With any article like this, which lays out a comprehensive approach on how to read your bible, it comes with the greatest risk of being twisted. Just how Scripture itself can be misinterpreted. The intent of sharing this may not be the same reason for why something like this topic gets so many clicks.
The danger is to seek the practical instructions or regiment given to read the Bible as the solution that will guarantee our spiritual growth. And while spiritual disciplines, routines and hacks can be helpful and beneficial to getting us regularly in the Word of God, they are not the Words themselves. They are not the actual life-giving divine nourishment we need. (John 6:35) They are safeguards placed around the actual source of our growth, to ensure we stay connected. However, when we look to the safeguards for the provision, we are far from being rooted in the Word of God for our sustenance.
We wonder how the pharisees could stray away from the heart of God’s Word so severely and yet we fall for the same traps of building our own solutions to ensure spiritual growth. So, how do we approach reading the Word of God without the practice of reading the Word of God becoming an idol, that we lean on in place of Jesus. Here are five things we can consider to challenge our mindset:
Abide
If we can’t get this one down, then don’t bother reading the rest. They will only hinder our relationship with Jesus.
“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,”
John 8:31b
Do we realize that when we open up the Bible, we are approaching Jesus? Jesus is the Living Word of God who had these written Words in mind for us before the foundation of the world began. Through our studying of Scripture it means that we are hearing the divine revelation from the Lord God Almighty. Such a reality beckons a mindset of humility. To abide means to lean and rest upon the very Words that Jesus has for us as life-giving. They are water in a wandering desert. We must be careful of approaching the Bible with an agenda; rushing quickly to find a verse that fits what we want to hear or collecting steps of application so we can focus on what we want to accomplish.
When was the last time you just sat in the Word of God with an eager ear only to listen? When we remain tethered to His Word, it doesn’t matter what or if we get something out of it in that moment. The purpose of being in the Bible at all is the blessing of getting to know and enjoy Jesus. We should rejoice in the gift of getting to dwell richly in His Words and find rest and solitude there, before it ever becomes about what we can accomplish because of it.
Watch Teaching to learn more about Abide and God's Instructions
Prayerfully
In the midst of Daniel’s struggles, he turned his attention to the Word of the Lord remembering God’s promises. As he did, He sought God’s council through prayer; confessing his failures and proclaiming scripture back to God asking for understanding. (Daniel 9) When we approach the Bible, do we first turn to God, knowing that it’s Him we need; not just as the sustainer over our life but for the understanding we need of His Word?
And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
1 Corinthians 2:13-16
Our dependency on spiritually understanding the Word of God is directly linked to our dependency on the Holy Spirit. So when we read we should begin with asking for the Spirit to reveal the truth of His Word to us; that we may not just understand but delight in it. For those not in the Spirit, the Gospel and the Word of God is folly to them. (1 Cor 1:18) So just as much as we want to abide in His word, we want to abide in His Spirit as well, so that we have a desire to do so.
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
John 14:26
Devotionally
With my whole heart I seek you;
let me not wander from your commandments!
I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
Psalm 119:10-11
We often think of the word “devotional”, first, as a short read or article that inspires us towards God. (Just like the one you’re reading now) They are the words of man but not God’s Words. How often have we considered these as reading the actual Word of God? It's a misplaced understanding of what we are doing when studying the Bible. Our goal should not be “to be inspired” when we read the Bible, but rather to devote ourselves to being molded by God. Devotionals are of great encouragement because we are hearing from others about their own devotion to God and the fruit that comes from being shaped by His character. We should want the same for ourselves. We should want God’s Word to transform us in a way that only God can. Rather than our daily reading of the Bible to be mechanical, we should treasure His Word. Scripture is sacred and is deserving of our dedication and hunger for it in our life.
Logically
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:15
We should caution ourselves to over spiritualize the Word of God. It may seem counter to the previous mindsets. However, there is a difference between spiritual discernment and spirituality. Even though the Bible is something spiritual, God has divinely appointed His Word to us through the use of Man. Make no mistake that the Bible is “God-Breathed” and is the authoritative Word of God, but the Lord uniquely chose to bring His Word into the context and use of the human language, writing styles, and through historical communication. Taking scripture out of context with disregard for, historical, grammatical, allegorical understanding of scripture shifts authority of the passages meaning over to ourselves and our own life experiences. We need to be careful of disregarding one aspect of God’s use of the written word in favor of another that gives us more leeway to have God say what our own itching ears want Him to say.
Some helpful steps to ensure a more right handling of the Bible is to make sure to remember to examine the surrounding context of a passage, explore systematic theology (looking at the entirety of Scripture as a whole and applying Scripture to itself as Jesus did), know the writing style of the book, and look for the plain meaning of the text first.
We can also, recommend also the use of a study bible to help provide context to passages as you go - just as long as you recognize commentary as the studying of God’s Word and not the Word of God itself.
Study Bible Recommendations
Responsive
Studying the Bible should not be something we check off a task list with more enthusiasm for our streak than the Words we just soaked in. Getting excited that we are in the word of God is great but our mindset should be more. We need to approach the Word of God ready to be doers of the Word of God. It does not mean our study is a search soly for application, but that as we learn from God we desire to be obedient to what God commands.
The Bible is not an intellectual exercise. Seeking knowledge only puffs up our ego, however, God’s love is for His Word to build us up in His character. (1 Cor 8:1) It is an opportunity to be responsive to God. However, our responsiveness is not to a book. It is a submission to God, for Him to be the one to change us through His written Word. It is the Holy Spirit that illuminates the Word of God in our life in a transformative way. So when we dwell in God’s Word, do we go in with a heart to receive and let the Lord work in us?
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Colossians 3:16
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