Why the Bible Is Important to You

Everyone wonders at times about serious moral or spiritual questions like: Why do we exist? Where did the world come from? Is there life after death?

We need guidance and wisdom in life and the sooner we learn that we cannot look to man for guidance and wisdom the better. Man cannot answer these questions. Many learned men do not even attempt to answer such basic moral and spiritual questions. If they do try, they cannot prove their views are right or wrong, and they often contradict one another. “The way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps” (Jer 10:23).

Man needs a source of guidance from one who really knows the answers. The Bible claims to answer the questions. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalms 119:105). “Your word is truth (John 17:17). “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim 3:16, 17).

Below are some reasons why you should spend your time and effort to understand the Bible: 1) The Bible tells your origin; 2) the Bible tells how much God cares for you; 3) the Bible tells how you can become a member of God's family; 4) the Bible offers worthwhile goals for your life; 5) the Bible states that God sent His Son to die for you; 6) the Bible tells what happens to people after death.

Most people, at some time in their life, wonder about the origin of the earth and mankind. But often they are confused because they have been told at school and on the history channel that we evolved from "lower animals," which came from simpler organisms, all the way back to some original life form. But evolution cannot answer basic questions like: Where did the first life come from? Evolution requires that non-living matter produced the first life form by chance where there was no life before. But what we see around us is that life comes only from life. This is called the "Law of Biogenesis."

Evolution cannot answer basic questions like: Where did all the different kinds of living things come from? Evolution says that all life forms evolved from the first life. But human experience and the fossil record both confirm that living things reproduce "after their own kind" as the Bible affirms. The offspring of a fish is another fish, not a snake, bird, or man. The "missing links"--fossils of organisms halfway between the kinds of plants or animals, that evolutionists have insisted exist, are all still missing!

Evolution cannot answer basic questions like: Why Is man so unique from the animals that we are supposed to have evolved from? Why do we appreciate beauty in art, music, and poetry? Why do we have a conscience and a sense of morals? Why do we possess rational thought so superior to animals? The Bible answers simply that life was created by God (Acts 17:24).

Yes, God made the world and everything in it. Life came from the living God.

The different kinds of life exist because God created them with the power to reproduce after their own kind.

“And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good” (Gen. 1:11, 12; 21-28).

Man is different from the animals because we did not evolve from animals. God created man after his likeness or in His own image (Gen. 1:26, 27). We were made with unique characteristics that God possesses.

The Bible agrees with what we see around us. Surely it deserves our serious study.

The Bible is important to you because it tells how much God cares for you.

When people think no one cares, they may become discouraged or even think life is not worth living. Consider what the Bible says about God's care for us:

1. God Cares about Our Lives. “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows” (Mat 10:29-31).

God cares for even the least animal, so that He knows everything that happens to it. If so, think how much He must care about what happens to us. He knows even how many hairs you have. “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they (Mat 6:26)?

God values us more than He does birds and flowers, yet He feeds and clothes them. Surely He will care for us, if we will serve Him.

God is willing to help in our lives. “Every good and perfect gift is from the Father.” (James 1:17). Every blessing we receive shows that God cares about us.

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me (Heb 13:5, 6).

God will not fail nor forsake us. Men may fail, mistreat, or disappoint us. Not God. He always remains faithful to us, provided that we remain faithful to Him. The Bible clearly affirms that God loves every human being (John 3:16). Surely you need to understand what the Bible says about God's care for you, which underlines the importance of the Bible. [Matt. 7:7-11; Psa. 23; Rom. 8:28; Phi. 4:6, 7.]

The Bible is important to you because it tells how you can become a member of God's family.

Most people would think it a great honor to be a child of some important person in history. Consider then how great a blessing it would be if you were a child of God.

The church is God's family. “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim 3:15).

“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God” (Eph 2:19).

The house (family) of God is the church. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God” (1 John 3:1a).

God is willing to make us His children. This indicates His love for us. Anyone can be a member of this family.

“Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. 48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? 49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother” (Mat 12:47-50).

Whosoever does the will of the Father is Jesus' brother, sister, etc.

We are born again (into God's family) by obeying the truth, the word of God.

“Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever” (1 Pet 1:22,23).

“For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal 3:26, 27).

To become children of God we must believe in Jesus enough to obey in baptism.

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” (John 1:12).

“Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).

How wonderful to be a child of the King of the Universe! Surely we ought to study the Bible to understand how to receive this great blessing.

The Bible is important to you because it offers worthwhile goals for your life.

Surely everyone wants to understand the real purpose for life. Why do we exist?

Many People Are Mistaken about the Purpose of Life. Some pursue riches and material possessions: a bigger house, newer car, nicer clothes and furniture. Some pursue pleasure - entertainment, recreation, etc. Life has no higher purpose than "fun, fun, fun." Some pursue education. They seek to accumulate knowledge and worldly wisdom. There may be some wholesome activities in these areas, but is there really no higher goal in life? Surely the benefits are temporary and incomplete at best.

The average American has achieved these goals to a greater degree than most people in history, yet our society is filled with crime, suicide, mental illness, drug addiction, and unhappiness. Are these the signs of fulfillment? There must be something more. The Bible tell us what is more important.

The Bible gives the real purpose of Life.

“I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. 2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? 3 I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. 4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: 5 I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: 6 I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: 7 I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me:

8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. 9 So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. 10 And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour. 11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun (Ecc 2:1-11).

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man 14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Ecc 12:13, 14). .

Solomon experienced the height of enjoyment in every aspect of life: wealth, pleasure, and wisdom. Did it satisfy? It was all "vanity and vexation of spirit" (2:11). Then he learned the real purpose of life: "Fear God and keep His commands" (12:13).

The real goal of life is to work in God's kingdom and be right before Him. God created man for a purpose.

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Mat 6:33).

Life is meaningless unless we fulfill that purpose. Each of us can fulfill the purpose for which God created us. But first we must diligently study the Bible.

The Bible is important to you because it states that God sent His Son to die for you

Jesus Came to Seek and Save the Lost. Most people know they have done wrong. At times we all feel a strong sense of guilt. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23).

God is also concerned about the wrongs we do. In His eyes, we have all sinned. “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (1 John 1:10). Because of our sins, we deserve to be punished. But Jesus tells us: “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

God cares about us so much that He sent His own Son to earth to seek and save lost men. Jesus Died in our place.

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him” (Rom 5:6-9).

Sinful men deserve to be punished, but because He loves us, God sent His Son to suffer so we could escape punishment. Jesus paid this price for all men.

“Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time” (1 Tim. 2:6).

“But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man” (Heb. 2:9).

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Every one of us needs our burden of guilt removed, but there is no way to accomplish that except through Jesus.

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

And, the Bible is the only book that can tell us how to receive God's forgiveness. Surely this book deserves our attention.

The Bible is important to you because it tells what happens to people after death

People often wonder what comes after death. Will we be rewarded eternally, or is death the end of our existence? The Bible also answers these questions. After Death Comes Judgment.

“It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (John 14:6).

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (2 Cor 5:10).

Men Will Be Rewarded Eternally.

“When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: 32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: 33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal” (Mat 25:31-33; 45-46). As a result of the judgment, the wicked will go into everlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternal.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you” (1 Pet 1:3,4).

Those who please God will receive an incorruptible, undefiled inheritance, reserved for us in heaven. To receive this reward we must be "begotten" as God's children. How does one become a child of God? By faith, repentance, confession, and baptism.

“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38).

Then one must remain faithful to make his calling and election sure.

“According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; 6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; 7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. 10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 1:3-11).

Conclusion

Surely these are questions that should concern every one of us. The Bible claims that it is the guidebook given by God to answer these questions. The Bible is a book worthy of your study.

Why not be like the Bereans and search the Scriptures daily with a ready mind (Acts 17:11).

(This lesson was developed from an article written by David E. Pratte)

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