Today as we take a Stroll Down Legacy Lane, we will consider the topic of Biblical Literacy. It is a topic that is near and dear to my heart because of the heart change I had once I began in-depth Bible study. The author of today’s post is Marcia Colger who owns the website OnlineChristianColleges.com. Marcia writes about faith-based education. Please welcome Marcia to The Point Ministries.
I have a confession: I have not read the Bible.
Like many Christians, I have read or heard many parts of it. I was raised in Sunday school and baptized at age 11. I have attended church for most of my life and have been a member of a few small Bible Study groups. I know the message of the Gospel and feel relatively comfortable explaining it to someone who has never heard it. But it wasn’t until a year ago that my pastor’s sermon one Sunday made me realize the importance of reading the Bible.
Since then, I have tried to read a little of the Bible each day, even if this means one verse before I go to sleep. My goal is to read through the entire Bible. Although many people try to accomplish this in a year, I have not set a specific deadline for myself because I want to take my time reading and considering each verse and chapter.
There is a reason why our Christian leaders encourage us to read the Bible – God will speak to you through Scripture! Each time I read the Word, God reveals something new to me. Even familiar stories that I heard in Sunday school teach me something new each time I read them. Sometimes I may even write down a verse that particularly inspires me or a question about a certain passage that I want to further research.
One faith-based blog I found listed various statistics which found that only 10 to 30% of professed Christians have read the whole Bible. Why are so few Christians “illiterate” when it comes to reading the Bible? Does it have something to do with our fast-paced information age? I know that I sometimes struggle to find time to sit down and read, but I am always thankful for doing so afterwards.
If you read through God’s Word and meditate on what it says to you, you will truly be blessed!
2 Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.”
By reading Scripture, you will learn how to live a righteous life as a man or woman of God. This is the basis for living a Christ-like legacy.
The Bible contains God’s Word, which is the highest form of truth. In our world full of chaos and corruption, the truth contained in the Scripture gives me more comfort than anything I hear from world leaders or the media. As Jesus said in John 8:32, the truth will set us free.
I hope to leave a legacy of Biblical literacy for my family and friends. As I continue to learn more about God through His Word, I can speak the truth to others in hopes that they, too, can be free.
MEDITATION MOMENT: Have you read through the entire Bible? How often do you read the Bible? How has God’s Word impacted your life?
Marcia Colgar owns the Christian education site<a href=http://www.onlinechristiancolleges.com> Christian Colleges</a>. She writes various articles about faith-based education.
