There are some who don’t even bother to read the Bible. Is it really that important? Why is it so crucial to study the Bible regularly?
Reading the Bible is a crucial step in developing a relationship with and understanding God. The Bible is where we can find out what God loves and hates, how He interacts with those He loves, and other things concerning His majesty in general. These motivations alone are enough for many Christians to study the Bible frequently. They yearn for a deeper knowledge and comprehension of God. However, not everyone finds it “simple” to read the Bible.
God looks at the heart because that is where sin begins (1 Samuel 16:7; Jeremiah 17:10; Romans 8:27). We are guilty of apathy if we neglect to study the Bible because we are uninterested in what God has to say. We are being arrogant if we don’t read the Bible because we believe we don’t need to. We are guilty of having the wrong priorities if we avoid reading the Bible because we either lack the time or don’t value it.
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What Does the Bible Say About Not Reading a Bible?
The Bible is God’s word to us, and as followers of Jesus Christ as Lord, it provides guidance and instructions for living as humans. Why would God have written and preserved His Word for thousands of years if He did not want us to read it? In the life of a believer, not reading the Bible may be indicative of a sinful posture of the heart, such as sloth or apathy in our walk with God. While not reading the Bible may not be intrinsically immoral, especially for those who are not Christians. As stated in James 4:17, it is a sin of omission for believers to not read the Bible when they have easy access to it.
The Bible is literature about God. We learn who He is and who we are from this. Our spiritual development depends on spending time in God’s Word. The Bible is our standard for truth since it is God-breathed. The significance of correctly comprehending and applying the truth of God’s Word is discussed in 2 Timothy 2:15. Our spiritual development depends on spending time in God’s Word.
The Bible explains to us what sin and goodness are. Sin starts in the heart, which is where God examines first before it is committed (1 Samuel 16:7; Jeremiah 17:10; Romans 8:27)
Hebrews 4:12 states that God’s Word has a way of revealing our hearts. If we don’t study the Bible, we’re more likely to fall for the deception of Satan, the world, and our own hearts (John 8:44; James 1:14–15; 22–25; Jeremiah 17:9–10)
Bottom Line
There are numerous justifications for not reading the Bible. They either get overly preoccupied or consider it unimportant. They might simply not be interested. They may be overcoming (or are still dealing with) situations of spiritual abuse were merely reading some Bible translations can cause anxiety, panic attacks, or other PTSD symptoms.
To get to know God better and develop our faith, we need the Bible. That is a plain fact. It’s not about marking a box on our “Good Christian” card when we read the Bible. It’s not about memorization of verses, it’s not about being able to claim, “I spent 10, 15, or 30 minutes reading every day.” It’s about spending time with the Universe’s Creator, studying by His side, and soaking in His illustrious persona and narrative.
