Tuesday, August 11
There are multiple benefits of studying the Word of God. The apostle Peter tells us that through the promises of Scripture we become “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). James speaks of the “engrafted word, which is able to save your souls” (James 1:21). Paul adds that “the word of His grace … is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified” (Acts 20:32). The Bible has a redemptive purpose. Seeing Jesus in all of Scripture, we are changed. By beholding Him in His word, we become like Him (2 Corinthians 3:18). “It is a law both of the intellectual and the spiritual nature that by beholding we become changed. The mind gradually adapts itself to the subjects upon which it is allowed to dwell” (Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 555).
Read 2 Timothy 3:14-17 and John 17:14-17. What additional benefits come from studying the Word of God?
Writing to his young companion Timothy, the apostle Paul urges him to be faithful to Scripture and shares the benefits of studying the inspired Word. According to Paul, the Bible is “profitable for doctrine”. It reveals truth and exposes error. It outlines God’s plan for the human race. It reproves our sins, corrects our erroneous thinking, and instructs us in righteousness. The Scriptures reveal the righteousness of Christ. They lead us from the folly of our own sinfulness to the beauty of His righteousness. When we see Jesus’ unselfish love in contrast to our self-centeredness, we stand amazed. As we behold in Scripture the depth of His compassion and caring, our lives are changed. When we share His word with others, they, too, are radically transformed. Beholding Jesus in His word, we become more like Him. Witnessing is not about sharing what we think or even what we believe. It is all about sharing the eternal truths found in the Word of God. When the Word of God has incredibly blessed our lives, we have the credibility to tell others how it can bless their lives, too.
Think about a time of difficulty that you personally faced and how the Word of God proved to be a strength to you. What did you learn from that experience?
