A DEARTH OF BIBLICAL LITERACY

April 26, 2012 - 4:03 PM

A DEARTH OF BIBLICAL KNOWLEDGE

http://www.bibleliteracy.org/Site/PressRoom/Video/press_lenovideo.htm

The number of “bible verses” regularly quoted by men and women that do not appear anywhere within the bible is astounding: God helps those who help themselves, the three wise men, or all those verse quoted from Acts chapter 29!  The problem is that many do not read the Bible or they stopped have any self-induced biblical input on the final day of their last third grade Sunday school class.  The only input they get now is what they hear on Sunday morning if they are there, if they are awake, if their iPhone won’t pick up the big game on the church’s Wi-Fi!

I don’t mean to bemoan the present state of biblical literacy, but let’s face it: if you aren’t putting the Word of God in then it ain’t going in!  If the average man or woman does not do their own personal devotions then they will have trouble answering Jay Leno’s questions. 

The real shame of biblical illiteracy is that it is sooooooo easy in today’s society to have the very best Bible teachers from around the world on your car radio, on your iPod, on your iPhone (you can even download the likes of me from i-tunes), you can go to almost any bookstore and buy quality theological material, you can order it onto your Kindle, or you can even take your pastor to lunch and pick his brain. 

But let me warn you, pure knowledge of the bible is not enough.  People throughout history have memorize vast sections of the bible and their lives have never given any evidence of a change.  It takes the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to what God’s Word says.  I am not talking about just the words on the page, but what it means to believe and follow the teachings and life of Jesus Christ.  

Here is the plan: Ask the Lord to send His Holy Spirit to open your eyes and quiet your heart; open the Bible and begin to read the Gospel of John or the letter to the Romans; sit quietly before the Lord and ask Him to show you how you are to live because of what you just read.