Side Bar: Bible Reading 101

How do you read your Bible?

Do you look for the moral of the story? Are you actively seeking to find out how you can become a better you, and live a more victorious Christian life?

Over the past week I have had the opportunity to talk to two people about Bible-reading. One person attends our church and the other person walked in our church to ask for help. With both of these people I was able to talk to them about how to approach the Scriptures.

It's interesting because we are all so prone to read the Scriptures through a "moral-of-the-story" lens. However, if you start reading in Genesis, you quickly find that all of these "godly" people weren't very moral at times. In fact, they failed BIG time. Do we really want to follow their example? I mean, even Moses, the most meek man we know of, murdered a guy.

So, what is the point of Scripture? Answer: God and His rescue plan. If Scripture is primarily about people and how to make people better, then we can completely forget about God. In that mentality, the Bible has just become another manual like any other religious book, exercise program or self-help project. No, the Bible is primarily about God, His character and His beautiful plan.

How does that change the way you read the Bible? Well, instead of reading it as a self-help motivational manual, you begin reading by asking this question, "What does this teach me about God?" Secondly, I would add that you must ask this question, "How is this pointing to Christ?" Jesus says in Luke 24:27 that he is the point of it all:"And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself" (ESV).

You might say, "Wait, you didn't give these people any real advice. If they don't get any practical application, then they're never going to become good." But, here's the reality of the situation. They can become good without becoming godly. I firmly believe that if someone truly knows God, they want Him to define them. And, how is He going to define them if they only look for the moral of the story and they don't look to God in the story.

A boyfriend loves his girlfriend not by reading her letters for the moral of the story. Instead, he reads her letters and loves her more. As a result, he lives that love out for her in greater ways. Shouldn't that be similar with how we view God? Instead of looking to all God requires, we look to God, become amazed with Him and all that He has done through and because of Christ. As you continue to be amazed with Him, you are defined by Him and your life is changed from one degree of glory to another.

So, can I encourage you to read your Bible that way? Off the bat, you know that you are in need of a Savior daily. So, ask this to yourself, "What does this say about God and how does this point me to Jesus?"