When I surrendered my life to Christ nearly two decades ago, I was eager to learn everything I could about this new relationship. In an effort to understand the differences between churches/denominations, I started doing research and realized everything appeared to stem from the bible. I made my first bible purchase at 33 years old and found a church shortly after that that taught directly from it.
Unsure how to approach scripture on my own, I decided to join a women’s bible study. Along the way I learned about different tools and methods (comparing bible versions, using dictionaries, bible concordances, and commentaries) and after having a taste, I wanted more!
As followers of Christ, it is important to mature in our faith by regularly digging into the meat of God’s word. When time is in short supply, it can be tempting to rely on sermons, devotionals, and authors to feed us. It’s important we don’t settle into a spot like that for long:
We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 5:11-14 (NIV)
God’s word is spiritual food for our soul. Just as children learn to feed themselves, believers must do the same to keep from falling away:
It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss, they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace. Hebrews 6:4-6
Train yourself by constant use and you will find clarity.
