Reading the Bible for Transformation

There’s a clever ditty you may have heard:

I have six friends who taught me all I knew –
What and Where and Why
How and When and Who

Let’s use these questions to think together about how we approach Scripture as followers of Jesus.

First, What is Scripture? Scripture is God’s Word – the main way He has spoken to us.  The Bible is the best-selling, most widely known and translated piece of literature in the world, an amazing library of 66 books written by over 40 varied authors over a period of about 1500 years. Yet the Bible has continuity and a central theme. Fulfillment of its many prophecies is just one proof of its veracity. Genesis 1-11 tells us how life began and answers many of the big questions of life. The rest of the Old Testament is the story of the people of God, how they came to be and the Messiah whose coming they looked and yearned for. The New Testament tells the story of the coming of Jesus, the Messiah, His life, death, and resurrection, how He established the Church to continue His work in the world, instructions for living as Christ-followers, and a forecast of God’s plan for the future. What an amazing privilege we have to hear directly from God in His Word!

Where do we read and study God’s Word? Some people go to Seminary to devote themselves to the study of Scriptures, but the beautiful thing is that we can read and listen to God’s word anywhere at any time. The New Testament was written in Koine Greek, the trade language of the day. Wycliffe, Luther, and other reformers were passionate about translating Scripture into languages understood by the everyday person. Whole mission organizations are dedicated to the task of translating God’s Word into all the major languages of the world. Modern technology has made it possible to read the Word on our phones, hear it read or read it ourselves almost anywhere.

But Why has God’s Word remained so captivating? And Why should we read/study the Bible?  Well, it’s a matter of obedience and benefit. Paul, one of the biblical authors, wrote, “All Scripture is God-breathed, and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17[1]). Psalm 119 gives an alphabetical poem of many reasons for studying and memorizing God’s Word. And, it can make us wise for salvation through Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 3:15). A better question might be – Why wouldn’t we want to read and study God’s Word?

How do we read Scripture? Perhaps this is the heart of this article. Since the Holy Spirit is the co-author and inspirer of Scripture, it’s a good idea to invite Him to illuminate the Word and teach us through it. He is best suited to help us read, interpret and apply the Bible to our lives. We should read the Bible reverently with a heart open to obey. Just reading Scripture will have little impact on our lives. Smelling a gourmet dinner won’t do anything to nourish your body or satisfy your hunger. You must eat it. Similarly, we must approach God’s Word with expectation that He will speak to us and a willingness to listen and be changed by what we hear. Hebrews 4:12 tells us that God’s Word is living and active and reaches into the depth of our being. God’s Word allows us to see ourselves and our circumstances as God does. Often that will require a change in our attitude or actions. The person who looks intently into God’s word and acts is promised blessing (James 1:25). There are a lot of ways to study God’s Word. We can read an entire book to discover its main message for its readers and for us today. There are also many Bible apps and reading plans. You might read a chapter or paragraph several times reflectively and ask questions like – What is God saying to me through this text? Does it reveal something I am to do? An attitude I should cultivate? Is there an example to follow or avoid? It might be helpful to keep a journal and summarize your thoughts, action points and/or prayers based on what you read. Some passages, like the Psalms, can be paraphrased into your own personal prayers. A verse might lead us to other verses in the Bible on the same topic to compare. Often we can use various related passages to help understand what is being said. Jesus used Scripture a lot in His teachings in the gospels. Other times we might have a word or phrase catch our attention and meditate on it throughout the day. As followers of Christ, we should love and know God’s Word, and reading intentionally grows that understanding and love.

When should we read God’s Word? Whenever we can give God our focused attention. For some that’s first thing in the morning. For others it might be before going to bed. We’re told to let God’s Word live in us richly (Colossians 3:16). That means we are regularly in God’s Word, probably daily. This is not a legalistic thing. God will not zap us or frown if we miss a day. But we should want to consistently be in His word. If you had access to the wisest person in the world, wouldn’t you go see her/him often? How much more the all-knowing God who loves you? God’s Word can be a light to our path (Psalm 119:105). Memorizing and meditating on Scripture allows us to carry God’s Word with us and illumine our path throughout the day.

Finally, Who can benefit from God’s Word? The simple answer is – anyone who is willing to listen. Those who do are called wise builders (Matthew 7), are blessed and happy (Psalm 1), proven to know and love God (2 John), enjoy blessing (Deuteronomy 11:27), are righteous and consecrated to the Lord (Numbers 15:40; Romans 6:16), and experience longevity (Proverbs 4:10).

What an amazing gift that we have God’s Word accessible to us! He chose to speak to us and have a relationship with us. As we read and study His Word, we grow in that relationship, gain His perspective, become more like Jesus, and are better equipped to live a life that accomplishes His will and honors Him. God’s Word has the answers to many of our questions.

Mark Giebink
Mark is privileged to lead a team of great people who provide Member Care to those serving around the world as agents of transformation through TeachBeyond. God captured his heart and life 50 years ago as a child and has been transforming him through the roles of husband, Dad, Papa, and pastor. He lives on 1.3 acres in the desert of Phoenix with his family, a tiny house Air B&B, and a variety of animals.