Each Wednesday in April, we’re sharing an article from a special miniseries about how to talk to and answer common questions a new believer might ask you. Each article, written by a contributor to the Alive Bible study, will include helpful tips about how to talk to a new believer in a way that feels welcoming. Now up in the series is “Why Is It Important to Read the Bible?”
When I think about why I read the Bible, I am reminded about the many different relationships I am in. The people I interact with have vastly different relationships with God, and it has been interesting to see how this precious collection of ancient writings is practical enough to provide daily help regardless of where we are. Because the Bible is God’s main way of communicating His thoughts to His people, it makes sense to me to turn to it for answers to questions that may arise as I go through life interacting with my community.
I have a friend who questions whether he can trust the Bible to be relevant for today’s society and all of its needs, pressures, and concerns. My response to him is God’s Word is culturally significant. The Bible is one of the most influential and widely read books in human history. It is consistently a best seller for a reason. The stories and teachings found in it have had a huge impact on the literature, art, music, and the culture we enjoy now. Hebrews 4:12 says that it is living and active. This means the Bible will continue to be relevant even when many of our cultural icons are long forgotten.
The Bible is intellectual. This truth has been helpful for the students who I worked with on campus. They learned that exploring the Bible could expand their knowledge about topics and concerns that confound those who don’t. This is because it is made up of a wide range of genres, including poetry, history, prophecy, and philosophy, which can challenge their thinking and broaden their perspective. Even if you are not an academic, the Bible also offers us real historical insights. The Bible on your shelf has a wealth of historical information about ancient civilizations and their cultures, laws, and values. Reading it can deepen your understanding of the context of many significant events that have taken place around the world.
For the people in my own home who are growing their own faith in Jesus, I often remind them that God’s words provide guidance on issues that we encounter every day. The wisdom you can find in the Bible on topics like compassion, forgiveness, justice, and love offer valuable lessons for navigating our life challenges. When open to it, reading the Bible has deepened their faith, continued to provide comfort in really hard times, and taught them how to live what they believe.
I have been a Christian since I was a little girl. I recognized that God wanted to be connected with me early on. But after being in this relationship for so long, it can be easy to take things for granted. Sometimes I forget that in healthy relationships, learning about each other is supposed to be happening the entire time. As I grow in my relationship with Jesus, I am aware I need to be constantly learning more about who He is.
As a Christian who has walked with Jesus for a few decades, I have been strengthened by reading God’s thoughts and having them impact my own. In James 3, I am learning how important it is to watch what I say, and even before that, Philippians 4:8-9 is teaching me how to manage the way I think. When I become a complainer, forget my humility, or am acting selfishly, I know there is an anecdote for my messy behavior: God’s Word! That is truly a relief.
As I evaluate how the Bible impacts the relationships in my life, I have come to the realization that it is practical for real life in real time. Through the Bible, God speaks to our confusion, pressures, hopelessness, loneliness, and fatigue. It equips us for living with pain or sickness, and for addressing our anger, depression, and anxiety. Jesus Himself could relate to being different than everyone else, facing scary situations, being rejected by people who are supposed to love you, and loving people who do not love you back.
In the Bible, God addresses your fears for your future and the shame and regrets of your past. People who feel lost can find themselves there. Those who feel invisible, unimportant, or unwanted are meet with encouragement, purpose, value, and hope. The Bible has answers for how to manage our broken relationships and our best friends. It can make sisters out of enemies and family out of strangers.
The Bible, often God’s love letter, is full of promises for us. Romans 8:38-39 assures us that nothing can separate us from God’s love. God gives His people a new identity, and the Bible helps us understand and live it. It equips us to live with confidence, to lean on God’s strength, to grow our courage, to extend and receive grace, to enjoy His peace, and to show His compassion. Clearly being a learner of the Bible is wise and necessary for Christians to mature.
There is no perfect formula on how much or how little to include the Bible in your reading diet. But what I do know, unlike with food, is that we do not get healthier by having less. Each of us need to spend time every day connecting with God through prayer and His Word—meditating, memorizing, and letting it prompt us to action. In addition to this, we should dedicate time to studying the themes, words, books, languages, or people found in it. This is a great way to grow deeper in your own relationship with the Lord and to help others grow deeper in theirs.
ABOUT MISSIE BRANCH
Missie Branch serves as VP of Community Engagement at Stand For Life. She is married to Duce Branch and together they have four children. Missie is a contributing author to The Whole Woman: Ministering to Her Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength and Women & Work: Bearing God’s Image and Joining in His Mission Through Our Work. She is also the co-host of the Women & Work Podcast.
