Can I Trust the Bible?Sample

How To Read the Bible Faithfully

If you’ve made it this far, we hope that you have been given some confidence in the reliability of Scripture. You can trust the Bible as a reliable witness of Jesus’ life and ministry. But now we come to important application questions: How can we go about reading the Bible faithfully? How can we be faithful interpreters of the Word?

When we approach Scripture, it is easy to come with our own assumptions, desires, or cultural biases. However, Philippians 2:5-11 teaches us a profound principle for interpreting the Bible faithfully—we must have the mind of Christ. This means approaching Scripture with humility, obedience, and a Christ-centered focus.

Paul highlights that Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God. This means for Christians that all of Scripture must be read in light of Christ—His character, mission, and teaching. The Old Testament points forward to Christ. The New Testament explains and applies His work. Every passage should deepen our understanding of His grace, love, and call to discipleship.

We cannot do this alone. In Acts 2:42, we are shown how the earliest Christians gathered, not only to worship and pray with one another, but to devote themselves to the Bible’s teaching.

God never intended for us to walk the journey of faith alone. From the earliest days of the Church, believers have gathered to study, learn, and grow together. Reading the Bible in community strengthens our understanding, keeps us accountable, and allows us to experience the richness of God's Word through the insights and encouragement of others.

Again, today’s reading from Peter (repeated from week 2) reinforces that being in a Christ-centred community helps protect us from misinterpretation. When we study Scripture alone, we may unintentionally misinterpret it based on our own agendas and interests, but by engaging in study with fellow believers, we help ensure that we stay grounded in sound doctrine and biblical truth.

As this biblical guide comes to a close, we reflect on the ways we can be intentional about studying the Bible in community. Ask yourself, are there areas of Scripture you struggle to trust fully? How can we support each other in this process? How does engaging Scripture reflect the heart of God for unity and spiritual growth?