The historical and cultural significance of the Bible makes it worth reading, but truly this is the least reason you should read it. More importantly, the Bible has the power to make a direct impact on your life today. Here are 14 worthwhile reasons you should read the Bible.

 

1. It’s How God Reveals His Character.

 

And He passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.” (Exodus 34:6-7, NIV)

 

God is full of patience, love, kindness, justice and wisdom. He is all-knowing and the Creator of all. The books of the Bible describe the different characteristics of God in a way that humans can understand. The Bible is primarily a story about God’s goodness, and when you read it with this in mind, it makes the rest of the text come alive. As you are reading, you can unconsciously make yourself the main character of the Bible, but the main character is and always has been God,

 

 

2. It Gives Instruction for Daily Life.

 

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16, NIV)

 

The Bible is full of practical wisdom for life, especially in the New Testament. The writers wanted their readers to know how to live the way God intended. You will find information that will help as you figure out how to be a parent, how to have a successful marriage, how to approach your work, how to care for family members, how to forgive and how to love.

 

Even when the specifics are tied to cultures or situations different than yours, beneath those specifics you will find practical principles that will help you in your daily twenty-first-century life. Try reading Ephesians if you are looking for clear applications for your life daily.

 

 

3. It Teaches You How to Pray.

 

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

 

He said to them, “When you pray, say:

 

“‘Father,

hallowed be Your name,

Your kingdom come.

Give us each day our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins,

for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.

And lead us not into temptation.’” (Luke 11:1-4, NIV)

 

The gospels are packed with recollections of Jesus praying. He prayed in basically any situation at any time of the day about anything He wanted to talk with God about. His followers, who were called His disciples, saw Him praying all the time. You should also learn to pray like this. The Lord’s Prayer, quoted above, is a great template to follow when learning to pray. Try praying this prayer yourself and bringing your requests to God.

 

4. It Explains the Gospel.

 

God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16, NIV)

 

The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23, NIV)

 

The gospel is the story of how God, after being rejected by the people He created and loved, has been working to restore the world and our relationships with Him. The essence of the gospel is the story of Jesus. Knowing the gospel is critical to having a relationship with God. The gospel is all about Jesus, and the whole Bible points to this crucial time in history.

 

5. It Explains How to Share the Gospel.

 

“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

 

Not only is the Bible’s main message focused on the gospel, but the Bible also gives instructions for how to share the gospel with others. The verse quoted above is called the Great Commission, and it is one of the last statements Jesus made to His followers.

 

After hearing Jesus’ command, they preached in churches, shared about Jesus with strangers and taught people from all backgrounds about Him. If you are a Christian and want to learn how to share the gospel, living out the Great Commission in your life is a good place to start.

 

6. It Teaches You How to Trust God.

 

Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways submit to Him,

and He will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV)

 

Learning to trust God is a lifelong process. Submitting all your ways to His way does not happen overnight, and I do not think God wants it to. He wants you to come to Him daily and lean on Him and to repeat back to yourself the truth about Him from the Bible. If you are struggling to read the Bible in the light of God’s trustworthiness, see “When You Don’t Like Reading the Bible.”

 

7. It Shows What God’s Will Is.

 

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — His good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:2, NIV)

 

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NIV)

 

Do you ever wonder, “What does God want to do in my life? How do I know which path to follow?” There are a lot of Bible verses that mention God’s will, but these two give you a broad and specific answer. Broadly, work on transforming your thought life to align with God’s thoughts. How? By reading God’s Word. More specifically, live in joy, pray always and radiate gratitude for the blessings in your life. This will also lead you into God’s will.

 

8. It Is Full of God’s Promises.

 

“The LORD Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8, NIV)

 

What an encouraging verse! Repeat this promise to yourself daily until you’ve memorized it. Every time you feel anxious or worried, remind yourself of this verse; the way you remember God’s promises is by memorizing them. After you have memorized the verse, see if the truth in it helps you resist anxiety better.

 

9. It’s Historically Accurate.

 

In those days, Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. (Luke 2:1-4, NIV)

 

The Bible records history and sets its historical narratives within a wider historical context. The Old Testament especially mentions landmarks and rulers of the periods when its books were written.

 

The verse above is from the second chapter of the Gospel of Luke, which focuses on the life of Jesus, and it identifies the real historical context for Jesus’ birth. If you are skeptical about whether Jesus actually lived on earth, try reading “The Case for Christ” by Lee Strobel. Strobel interviewed scholars and historians to find out what evidence there is that Jesus really did live, die and rise from the dead.

 

10. It Teaches You How to Forgive.

 

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:31-32, NIV)

 

One of the key components of the gospel message is that Jesus died on the cross to forgive sins. Since this is such a central aspect of who God is — a forgiver — the Bible has a lot to say about forgiveness. Even if you are not a follower of Christ, check out the various verses on forgiveness, because they will still be helpful for your everyday life. Think about who you need to forgive, and then practice removing any bitterness you may be holding on to toward that person.

 

11. It’s Full of Truth.

 

Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth. (John 17:17, NIV)

 

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32, NIV)

 

God is truth. That’s another aspect of His character that shows itself throughout the Bible. Some say truth is relative, and it can be overwhelming to know where to go for truth. These days, data and personal opinion are two things people often turn to.

 

But the Bible is ultimately where truth is found. Ask God to show you His truth when you read the Scriptures; He will reveal it to you. The Old Testament Book of Proverbs contains wisdom for life and is a great place to start if you are looking for biblical truth.

 

12. It Asks and Answers Big Questions.

 

“Why LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide Yourself in times of trouble?” (Psalm 10:1, NIV)

 

The Psalms are the Bible’s songbook, and they are packed with big life questions. God is not afraid of anger or sadness. He knows these things because He sent Jesus to the cross, and He wants us to find comfort in the Bible when we are in pain. Feel free to tell Him if you are confused. Share with Him if you are angry at Him. The writers of the Psalms did, and God was loving and patient with them.

 

The answers to big questions can be found in many different books of the Bible. God has often allowed people to learn through life circumstances. Read about the life of Joseph in Genesis 37-50 and how God redeemed his immense pain.

 

13. It’s Culturally Relevant.

 

What has been will be again,

what has been done will be done again;

there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9, NIV)

 

It is fascinating to study the various cultural aspects of the Bible, but from the beginning to the end you will read about love, jealousy, doubt, confusion, trust, hardship, loss, marriage, temptation, depression, anxiety and happiness. This list could go on and on. There really is “nothing new under the sun” because people will always be people. Thankfully, God is always in the business of redeeming people.

 

14. It Reveals How Much God Loves You.

 

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:7-8, NIV)

 

God loves you. Period. End of story. It’s OK if you struggle to believe it, and it’s OK if you do not feel it. But you should know it is the truth. If “God is love” like the verse quoted above says, what does that mean for you and me? How can you experience God’s love?

 

Try doing a word study on love in the Bible. You will find more than 300 verses on love. Meditate on the verses as you read them. Ask yourself how they impact you and if they change your view of God.

 

15. Scripture saves.

 

Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers. (1 Timothy 4:16)

 

“God saves us daily by Scripture.”

 

Salvation has happened to God’s people, salvation is — at this moment — happening to God’s people, and salvation will happen completely at the resurrection of God’s people, and it is happening now by means. Paul says to hold fast to the teaching and thereby save yourself. God saves us daily by Scripture.

 

16, Scripture frees from Satan.

 

You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8:32)

 

And the context is that Jesus is showing the Jewish leaders that, though they think they are not slaves, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires” (John 8:44). Satan is your enemy, young Christian. He is a thousand times stronger than you are. So, John writes to the young believers,

 

I write to you, young men,

    because you are strong,

    and the word of God abides in you,

    and you have overcome the evil one. (1 John 2:14)

 

This is our only hope for defeating a supernatural enemy. Every time Jesus was tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1–11; Mark 1:12–13; Luke 4:1–13), he struck back with “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17), and he had it memorized, so he didn’t have to carry a book in the wilderness.

 

17. Scripture imparts grace and peace.

 

May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. (2 Peter 1:2)

 

Knowledge of God gained through Scripture is not identical with grace, but Peter says it is a means of grace. If we want to be made peaceful and powerful through divine grace, Peter says, it happens “in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” That knowledge is found in one place: Scripture.

 

18. Scripture sanctifies.

 

Jesus prayed,

 

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. (John 17:17)

 

“We’re all assigned in some measure to handle the word of God.”

 

Sanctification is the process of becoming holy — that is, becoming more like Christ and like God, who is perfectly holy. This is not optional. Hebrews 12:14 says, “Strive . . . for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”

 

We don’t become perfect in this life, but we do become holy. God sanctifies his people. And Jesus prays to his Father, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” It couldn’t be more plain, or more important.

 

19. Scripture gives joy.

 

You received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 1:6)

 His delight is in the law of the Lord,

    and on his law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:2)

 

Life without joy is unbearable. The Christian life is a life of many afflictions. But in them all, God sustains joy, and he does it by the Scriptures.

 

20. Scripture protects us from destructive error.

 

Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God . . . so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine. (Ephesians 4:13–14)

 

How do young Christians stop being leaves blown around by cultural and theological winds and opinions? Answer: “the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God” — knowledge that they experience not as the opinion of man, but as the word of God. That’s found in one place: the Scriptures.

 

21. Scripture is the hope of heaven.

 

And what I mean by this is that full understanding, full enjoyment of the truth of Scripture, will be experienced only in heaven.

 

Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)

 

The knowledge of God — all the fullness that a created being can properly comprehend and enjoy — will not be withheld from us indefinitely. The frustrations of our present limitations of understanding and enjoyment will be removed. How fitting it is, then, that we be ever growing now in what will be our final joy in the age to come.

 

22. Scripture will be resisted by some.

 

The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions. (2 Timothy 4:3)

 

In other words, we need to know the Scriptures so that we’re not taken off guard or knocked off balance or led away by false teachers. We need to receive the Scriptures regularly to be ready to meet those who refuse to receive the Scriptures.

 

23. The right handling of Scripture is approved by God.

 

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

 

It is a precious thing to be assigned to do a very important task, and then to find the master worker approving of what he’s asked you to do. We’re all assigned in some measure to handle the word of God. And what a wonderful opportunity to be pleasing to the Lord.

 

24. Scripture gives and sustains life.

 

Man shall not live by bread alone,

    but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.

    (Matthew 4:4)

 

Spiritual life — eternal life — just like physical life, must be fed, not by bread, but by the word of God. If you think that you have eternal life as a kind of vaccination against hell, which needs no nourishment, you don’t know what spiritual life is.

 

So, there are ten reasons for why young believers should resolve with all their might — all the might that God gives them — to make reading and meditating on and understanding and memorizing the Scriptures essential, non negotiable, in their Christian life.