The Importance of Reading the Whole Bible
In this blog post, Jasey Christensen, Providence’s short-term missionary and volunteer, explains the importance behind reading the entire Bible and why we should consider implementing it into our 2020 year for our own spiritual formation.
By Jasey Christensen, Providence short-term missionary and volunteer
“Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors.”
–Psalm 119:24
Happy New Year, Providence!
The New Year is in full swing, which means goals like, “I’m going to actually put that gym membership to use this year,” or “I’m going to finish that book I’ve avoided since the craziness of the holidays” are on our minds.
While these goals aren’t bad, our Providence family has challenged us, on the podcast and on social media, to consider finding ways we can observe Christ in our day-to-day as our new year goal. Why? Because if our lives are to be marked by Christ and we are to grow as His disciples, why wouldn’t we want to find ways to look more like Him?!
That’s why this year the Providence staff team put together a reading plan that will help us get through the whole Bible in 2020!
Dispelling doubt
I know what you’re thinking. “That sounds really cool, Jasey, but why should I read my whole Bible cover to cover in 2020?”
As Christians, we know we are encouraged and instructed to read and study our Bibles. It’s our source of spiritual strength and the main way God speaks to us. The Old and New Testaments complement one another in a glorious way. When you put the pieces together, it’s a beautiful picture revealed. All we have to do to see it is dig a little deeper and view the Bible beyond ourselves and our circumstances.
Some examples
Here are a few reasons why knowing and reading the whole Bible is so important as a Christian:
It deepens our understanding of God’s big picture.
It’s not a coincidence that all these books came together over the course of 1600 years. God divinely ordained 40 different men to record what they saw and what He spoke to them because He wanted to show His whole will for the human race. God isn’t trying to hide His master plan from us. He’s not a secret big boss that confides only with his closest counselors and gives us promises of greatness to His followers, but He actually declares what His intentions are to everyone from the very beginning. How cool is that? He’s going to reconcile all people to Himself for His fame and glory. “But truly as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord” (Numbers 14:21, ESV). When we know the entire story, we can more easily see and understand that God is creating and weaving a great tapestry and we are just one thread He is using to weave it.
It instructs us.
Have you ever tried building something that only came with half of the instructions you needed in order to build it? No, that’s silly! So why do we sometimes think we only need half of the Bible to completely understand God? First Corinthians 10:13 says, “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.” The whole Bible was written to give us guidance. Every part of scripture is divinely authored by God equally. So while some scriptures feel more applicable than others, the instruction of how many cubits the Lord wanted Israel to make the tabernacle in Leviticus is just as inspired as when Paul writes about an unshakeable kingdom in Hebrews. When we look at every scripture from the lens of God teaching us, we realize that He’s given us every instruction we need to live a life pleasing to Him!
It points us to Jesus.
Redemption has always been God’s plan. Although He is never mentioned by name in the Old Testament, Jesus’ coming is foreshadowed throughout all the prophetic books. When His coming is not being foretold, you can see His characteristics reflected in every single book. What’s the point of the rules laid out in the books of the law such as Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy? To understand that our sin requires great sacrifice. Why is it important to know that Ruth married Boaz to reconcile the family line? To show us that we need a redeemer. Why is it important to know that Ester saved her people by talking to her king? To show us we need someone to advocate on our behalf. Then, when we get to the New Testament, we see the glory of all that is promised come to fruition. Through Jesus' life, death, and resurrection we are finally able to see that everything that was, is, and is to come point to Jesus. What a beautiful picture that is to see!
I want to leave you with this quote from renowned theologian A.W. Tozer:
“Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian.”
Providence, not every chapter of the Bible is meant to refine our faith the same way, but every chapter is important to our growth. Don’t deprive yourself of deeper intimacy with our Creator by believing that not every word He wrote is applicable to you. Would you join us this year as we read through God’s every word? It’s not too late to join in on the 2020 Bible-In-A-Year Plan and see how the whole word of God is important for your whole life.