Why Study Bible Doctrines?

Today we're going to continue where we left off the last time on why is it important to study Bible doctrines.  I will say if you're a born again Christian, you need to read your Bible and know it's contents through and through.  II Timothy says, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."   One of the problems we have today with many of God's people is many of them are ignorant of the truths contained in the scriptures.  We can't afford Biblical ignorance given the society we live in today.  When you see things happening all around us in America that's anti-God, we need Christians that will rise and stand for the truth.  It's imperative Christians know their Bible.  Here are a list of reasons why it's important to study Bible doctrines.

1.  God is the Author of the Bible.  "All scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."  II Timothy 3:16.  The Bible is authored by God.  Now God inspired men to write the words of scripture and have them canonized, which you will read about in a later post.  However, they were words from a Holy God given to man to pen down.  The Bible contains both the Old and New Testament.  The Old Testament has 39 books and the New Testament contains 27 books. 

2.  God is the subject of the Bible.  It is through the Word of God, that we learn who God is and the character of God.  Even though nature teaches us there is a God through creation and the mysterious ways God works in this world, it's through the scripture we have the privilege to know more about God.  It's only through His Word that we learn about Him.

3.  God states that it's imperative we know Biblical doctrines.  One of the problem we're seeing in many of today's mainline Protestant denominations is Biblical ignorance.  Christians that aren't aware of what the Bible teaches is likely to fall for heresy, which is false teaching of the Word of God.  II Timothy 3:17 states that it's imperative to study the Bible so that the man of God may be thoroughly furnished in all good works.  A person who's learning how to drive a car for the first time can't learn how unless he has a manual at his disposal or is taught how.  A child of God can't practice what the Bible teaches unless he/she reads the Word.  You derive strength from reading the Word of God. 

3.  Bible doctrines clarify what we believe and why.  We need to be literate in the Bible.  It tells us why it's important to believe, for example, that Jesus is the only way to God.  It's important that we understand the cardinal doctrines of the virgin birth, the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, salvation by grace through faith, and the list continues. 

4.  It's important that we know not what to believe.  As I was mentioning in an earlier point, there are all kinds of heresies being taught in our "churches" today.  We have many denominations that are built on false doctrines such as the Catholic church which teaches a works salvation and uses priests.  Jesus's death on Calvary made null and void the necessity of priests in Christendom today because Jesus is our high priest.  There is the doctrine of Calvinism which teaches a false view of predestination.  There are religions which use their own "bible" such as Mormonism.  There are many cults out there today and unless a Child of God knows the Bible, they can be deceived by some of these doctrines if they're Biblically ignorant. 

5.  It is important that we tell someone about our faith in Christ.  One of the good works of II Timothy 3:17 is telling others about what the Lord has done for us.  In order to be an effective witness, it's of necessity that the child of God knows their Bible.  Otherwise, he/she will be limited what he can tell others.  One thing that I guarantee you is that the world will be asking you questions about the Bible, especially if they're going through some trial in their life.  They need for you to be able to give them a proper answer.  That can't be done if you don't know your Bible.  (Hebrews 4:12)

6.  It is important that we appreciate our spiritual blessings.  "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us by God."  I Corinthians 2:12  "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints."  Ephesians 1:18.  There are many promises afforded to the child of God from scripture.  You can't know his promises if you don't know His Word.  There are many things a child of God misses out on when he/she is ignorant of what the Bible has for the child of God. 

It's very important for Christians to know God's Word.  We can't live a victorious Christian life without knowing the Bible.  On the next post we'll start on the topic of Bibliology.