The Purpose for Bible Study

Paul the apostle said in II Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for

teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, (17) so that the man of God

may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Paul is saying that Bible study is useful

for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. Believers should be taught,

rebuked, corrected and trained in righteousness through Bible study in order that they may be equipped for every good work.

Let me paraphrase Paul’s above teaching on Bible study. We study the Bible to love Jesus Christ and be obedient to Him. The purpose for Bible study is not to gain intellectual information about Jesus but to love Him more and more and become more and more obedient to Him. Don’t regard Him as an unwelcome guest but have fellowship with Him more and more through Bible study. You should treat Him as the only Lord. One of the best ways to treat Him as the only Lord is to study the Bible sincerely and hard. If you want to get personally closer and closer to Him, keep on studying the Bible because it is not simply the dead letter but the living Word of the living God the Son, Jesus Christ. The Bible is written revelation. Preaching and teaching are proclaimed revelation. Jesus Christ is revelation itself. Therefore, Christ Jesus is the beginning and the end of the Bible. Whether it is the Old Testament or the New Testament, Jesus is all about the Bible. If you want to love Jesus, you should diligently study the Bible. If you do not honor Him, you will ignore the Bible. Jesus is continually speaking to you through the Bible.

The Holy Triune God is working on you through the Bible. The Holy Spirit is working through

our prayer and the Bible. Loving Him or being obedient to Him is the only purpose for Bible

study. The question is whether we really love Jesus or not. Do you really love Him? Then you should listen to Him. You should hear Him. You should discern His will and know what He is thinking, planning or doing. You should know the true identity of Jesus Christ. You should obey Him and submit yourself to His will. You should welcome Him. Bible study is one of the best ways to doing those things.