Why Do We Study the Bible?
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
As you may have noticed, we’re pretty big on the Bible around here at Grounded in Truth Company. As a Christian, I believe the Bible is the living word of God, profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction (2 Timothy 3:16-17). I also believe that my growth in knowledge of the Bible is directly related to my spiritual growth as a Christian. Reading and studying the Bible do not make me a Christian, but they do help me understand the heart of my heavenly Father as I seek to walk out my faith day to day. (Side note: if you wonder why the Bible is important and/or have not asked Jesus to be the Lord of your life, check out some information here about the first step in God’s perfect plan for your life!)
Reading the Bible is the First Step!
The first step in studying the Bible is reading it (surprise!). I can say from experience, though, that having a steady plan for what to read each day makes a huge difference, as you can then spend your time in God’s word instead of figuring out where to start. Reading scripture each day as soon as you wake up helps your mind immediately become saturated with the goodness of God, and for me makes a difference in how the rest of my day goes. I use this 2-year “through the Bible” plan from BlueLetterBible for my daily reading plan, but just as there are multiple Bible studies available, there are also tons of free reading plans available around the internet.
Bible Study Methods
“Studying the Bible” can have a lot of meanings to different people, or even to the same person in different seasons of life. There are reading plans, study guides, study books, commentaries, podcasts; almost every media you can think of has some application to Bible study. There are multitudes of resources available to you on the internet that can help you get started. Apps like BlueLetterBible, BibleGateway, and Youversion will allow you to have God’s word easily accessible on your phone or computer, and can provide you with a daily reading list, devotional, study guide, commentaries, and other study tools.I’m sure there are many more sites like them, but those are the sites and apps I’ve used personally in the past. My current favorite Bible study resource is BlueLetterBible…we’ll talk about that more in a future article! There are also many websites selling Bible studies and study guides on a myriad of topics, ranging from studying individual books of the Bible to any topic you can think of. Some of my favorite sites for finding Bible studies are Christianbook.com and Striving Together.
Study the Bible with the Bible!
The best part about studying the Bible is that God has already given us everything we need in His word to know Him! Study tools like those mentioned above are great, but the Bible is rich in passages and texts that explain themselves. As you begin to study, pray that the Holy Spirit would reveal to you everything that the Lord would have you know that day about whatever passage you’re reading. Any tools you’d like to use, or Bible studies from trusted sources you’re working through right now, can help you dig deeper into scripture and grow in your spiritual walk. You might say it helps you stay Grounded in Truth. Wink.
Free Bible Study Gift for You!
Check out our FREE Bible Study eBook called Grounded in the Truth of God’s Word to get started TODAY on your Bible study journey! I pray it is a blessing to you!
Much love in Christ,
Kelly
