One of the most common subjects of debate in the Christian community, that is between myself and Christians I talk with, is studying the Bible as a means of spiritual growth. Ever hear of a "study at home" program for getting a degree? I mean in subjects like brain surgery, dentistry, anthropology, physicist, you know, real tough courses. Of course you haven't. Who would want to go to a dentist with a degree he got by correspondence courses? Or a plastic surgeon, tax attorney? The point is, there is only so much we can get on our own, without the advantage of an expert in the field at the head of the class. It rankles me that people consider Christianity one of those easy courses that you can read up on and become an expert. Christians in our society today treat The Word of God like an amature class in ceramics, something you are free to sort of fashion for yourself, innovate. Nothing could be farther from the truth! If this were the case, then why did God establish the ministry? Apostles? Evangelism? Pastor-teacher? You see, God doesn't operate like we do, sloppy and half-assed. He doesn't put a system into effect like the U.S. Government, with vague guidelines and overlapping realms of responsibility. There is no such thing as a "freelancer" in the Christian life, and I can prove it! "Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land." (Hosea 4:1) First let's examine Hosea 4:1, for more is said here than meets the eye. In this verse Hosea is exhorting the people to "hear the word". This is because nobody was hearing it, and the result was "no truth, mercy or knowledge of God in the land". Please note that Sumaria at that time had an abundance of men in the synogogues, but they weren't teaching The Word. " In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise," (Eph 1:13) " For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe." (1 Thes 2:13) "But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." (Matt 13:23) " Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus." (2 Tim 1:13) I could go on for pages and pages, but only a bone head will still be finding excuses to justify reading the word on our own as a legitimate means of spiritual growth. Mind you, there is absolutely nothing wrong with taking notes in Bible class and referencing the Bible at home. Eventually, as we advance in the spiritual life we can read The Word and understand most of what we read, but there will never some a time that we don't require the instruction of a qualified Pastor-teacher. God established a system for edifying the Church, you and I, and there is no single verse that encourages us to read the Bible for ourselves in order to aquire spiritual maturity; " For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:" (2 Cor 10:8) "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:" (Eph 4:11-12) There you have it. [ HOME ]