“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)
Reading the Bible is like learning how to cook. We often eat a final dish and don't see all the labor and love that went into cooking the meal. The same can happen with our faith: we eat the meal someone else labored for in the kitchen. It's good and fulfilling in the moment, like a good meal, but you can't survive off of one meal a day! Learning to "cook" or “read the Bible” for yourself is essential to the survival of your soul. What's in your spiritual kitchen?
God's word is living. We don't read it; it reads us. It reflects God's heart and image. There is no perfect way to read the Bible, but it is helpful to know the context. Reading a full chapter and understanding the genres in the Bible are two ways we can learn the greater context. The Bible is broken up into different genres such as historical narrative, wisdom, poetry, prophecy, apocalyptic literature, gospel, epistles, and Law books. The genre we read matters because it helps us understand the context.
In addition to understanding the context of what we're reading, it's important to approach God's word through the lens of His humility. Jesus embodied the Word of God, not just the word he wanted, but every word. The culture around us will change, but the Word of God never will. It creates stability in our lives.
Isaiah 40:8 teaches us that temporal things fade, wither, and die, but the only thing that endures is the Word of God. So when you approach the Word of God, approach knowing it's eternal and that it never dies. Its track record is true. It's historically backed. We can build our lives on eternal promises, not on temporal ones. God's ultimate goal is to transform us to reflect Him and become more like Jesus through His word. When we approach scripture through the right lens, God can work on our hearts.
A great way to approach scripture is using the S.O.A.P method:
S: SCRIPTURE
O: OBSERVATION
A: APPLICATION
P: PRAYER
Read the entire chapter of 2 Timothy 3. What sticks out to you? What is your observation? How can you apply that to your life?
These verses highlight that scripture is indispensable to us in six distinct ways: doctrine, reproof, correction, instruction, righteousness, completeness, and equipping. It's only at the end of verse 17 that we see the end goal: the result of the Bible, the living word, is seen in our actions and how we live our lives. Can you trace how God's word has shaped your life?
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
Can you think of a scripture that God used to reprove, correct, or instruct you?
Are you ever tempted to use God's word to agree with your own narrative (humanism) of how your life should go? How has that benefited or hurt you?
How do you describe to a non-believing friend that the Word of God was written by flawed men but yet used by God?
How has consumer Christianity affected your life? How can we counter the culture that says "me first?"
What is your posture when you approach a news feed on your phone?
