WHY WE READ THE BIBLE AND CHRISTIAN BOOKS
(By Pastor/Atty Florante A. Zagada)
"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one." (George R.R. Martin) If there is something I love in this life, aside from God and family, is to read the Bible and Christian books (including law books). I have four good reasons why I love to read books.
One: Read for ENLIGHTENMENT.
We need to read if we want to get hold of truth Truth is to our spirit what food is to our body. Truth is to our spirit what light is to our eyes. Don’t read merely to get facts; read to get truth. To know truth is to know God. To know truth is to know Jesus for Jesus is truth of God. All truth is God’s truth. The devil doesn’t have any truth. He is the source of deception. We need to read widely, in addition to the Bible, as the Apostle Paul did. Just like Paul, he was a very literate man.He quoted the Greek poets and philosophers. (Acts 17:28) Reading the Bible gives us a lens, a radar, by which we trust and test all other truth. All real truth intersects. When we learn the truth, then we will see how it relates to all other truths and how it comes together.
We are to be a channel of truth. If we read and grow in knowledge but not in grace, then we will make ourselves obnoxious. (1 Corinthians 8:1)
Two: Read for ENJOYMENT.
Reading is exciting. We can meet people in books whom we’ve always wanted to meet.We can visit periods of history. We can visit faraway places in books. We can read books that grapple with the great issues of life, death and eternity.(Ecclesiastes 1:9)
When we read, we can learn great truths including theology, which is the greatest truth of all. Theology is called the Queen of the Sciences.
Three: Read for ENRICHMENT.
Ignorance will cost you a lot more than books.
Your children can inherit your books and enjoy your knowledge. Build character in your home by putting truth into your children.
There needs to be devotional truth for the heart.
There needs to be doctrinal truth for the mind.
There needs to be practical truth for the will.
We need to learn about missions, prayer, soul winning, home building, and other disciplines.
But learn with humility. A person who is learning truth doesn’t tell you how much he knows, but how little he knows and how much he has yet to learn. In reading, we need to have balance. Not all worship and no evangelism.
Not all evangelism and no worship.
Not all prophecy and no devotion.
Not all program and no meditation.
Fourth: Read For ENABLEMENT.
We could not do what we need to do if we remain static and do not grow. In order to do our jobs better, we need to upgrade our skills. One way of upgrading our skills and ability is by reading relevant books to our profession and calling.
But reading alone will not help us improve.We need to apply what we read. Do not become a book recluse.Readers are leaders, and leaders are readers.
Do not just gather the facts. Do not just be a notetaker because if you do not obey what you hear, then you are living dangerously.
Truth is transformational. (Romans 12:1-2)
As your mind feeds on truth, your mind is renewed. If you learn truth but don’t act on it, you do yourself danger. For Impression without expression leads to depression. (James 1:22)
A person who hears the truth and does not act upon it is self-deceived. Jesus said that a person who hears His words but doesn’t obey them is a self-deceived. (Proverbs 23:23)
If you need Christian books, I highly recommend Clc Karuhatan Valenzuela for your reading pleasures and needs. God bless you.