rally Against ICC Probe Against Israel

Le-Jovale Vallejo

It's humbling, yet liberating, to know that we can now possibly reach millions with one post. May it be through a photo, a video, an article, or an artwork. That's why I'm passionate about Digital Media, for we can save a soul one post at a time. And through it, we can see "that in the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Let's reclaim the Media for Jesus!

You May Also Like

Blood of jesus is tested in israel, proven..., what is god’s message for me today, young girl painted the famous portrait of jesus..., jesus appeared in the dreams of 200 men..., pastor andy stanley recalls father dr. charles stanley’s..., top 10 scientific facts in the bible that....

GET YOUR DAILY DEVOTIONAL

Why We (Should) Read the Bible

As a newly saved college student, I stumbled across Jeremiah 15:16 in my Bible reading:

Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O L ORD , God of hosts.

This vivid depiction of the happiness that springs up in the heart from taking in God’s Word deeply resonated with my newfound faith and my newfound delight in reading the Bible.

God’s Word is precious to believers. Yet because of the indwelling sin that remains in us, we can be tempted to do good things for the wrong reasons. What then, should be our motives and goals when we come to God’s Word? I’d like to suggest three. As Jeremiah ate the words of the Lord, so too can we as we approach Scripture for the purposes of awe, transformation, and endurance.

An encounter with the God of the universe can’t help but produce awe and wonder in those to whom He reveals Himself. He is glorious and majestic, unlike anyone or anything else:

The L ORD reigns; he is robed in majesty . . .  Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the L ORD on high is mighty!” (Ps. 93:1, 4)

His greatness is unsearchable, and He is glorious, splendid, and majestic (see Ps. 145:3, 5). Holy Scripture is how we come to better know the God who has called us to Himself.

To be sure, our Bible reading won’t always evoke the degree of awe from us that is due Him. But through the work of the Holy Spirit, God can and does draw us into a deeper knowledge of Himself that results in true worship and greater love for Him. We marvel at His power and His wisdom (see Ps. 62:11; Rom. 16:27). We are comforted by His love and His sovereignty (see 1 John 3:1; Eph. 1:11). Therefore, one proper motivation for reading the Bible is to be drawn into a deeper knowledge of—and therefore deeper awe, appreciation, love, and gratitude for—its Author. In this sense, we can say that the Bible is a profoundly relational book, as it draws us into deeper communion with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Bible reading is meant to be relational in this way.

2. Transformation

In addition to drawing us into a deeper relationship with the triune God, another goal of reading the Bible is transformation. There are many brilliant, gifted, and disciplined people who enjoy studying the Bible, but studying the Bible doesn’t necessarily mean that one is a Christian. The Pharisees serve as exhibit A in this regard. Jesus said, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life” (John 5:39–40). Unless we see Jesus Christ in the Scriptures, they impart no life to us, for life is in Him alone.

Holy Scripture is how we come to better know the God who has called us to Himself.

In Christ, God is at work to make us fully human again, as “we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Cor. 3:18). Through the powerful working of the Holy Spirit, God uses the Scriptures to transform our desires, thoughts, attitudes, and actions (see Rom. 12:2) so that we become more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ.

3. Endurance

The older I get and the more suffering I experience, the more miraculous I find the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. Chronic suffering wears us down over time and is often invisible to others. Life can bring deep sorrows, trials, and losses, some of which we must endure ceaselessly (as opposed to a painful season that comes and goes). Not only that, but we also have an enemy, Satan, who slanders and accuses us. Such suffering and opposition can chip away at our desire and ability to keep going, to keep trusting, to keep worshiping the Lord.

Thus, another motive for reading Scripture is to be strengthened with endurance that we might finish the earthly race the Lord has set before us. Scripture even tells us that it aims to help us in this way (see Rom. 15:4). We are kept by the power of God, and God uses His Word to encourage us. And the fact that we can make it through the treacherous obstacle course of the world, the flesh, and the devil shows the power of God at work in our lives much more than any impressive ministry or extraordinary gifting ever could. Endurance is a precious gift to believers from God. God’s Word strengthens us to keep going until He calls us home to Himself; our faith being preserved through every danger, toil, and snare (see Matt. 24:13; Col. 1:11; Heb. 12:1).

God didn’t give us His Word to make us prideful that we know more of it than other people do. Nor did He give us His Word to provide a path by which we can justify ourselves through adherence to His law, or to manufacture an external form of godliness that evokes praise from others or makes our lives run more smoothly. Let us not read God’s Word for self-promotion, self-justification, or self-improvement.

Rather, may we approach Scripture as those who love God and desire to know Him more, as those who desire transformation into the image of Christ, and as those who know that the Holy Spirit uses the Word to strengthen His people to endure to the end. Until then, may we, like Jeremiah, eat gladly of the words of life.

For Your Gift of Any Amount

Get R.C. Sproul’s new yearlong devotional in Romans

More from this teacher

Karrie Hahn

Karrie Hahn is associate editor for Ligonier Ministries and a certified biblical counselor. She is contributor to Women Counseling Women: Biblical Answers to Life’s Difficult Problems .

Why Is Good Friday Called “Good”?

5 Recommended Resources for New Christians

5 Recommended Resources on Marriage

More on this topic

Bible Study

Why are there times when i don’t feel like reading the bible.

Remembering and Practicing the Bible

Is There a Difference between Studying the Bible and Reading It Devotionally?