The Original Answer Book

Reading the Bible is the first step in understanding God and His work in your life. Many of life’s questions can be answered as we read the word of God. Apostle Paul told Timothy:

 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Ti 3:16-17)

The word of God reveals the teachings (doctrine) of God as well as correction for the follower of Jesus and gives us the understanding of the righteousness that God has availed to His people. It is the power of the word of God that allows a born-again believer to be capable of producing “good works” that will ultimately please God.

To search the scriptures requires more than just a casual approach to the reading of the Bible. To become proficient in any endeavor takes both time and diligence. Jesus said to “search” when you read the scripture.

Search for the Right Reason

How the Bible is read is important. To read with the wrong motivation or seeking God’s approval for a belief system, that will validate your lifestyle choices, will not reveal God’s truth to you. To have a profitable understanding of God and His word, you must be searching the scriptures for the right purpose. God has a purpose in leaving behind the scripture for you to study.

The word search is to be understood as ‘to examine or investigate’. When reading the Bible you should be examining or investigating as you read. As you read the Bible, what should be the underlying teaching you should be investigating? Jesus said to search for the Saviour and His work when you read the words of God found in the Bible.

Why Search

Many people search the scriptures to find regulations that assist grace and mercy from God, granted by the gospel of Jesus, to increase the value of their relationship with God. Some search the scripture looking for ways to free them of their accountability to God; seeking to be released from regulation of behavior because of God’s grace. Others search; looking for loopholes for their chosen violation of the righteousness of God.

What should we be investigating when we read the Bible? Jesus said, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” (John 5:39)

If you memorized every word of the Bible and had full knowledge of the law and prophets, you still would not acquire eternal life. Jesus said it was finding the Saviour to whom the scripture testifies when you study the scriptures that will gift you with eternal life.

Are you reading the scripture? If not, start today and read your Bible daily. If you are reading your Bible, are you searching for truth as you read or are you just fulfilling some quota of scripture you need to read each day? If you are reading the Bible and searching for truth, make sure you have your “Jesus glasses” on as you read. Every word, sentence and paragraph should be filtered looking for Jesus.