Ready for what the Bible says or what the church says?

Sin is any word, thought, motivation, or deed that falls “short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Sin is the breaking of God’s law and rebellion against His nature and decrees. If God wills for us to read His Word, then not reading it is sin.

The very fact that God has inspired His Word and preserved it through the centuries implies that He desires for it to be read. Why would He write a book if He did not care whether or not people read it?

You might be surprised by the Bible's answer. According to Scripture, the church has a three-fold purpose: the exaltation of God, the edification of the saints, and the evangelization of the world.

What is the importance of the Bible in the church?

First, the Bible shows us God's character and provides us God's revelation of himself to his people. In each section of the Bible, we see God's holy, unchanging, faithful, gracious and loving character.

It almost seems silly to write a post like this, but in today’s “entertainment” church climate, a reminder never hurts.

The Word of God is where we learn about God and how to live for God. God intended for His Word to be preached and taught in the local church so His people could be refined and “perfected”. The Bible says that “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” in Romans 10:17.

Unfortunately, the importance of the Word of God in the church has been overlooked in many circles. The expository preaching and teaching of God’s powerful Word has been replaced by entertainment, opinions, and showmanship. God’s people need God’s Word! This is how they will grow! This is how they will be properly prepared for the trials of life! This is how they will be equipped to “fight the good fight of faith”, I Timothy 6:12!

The importance of the Bible is impossible to overstate. Throughout the ages, countless men and women have written volumes to underscore the significance of the Scriptures. But we should not take any human’s word for it. What the Bible tells us about itself is all that matters.

Some writers have called the Bible God’s love letter to us. Others have described it as our handbook for life. It is both these things and so much more. The importance of the Bible is based on the fact that it is the revelation of God to us (John 1:1–5). Scripture is God’s Word to humankind. It is inspired, or breathed by God, meaning every word in every part of the original manuscripts comes from God: “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). The Bible is also inerrant, meaning every word in every part of its original, handwritten stage is without error (2 Peter 1:20–21; Psalm 12:6; Proverbs 30:5; 1 Thessalonians 2:13).

The importance of the Bible is that it gives us the opportunity to see and know God. The Scriptures reveal His character and nature, His sovereignty and power, and His reason for creating us, the universe, and everything in it. We read about God’s dealings with humankind, His goodness and grace, His light and love, His holiness and justice, and His mercy and compassion.

The Bible reveals God’s desire from the beginning to have a people of His own (Leviticus 26:12). In it, we learn about the perfect fellowship that humans once had with God in paradise and how it was broken by sin and disobedience. But through the sacrifice of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, we can be forgiven. We discover that God desires to redeem us and restore us to a right relationship with Himself (Romans 5:1–11, 18–19). Through reading God’s Word, we can come to understand the purpose of our lives as well as God’s plans from the beginning of time through all eternity (1 Peter 2:9; Ephesians 2:10).

The importance of the Bible is that it is a life-giving book. The Word of God is alive and powerful, “sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires” (Hebrews 4:12, NLT). The God who desires to redeem us gave His Word the power to save us (2 Timothy 3:15). We “have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God” (1 Peter 1:23).

Not only does the Bible have the power to save us, but it also has the power to sanctify us: “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart” (1 Peter 1:22). God’s Word has the power to cleanse us, sanctify us, and make us holy (John 15:3; 17:17; Ephesians 5:26). And His Word gives us the power to defeat sin and bring our thoughts into spiritual obedience to God (2 Corinthians 10:4–5).

The importance of the Bible is that it shows us God’s will. By obeying what the Lord says in the Bible, we can keep ourselves pure (Psalm 119:9, 11). Meditating on the teachings of Scripture will cause us to prosper spiritually and bring blessings and true success in life (Joshua 1:8; James 1:25).

In Psalm 119, which is all about God’s Word, the psalmist “learns,” “considers,” “keeps,” “proclaims,” and “meditates on” the Word of God (Psalm 119:6–8, 13, 15). All of these actions presume a reading of the Bible. Not just a reading, but a deep desire to know God’s Word, apply it to life, and share it with others.

In addition to the example of the psalmist, the believer is told to “study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15, KJV). Given the direct command to study the Word, it would seem that not reading the Bible is a sin.

Reading and studying God’s Word equips us to better handle life’s challenges Avoiding a sin of omission (not reading the Bible) can prevent sins of commission: “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11). Reading the Bible contributes to spiritual growth (1 Peter 2:2).

The Bible contains essential wisdom and guidance for making our way through life: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105, ESV). Jesus taught us to depend on God’s Word for our “daily bread.” We cannot underestimate the importance of consuming it regularly, for it is the fuel of our spiritual lives (Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:1–4). God’s Word equips and empowers us to serve Him (2 Timothy 3:17; Hebrews 4:12), and we can wield it as our greatest offensive weapon against our adversary, the devil, and the powers of darkness (Ephesians 6:17).

The Word of God is eternal: “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever” (Isaiah 40:8). Truth is eternal: “The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever” (Psalm 119:160, ESV). How can we doubt the importance of the Bible, when we read, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (Matthew 24:35)?

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