The Importance of Bible Study

Lynn Huggins
06/30/24 - Sunday AM Worship

Bible Study

Introduction:  Christians have many duties or responsibilities.  Some of these duties are worshiping God, moral living, doing good to neighbors, teaching others, etc. …  One of these duties of a Christian is the duty of Bible study. 

     The Bible is how God speaks to us.  If we are to have a knowledge of God’s will for our lives, we must study the Bible.  2 Peter 1:5-6; 3:18; Col. 3:16

     The purpose of this lesson is to emphasize the importance and essentiality of Bible study in living the life of a Christian.

I. Why is Bible Study Important?

      A. Ignorance causes sin.

            1. Sin is transgression of God’s law (1 John 3:4). 

                  a. Even if we are ignorant of God’s law, we still commit sin when we transgress it.  Ignorance

                        is no excuse for sin.    1 Tim. 1:12-13;  Matt. 7:22-23

                  b. Knowing God’s law (revealed in the Bible) helps is to avoid sin.  Knowing God’s law

                        requires Bible study.

            2. Psalm 119:9-11   Having the word of God in our hearts will keep us from committing sin.

                  But having the word of God in our hearts requires Bible study. 

            3. Matt. 4:4,7,10   Jesus counteracted temptation with the word of God.  How could one do this

                  without a knowledge of the word?

      B. If ignorant, we cannot teach.

            1. Christians must teach others.  Matt. 28:19-20; Heb. 5:12; 1 Peter 3:15

            2. How can we teach what we do not know?

      C. Ignorance encourages error.

            1. False teachers make great progress where the people have not studied.  Eph. 4:14-15

            2. We have the responsibility to test the spirits whether they are of God.   1 John 4:1

                  We can’t do this without a knowledge of the word of God. 

            3. We need to be like the Bereans.  Acts 17:11

      D. Ignorance robs the church of leaders.

            1. Elders are shepherds of God’s people.  They have the responsibility to feed the flock. 

                  Acts 20:28; 1 Peter 5:2

            2. Among the qualification of elders are “able to teach” (1 Tim. 3:2), and “holding fast the

                  faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and

                  convict those who contradict.” (Titus 1:9). 

            3. He must know the word, which requires Bible study.

II. Why Bible Study is Neglected

      A. Some just “take the preacher’s word,” and so do not study for themselves.

            1. Preachers can be wrong.  Acts 18:24-26

            2. Remember, the Lord calls upon us to “test the spirits, whether they are of God.”   1 John 4:1

                  There are false teachers out there.  We must beware.  Matt. 7:15; 2 Peter 2:1-2

      B. Some say they “can’t get anything out of the Bible.”

            1. This may be true because they have read it so little, or made no effort to study it and understand

                  it.

            2. It may be that some people do not believe they can understand the Bible, and so they do not

                  give the Bible a chance. 

            3. The Lord says we can understand His word. 

                  a. John 8:32   Jesus says the truth can be known.  To know it is to understand it.

                  b. Eph. 3:3-4   The Ephesian Christians could understand what Paul understood by reading

                        what he wrote. 

                  c. Eph. 5:17   The Lord would not call upon us to understand His will if it is impossible to

                        understand it. 

      C. Some “don’t have the time.”

            1. Those people who do study and learn are busy too.  They just leave off less important things

                  and make time for Bible study.

                  a. ILL  Some years ago there was a commercial on TV that said, “Now be honest, between the

                        evening news and the summer reruns, you have some spare time.”  And they told you how

                        you could use that spare time.

                        Now be honest, we all have time to study the Bible, if we will make the time. 

            2. What is most important to you?  Do you love anyone or anything more than you love Jesus

                  Christ?   Matt. 6:33; 10:37-39

Conclusion:  Really, studying the Bible is allowing God to speak to us.  God wants to speak to us, and is speaking to us in the words of the Bible, but are we willing to listen.   Let God speak to you by regularly reading and studying His word, the Bible.