Why Is the Bible So Important?  

By Danny Saavedra

"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)

The Bible is the primary way God reveals Himself to us. It’s the chief vehicle He uses to tell us who He is and to explain His heart, mind, character, nature, will, and plan of salvation, redemption, and sanctification. I’ve heard it said before that when we engage with Scripture, not only are we reading the Bible, but the Bible is reading us! 

Over and over, Jesus tells us if we know Him, then we know and have seen God. And the primary way we get to know Jesus is through the Bible. It’s His powerful, authoritative, enlightening, and life-changing self-expression. It’s the very breath of God on each page! 2 Timothy 3:16–17 (NIV) declares, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 

In the same way that time spent with my wife is essential for me to know her, without true devotion to the Bible, we quickly lose sight of the genuine gospel and the real Jesus! Without hiding His Word in our hearts, we won’t be able to recognize His voice when He speaks!

Just being able to have and read the Bible whenever we want is truly an incomprehensible gift from the Lord! Consider that for almost all of human history up until a few centuries ago, and even today in many places around the world, people didn’t own personal a copy of the Bible. They had to come together to hear someone read it to them. It really puts Paul’s instruction in 1 Timothy 4:13 (NIV) to “devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture” into perspective, doesn’t it? Because the public reading of Scripture was all most believers had since the dawn of the Church!

But now, we have printed Bibles and apps at our disposal. In fact, many of us have many Bibles in our homes and on our phones. We have priceless access to God’s living Word and, sadly, we so frequently neglect it. 

I pray whatever season you find yourself in right now, that this study would inspire you to invest time into your relationship with Jesus—into having a deeper knowledge of and intimacy with Him. I pray you would listen to and heed the voice of God that is revealed through His Word by His Spirit. I pray you’d never take His Word for granted and that you’d develop a more profound love for it with each passing day. 

What does that look like practically? Well, there are a few time-tested, foundational practices that have helped strengthen many believers’ relationship with the Lord. And tomorrow we’re going to discuss where everyone should start!

PAUSE: What is your relationship with the Bible? 

PRACTICE: How has the Lord spoken to you in the past through it? Make a list!

PRAY: Father, I thank You for Your Word. I thank You that You desire to speak to us, to reveal Yourself to us, to have relationship with us, and that You have given us Your Word, the Bible, in order that we may know You intimately, be saved by Your Son Jesus, and become Your children. I pray that today would be a day of renewed love, passion, devotion, and commitment to Your Word. Amen.