Why read the Bible

Before you put down this paper (or search another site on the net), spare a minute or two to read a little longer. Then try to read Pia Piquero’s article in CDN Digital last Sunday. Some might consider it mundane but really, there will always be times when a Bible verse or two would make such a huge impact on someone’s life, and always on a positive note. “Proverbs 3:5-6: How a Bible verse changed an accountant’s life.” “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

The truth is that there will always be some who have not, would not, and may never read the Bible at all. Included are some atheists and agnostics, though I’ve known a few who did read it, and rejected it. The majority who haven’t, were, of course, those from other religions. The world’s religions (from Wikipedia) are Christianity (31.1%), Islam (24.9%), Irreligion (15.6%), Hinduism (15.2%), Buddhism (6.6%), Folk Religions (5.6%), and others (1%). But it’s also true that many Christians have not read their Bible, too, though some can quote a verse or two.

Suffice to say that when I urged my friends to read “the Scriptures,” I would mean those who are of the Christian belief. I’ve known of some who have not even read the “entire” Bible once in their lives, but I have many friends who also have read it many times over already, too. To the former, I sincerely quote this statement of Jesus in Matthew 4:4, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’” Which Jesus was also simply quoting from Deuteronomy 8:3 of the Old Testament. Without doubt, Jesus himself has read and reread the entire Scriptures, the Old Testament at that time, when he was growing up for 30 years in Nazareth, setting the example for all of us.

Christianity is only less than 1/3 of the world’s population, but the number of Christians who have read the Bible even once is much fewer than that. Many can often quote a verse or two of the 31,000+ verses in it, and those who have memorized the whole of it are rare. But what’s more important is to read it and understand, and, if you’re a true Christian, to follow it and live it. Whether in whole or in part, it does have the power to change a person’s life as Pia Piquero wrote. And there are thousands of others, even millions, whose lives were changed by the Holy Scriptures or just by a few verses of it. Which can only happen if one reads it.

Solomon wisely wrote: “My son, give attention to my words; Incline your ear to my sayings. Do not let them depart from your sight; Keep them in the midst of your heart. For they are life to those who find them and health to all their body.” (Proverbs 4:20-22). Solomon has had failures in his life. Reading the Bible was not one of them. So, let’s read the Bible.