More Bible Reading

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 18, 1870

More Bible Reading.

Nothing in the Bible is unworthy the attention of a Christian. The ancient and interesting histories of the books of Moses, and the subsequent chronicles of the Jewish nation; the lofty devotions of the Psalmist; the Proverbs of Solomon; and the sublime and beautiful books of the prophets, should also be studied; for “all Scripture,” and this expression refers to the Old Testament, “is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

It is not, however, in the doctrinal or historical parts of the word of God only that the young Christian is to increase his knowledge. In religion there is nothing purely scientific; all, all is practical. Every part is “a doctrine according to godliness.” It is declared in the message just quoted, to be the design of the Bible “that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” Truth is but a means to an end, and that end is holiness. Every one of us ought to study our Bibles with that prayer upon our lips, “Sanctify by thy truth; thy word is truth.” We should grow in our knowledge of the character of God, that we may resemble it—in the perfection of the law, that we may be conformed to it—in the example of Jesus, that we may be more like it. There should be a conviction that we are not yet as perfect in what we do know as we should be, as well as that there is much yet that we do not know. A desire to know, merely to know, is curiosity; but a desire to know in order to do, is sanctity.

There ought, then, to be progress in knowledge. No Christian should be satisfied with mere rudiments. And yet the great bulk seek for nothing more. It is really humiliating and painful to preachers to find how little, in the way of imparting knowledge, is effected by all their sermons. No students seem satisfied with so little increase of ideas as those who profess to be in the school of Christ. Usefulness, happiness, and true religious dignity, are thus hindered. And not only so, but religion itself is stunted and starved, and its lustre diminished. And even they who do read and think, peruse only, or chiefly, the works of men. Never was there an age when Bibles were more freely

circulated, and never an age when, by many that possess them, they were less read. Magazines, periodicals, and books of all kinds, have come in upon us like a flood, which, in many cases, have almost swept away the Bible. After all, it is Bible truth from its own source that is the concentrated nutriment of the divine life; and it will be found that they are usually the strongest, healthiest, and most rapidly growing of the children of God, who live most upon the sincere, that is, the pure and unadulterated, milk of the word of God. The works of men are very useful in their place when they lead us to the word of God, but too many persons allow themselves to be kept away by them from the fountains of pure truth.—Spiritual Progress.