Slideshow image

Not all the obstacles to studying the Bible are negative (not having enough time,  not being sure you will  do it right,  not feeling smart enough, not knowing where to start, etc..)  Sometimes it is what we affirm that gets in the way.

I have been a Christian for a long time, have been to a lot of churches, talked to a lot of people, and taught the Bible to a great number.  I am sympathetic to people whose fears impede their progress in Bible study.  I've been there, so none of those uncertainties irritate me.  But one excuse I've heard over the years really pushes my buttons:  I already believe what's in the Bible, so why do I have to study it?  Just typing it makes me growl.

Think about what such a statement really says:

  • What I know and believe is the important stuff.
  • My faith is based on something someone told me.
  • I believe what I can not necessarily explain and might not really understand.

It may sound harsh, but the presumption that our faith exempts us from thinking clearly about what we believe reveals both a lack of faith and personal insecurity.  We fear our beliefs cannot stand scrutiny or that we don't have the mental muscle to probe Scripture deeply.  Frankly, we have been conditioned to embrace such flawed conclusions by our own communities.  Churches are filled with people who are sincere about their faith.  They are not waffling about the basics of the faith.  And if basically every sermon goes back to the simple gospel message, it is reasonable for them to conclude it makes little sense to study what they already embrace.

That may have "worked" decades ago, but we live in a different world now.  Parents and pastors are no longer the gatekeepers of information and truth. Google and YouTube are.  The next generation, and a good bit of your generation, aren't listening to only Christian voices.

I am not suggesting that evangelism or the health of the church in the next generation depends on being able to win debates (though losing them will certainly not help).  It is true that people turn from the Bible despite having access to sound thinking.  Immaturity, worldliness, and rebellion are all factors.  What I am saying is if you cannot give a coherent "reason for the hope that is in you" (1st Peter 3:15) that goes beyond what your parents or your pastor told you, your voice will be no more credible than anyone else whose beliefs are just hand-me-downs.