Being able to answer the question “why?” allows one to gain a deeper understanding for understanding the purpose behind one’s actions.
For example, one can question the importance or purpose for attending school and work. The general purpose for attending school is to gain an education and obtain a diploma in hopes of a sustainable career.
One’s career allows a person to meet their financial responsibilities, support friends and family, and other various needs. Society understands the answer to the question, “why?” for these things and it is the reason people are able to devote a large portion of time and effort to meeting these responsibilities every day.
When it comes to a life of faith, a similar question can be asked, “What does the Bible provide that makes it worth one’s time?”
As previously mentioned, everyone knows the benefits of going to school and going to work every day. The benefits are receiving an education and a paycheck. Impacted areas of study at universities are engineering, business, medical field, etc. The reason these areas of study are impacted is because they typically result in higher compensation career paths.
It is extremely rare to find religious studies or Bible study as an impacted study choice because knowledge of the Bible is not considered as valuable on the surface layer.
The Promise of Eternal Life
However, even though the Bible does not provide someone with the same financial success as the world may, it offers something much greater that is easily overlooked. In the book of 1 John 2:25, it says, “And this is what he promised us – even eternal life.” The Bible promises the gift of eternal life.
Furthermore, in the book of John 17:3, it says, “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” In other words, the promise of eternal life is obtained through the knowledge of God given to us by Jesus.
Therefore, accepting the teachings of Jesus allows one to receive the promised blessing of heaven and eternal life.
The teachings of the Bible lead to an eternal reward whereas the teachings of the world only have temporary influence. It can be very easy to doubt the promise of eternal life within the Bible.
However, to truly know if this promise is credible or not, one must examine the words of the Bible to see if it is true. Just like when meeting a stranger, it can be easy to make assumptions about their character, likes, dislikes, etc. That is why the best way to know another person is by spending time with them. After spending a considerable amount of time with someone, trust slowly begins to form.
Spending Quality Time With God
Spending quality time with God would be the best way to understand more of who He is. But what is the best way for someone to learn about God? How can we spend quality time with a God who is in spirit?
The answer to this is found in the gospel of John 1:1 which states, “In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.” Put it simply, God equates himself with the word and thus, the best way to know him is through the word.
Similar to an individual’s diary, it contains one’s thoughts, secrets, and situations. In the same way, the Bible contains God’s thoughts, secrets, and plans.
In the book of Amos 3:7, God shares how he makes his plans known to His servants the prophets. Therefore, if anyone desires to know God’s plans, they would just need to read the Bible.
But again, what are the benefits of people knowing the plans of God? In John 3:31, it describes how there are two types of teachings. There is teaching that comes from above, or heaven, and there is teaching that comes from below, or the earth.
The difference between the two is that the teaching that comes from above speaks of the things of heaven, or in other words, the things that lead to eternal life. Whereas the teachings that come from below are teachings that only lead to what is temporary.
The Teaching That Leads To Reward
There is no teaching that can give one with the blessing of eternal life. Therefore, the Bible contains a teaching that provides the best reward.
Furthermore, in 2 Timothy 3:16, it mentions how all scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. The Bible is all from the divine inspiration from God for the purpose of instructing believers to become people who can enter heaven and eternal life.
The Bible is strictly for the purpose of helping one to receive salvation from sin and evil.
In Ephesians 6, it describes the word of God to be like armor that a soldier equips themselves with for battle. In Ephesians 6:12, it says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
A Spiritual Perspective
For this reason, the Bible does not contain every answer to all the questions in the world. For example, one may want to know if there are aliens or if there were dinosaurs.
Therefore, the Bible does not describe these things because knowledge about such topics does not help one to be equipped to fight against evil and be delivered from sin. When one can understand the Bible from the perspective of God, the Bible becomes simple to understand.
In the book of Psalms 42:1-2, it compares a person’s soul to be in desperate need of God, like a deer that pants for water. Also, in Ecclesiastes 3:11, it says how God has set eternity in the hearts of men.
Thus, within every person, there is a desire for life but not everyone has grown a desire to learn God’s word. That is why the Bible is only important for people seeking eternal life and wanting to draw near to God.
