Why are you biblically illiterate?

In spite of a plethora of Bible studies, Sunday School classes, home groups, “life” groups, and other similarly named meetings of people for the intent of studying the Bible (not including resources available via the internet), a majority of church members remain biblically illiterate.

There’s more than one reason why biblical illiteracy is such a widespread problem, but LeRoy Eims highlights an important cause while writing in “The Lost Art of Disciple Making”:

    “One spring our family was driving from Fort Lauderdale to Tampa, Florida. As far as the eye could see, orange trees were loaded with fruit. When we stopped for breakfast, I ordered orange juice with my eggs. ‘I’m sorry,’ the waitress said, ‘I can’t bring you orange juice. Our machine is broken.’ At first I was dumbfounded. We were surrounded by millions of oranges, and I knew they had oranges in the kitchen — orange slices garnished our plates! What was the problem? No juice? Hardly. We were surrounded by thousands of gallons of juice. The problem was they had become dependent on a machine to get it. Christians are sometimes like that. They may be surrounded by Bibles in their homes, but if something should happen to the Sunday morning preaching service, they would have no nourishment for their souls. The problem is not a lack of spiritual food — but that many Christians haven’t grown enough to get it for themselves.”

Do you know how to study the Bible? If not, there’s all kinds of help all around you, starting with the leaders of your own church. Ask for help, many people would be happy to teach you how to study the Bible.

Are you applying yourself toward learning the Word of God? If you really want to grow in the “grace and knowledge” of the Lord, you will have to pursue it for yourself. Others can teach you how to study, and even study with you, but you have to make the time and take action yourself to study, learn, and apply what you learn. No one can do that for you.

“I am warning you ahead of time, dear friends. Be on guard so that you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing. Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” 2 Peter 3:17-18.

Scotty