Serious students know the necessity of regular, productive study habits. Without such attentiveness, future academic and occupational opportunities might be severely limited. In like manner, Christians must make provision for acquiring, learning and applying the Word of God. Some might ask, “Why study the Word of God”? First, Disciples of Christ must study because it is a command. The apostle Paul, in his second letter to Timothy, declared, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). God’s Word will never fail to accomplish what God intended for it to accomplish.
Commandments given to first century disciples are certainly applicable to Christians today. Learning and applying the word of God is the only way for followers of Christ to be approved to God. Regarding His commandments, Jesus proclaimed, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15).
Secondly, the Word of God provides the only instruction and guidance for making preparation for the Judgment Day. Hear Jesus: “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him — the Word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day” (John 12:48). Since the word of God will judge all mankind, this ought to serve as a warning, not only for those outside of Christ, but Christians as well. The effectiveness of God’s Word is explained in (Hebrews 4:12): “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” The Word of God will certainly expose all evil practices in the Day of the Lord.
Why study the Word of God? The word of God provides the only defense for checking and blocking the evil intentions of Satan. Saints must make every effort to go on to perfection in the Word: “Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings, and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we shall do, if God permits” (Hebrews 6:1-3). If children of God remain as babes in Christ, they are endangering their souls. Lacking nourishment, they will be vulnerable when Satan comes calling. Remember, he never makes appointments. He shows up when we least expect him.
Should our memory fail us, we need to quickly recall Paul’s instruction to Timothy: All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
As Christians, we are responsible for our own spiritual growth. How effective are your spiritual study habits?