Have you ever been asked why you read the Bible? It’s a standard question where the responses can vary. Most times, it’s for religion. Some read it for life lessons, literary understanding, education, debates, or simple curiosity. When it comes to me, most would assume I read it because I’m a Christian. The Bible is so much more than the book of a religion. Allow me to expand on some of the reasons why you should join me in reading, or rather, studying the Bible.
The Bible is the greatest written work of humanity. No literally. Think about it. Imagine a book written by your great, great, great grandfather’s distant friend now needing to be expanded on by you. How would you know what to say? You live in different eras with different cultures and different ideals. It would be practically impossible to write in accordance to what he or she was trying to write. Yet, the Bible is written by several authors, not even of the same family, across several thousand years. The message remains the same despite the varying experiences.
If people had the opportunity, they’d rewrite the Constitution of the United States. Yet, the Bible was written in such a way that it never contradicts itself nor seeks to revoke anything that was previously said. Not a single person that tried to write a different narrative made an entry into the divine book. It has spoken of Jesus from its beginning to its end, despite all the factors that could have derailed its development, including translational errors. From Moses’ Genesis to John’s Revelation, all reveals exactly what it was meant to: God is eternally in love.
The Bible is the greatest love story ever told. God literally created humanity to love on them and help them grow. Some parents can relate. They’ve had children to purposefully love them and help them grow into outstanding people. They also know how easy it is for their children to betray their trust, love, and hopes.
Where many parents would’ve given up on their children, God hasn’t. Granted, there were a few that will reject Him for all eternity. However, there is always a remnant who don’t. The Bible shows the relationship between a husband and his bride along with a father and his children from the beginning of time until now. It’s fascinating.
The Bible helps us understand who God is. People ask all the time, “Why did God send the flood? Why did God send Israel to conquer Canaan? Why did God send His only Son to die on the cross? Is Jesus God or the Son of God? Why did God have a son and not a daughter? Why is God a man and not a woman?” All of these questions are answered in the Bible. It takes a lot of studying and a lot of patience, and quick frankly, a lot of personal growth, to understand all these things. However, the Bible explains and expands on everything you think you know.
The Bible can help you understand any part of your life. It does not shy away from rape, murder, genocide, masturbation, prostitution, lying, manipulation, or even transgenderism. The Bible speaks on all of it. There is nothing new about today’s time that the Bible cannot answer (Ecclesiastes 1:9-11). The technology may be different and the cultures vastly different, but the Bible continuously exposes what is important about life versus what is not, and that is always a hard pill to swallow for anyone seeking to study it.
The Bible is filled with drama. See what happens when a man sleeps with his daughter-in-law because she posed as a prostitute. See what happens when a king sends a soldier after a man of God and the soldier’s entire troop burns to death. See what happens when brothers sell their youngest sibling into slavery. Read about the time a man of God was called to marry a prostitute. See what happens after a man chopped his dead lover’s body into pieces. Read what happened to the man who made a deal with God in order to win a battle. See what happened to the man who impregnated his friend’s wife. There is so much scandal, you’ll find yourself thinking, “This still happens today.” To you, I would say, “Exactly.”
The Bible is the sum of all experiences. Have you ever thought about homosexuality? So did some of the people in the Bible. Read what God thinks of them. Have you ever been rich? See what God thinks of them. Have you ever been poor? See what God thinks of them. Ever been selfish, rude, angry, happy, sad, depressed, on drugs, under another religion, against all religion, a scientist, a stargazer, a pastor, a prophet, a teacher, a nomad, or any other experience you claim as identity? See what God thinks about them all.
The Bible is God. It says God’s Word is like silver refined seven times (Psalms 12:6). Have you ever seen silver refined? It’s a fascinating process. God didn’t say these things off of a whim. He thought carefully about every human being that has, is, or will be born on this earth, from the aborted baby to the child with cancer to the child born with autism to the child without limbs. He thought of everyone, and told them all what He thought about them. He even thought about the people who would misinterpret what He said. He did not use men to write this because He couldn’t do it Himself. He thought very carefully about every step of this truly holy book and even went so far as to write what He will do more than two thousand years beyond its final page.
The Bible is the greatest hope for all of us. It dismantles the falsehoods of life and allow us to live in truth. It exposes the weaknesses in us all and shows us how to become strong. It is not just a faith thing, although faith is required. It is true justice. Some would not bank all their hopes on it being true and accurate, but I have, and life has been great through the pitfalls and mountaintops because of it.
I could go on all day about the greatness of those scriptures and verses. We could go back and forth about translations, about how men are its authors, about how confusing and seemingly contradictory it is of itself, but I guarantee it’s better than any self-help book you could find. Self-help books are great, and very much needed, because the Bible isn’t the easiest to comprehend. However, the very word of God written down is better than any other word written by the thoughts of men. This and every blog post I’ve done doesn’t hold a candle to what the Lord has spoken.
If I haven’t convinced you to give reading the Bible a try (especially Proverbs, Luke, or Revelation), then I don’t know what else I can say. I just hope the Lord sends a better person than I, or convinces you Himself, to read His word. The Bible is one of the strangest pieces of work in all of history. People didn’t just come up with it. Forgive me, but I don’t think humanity is that creative. The pace, the timing, and the message are all so hard to comprehend, but worth comprehending.
You don’t have to be a Christian to read the Bible. Read it because it’s a really good story and has so much more depth than the greatest of books. Read it because it checks and challenges every ideal and thought you’ve ever had. Read it because it teaches you how to love, who to love, and helps you love yourself. Read it because the very mention of it stirs up vigor and hatred in those around you. If it was like any other book, would it be such a trigger for readers?
That’s all I have to say about what’s in the Bible. I could go on and on. But the only person who can get you to read the book is you. Whether you have religious intentions or not, it’s a great life lesson book. But that’s enough advertising. Hope you pick up a Bible soon.
Be encouraged,
Dario Augustus