Ephesus: Why? Part 2

Why Christians need to study the Bible.

At the beginning of January, I wrote about why I started this project, but I did not answer the other side of the question, which is "Why should a Christian put effort into reading the Bible?" You may ask why isn't praying and singing in Church enough?

Of course, the easy way out of this would be "why would anyone NOT want to read and study the Bible?" Anyone knowing my own history would see both, the answers to that question, and the hypocrisy of my taking that route.

While the Bible doesn't say that you cannot be a Christian without reading and/or studying the Bible, I would roundly assert that the Bible teaches that if you are able to study it, you have an obligation to try. As evidence, I will point you to:
Paul's letters to Timothy (a young pastor), where he says "All Scripture is profitable" and "Teach these things to faithful men." Also, the letter from Jude to Christians everywhere, telling us that "certain men have crept [into the Church] unnoticed" and that these pretenders will pervert the Scripture.

Indeed, the Word of God has always been under attack from pretenders throughout the centuries. In some times and places, the attack was obvious, as in the martyring of Christians under the ancient Roman government, and more recently under the governments of virtually all Islamic nations.

Many times the attack is more subtle, as in the perversion of scripture for profit by many former and current "televangelists" and others (such as cult leaders) who will use various passages of Scripture out of context to control their victims. (I should note here that not all televangelists are bad, but without knowledge of the scripture, how will you know) Chief among these pretenders who pervert the Scriptures is the Pope, (and no, he is not the Antichrist, but that is for another day) who I have written much about over the years.

Also, I should point out a little noticed phrase in the Gospel according to John (17:3) "and this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ" which begs the question: What better way to know Him than to read His Word.

The entire Ephesus project is based on a desire to learn the Bible, and the purpose of the project is to help the new student get the most benefit in the least amount of time (and without spending too much on books or other tools).