Study or Study and Serve

 

My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. Ecclesiastes 12:12-13

 

 

In my neck of the woods it’s easy to find a Bible study. Some are community based and some associated with individual congregations.  I strongly believe that the study of scripture is imperative for the growing Christian to continue to be strengthened and built up for service to the Lord.

I also believe that it is the study of God’s Word that prepares us to serve Him so our works are good (2 Timothy 3:16-17) . What is the point of studying the Bible to do nothing but study it some more? James was pretty pointed when he said, “But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving ourselves,” in James 1:22.

The deception is that by knowing God’s word we are somehow special to God. If we read it, hear it preached, and read lots of books about it, we are deceiving ourselves if we think that the Lord considers that faith. We may have a lot of knowledge but it is not faith if there are no works produced by the study. James also says, “Faith without works is dead.”

My point is not to discourage anyone from studying the Bible, it is to encourage us all to do what it says. This would include ministering to widows and orphans but also many other things that some do not relate to the scriptures.

Will you consider what the Scripture has to say about:

• The way we raise our children
• Our views on public education vs. a Christian education
• The way we vote in an election
• Our definition of murder as it relates to abortion
• Our stance on gun control
• Our respect for personal property (ours and our neighbor’s)
• How we spend our time, and with whom we spend it
• What books we read and movies we watch
• Our career choices and how hard we work
• The priority of worship in our families – is Jesus just Savior or Lord and King?

 

Our language, priorities, politics, work, recreation, worship, family, friends, and more should be affected by our study of the Word of God.

How much time do we spend reading, hearing, and studying it? How much is then invested in doing what it says?