Declare Your Faith - Sign the "I Am a Christian" Pledge
E-MAIL NEWSLETTERS




There was an error processing this request. We cannot subscribe you to newsletters at this time. Please contact technical support with details.
Featured Sponsors
DEVOTIONALS Sponsorship

AVERAGE USER RATING

RATE THIS ARTICLE

  • Email
  • Print
  • Discuss
Search The Bible   
Advanced Search
A Plea to Use the Bible Every Day

A Plea to Use the Bible Every Day

Dr. Paul Dean

How often do you go to the Scriptures when faced with a difficult decision, an ethical dilemma, or when in need of simple advice? Do you realize just how practical the Scriptures really are? Would you first consult the bible when faced with a co-worker’s question concerning a problem he’s having with his teenage son, or would you first consult an “expert,” a secular book on the subject, or another friend?

Christians no doubt are aware that the bible contains information and of course doctrine. Not only is doctrine a dreaded concept in our contemporary context, but for many, the information the bible contains, even the information with which believers are familiar, seems so disconnected from their daily lives. Few people are aware of just how practical the Scriptures really are and therefore just how useful they really are for helping us to answer every day questions or deal with every day situations.

We get a lot of bible content on Sunday. In other words, we get a lot of information. However, somehow, we are failing to connect that information to our daily living and we have not grasped the fact that the bible is something that should be with us for ready use every day and not merely put away so we’ll have it on Sunday. In his little book, What to do on Thursday, Jay Adams asks the simple question, “Can we know how to go to the bible to find help on Thursday?” The answer of course is that we can and we must. Let me flesh that answer out just a bit.

First, we must be able to go to the bible to find practical help in our every day lives because if we do not, we will make major decisions without reference to God. Not only do we miss out on the wisdom that God has for us but we actually commit ourselves to futility in so doing. When we attempt to make decisions without reference to God we are actually acting independently from God in the areas of knowledge and wisdom. To do so is to have no ground or basis for what we believe in that particular instance which means we have no ground for the decision we make. The decision we make will be foolish in God’s sight in that we have gone the way of Eve: we have decided that His revelation is not good enough for us and that we know a better way. Even if we happen to make a decision that occasionally squares with Scripture, we still play the part of the fool in that we don’t know why our decision is a good one because we didn’t consult God’s wisdom for us. We merely stumbled upon a good decision in one instance by virtue of the fact that we have been created in God’s image and therefore run into His truth in our thinking from time to time.

Second, this commitment to independence from God has other implications concerning our need to go to the bible to find practical help and disastrous consequences if we do not. It does not go too far to say that the situation in evangelical circles today is desperate and therefore tragic at the same time. Not only do believers end up consulting sources that compete with God for their decision-making needs, but in so doing, they invariably get bad advice, miss out on the joy God has for them, and indeed dishonor the Lord in forsaking Him. Yes, to forsake His word in the every day affairs of life is to forsake Him.

1 | 2 | Next | All
Most Recent User Comments
Simbathekat
10/2/2009 11:32 AM
Hi Paul,

While I agree with your sentiments, I have a story to share about using the bible as a decision-making tool. About two years ago I found out I was pregnant. However, I was not married and the relationship with my ex-partner was still new. I considered an abortion, but consulted the bible on whether it was the right thing to do. I prayed to God and opened up the bible randomly and began reading. I came across a verse in the old testament that said something in reference to all children being born out of wedlock would suffer some dire consequence. I spoke to a friend and she said Satan could interfere with the Word of God, because he knows it.

What do you think???
ddle
8/30/2007 1:37 AM
I completely agree that we need to learn to use the scripture for our daily needs/questions/answers, etc. My question is what do YOU call "what the world calls bi-polar"? And where do you go to get counsel on such an issue? (i.e. where in the scriptures?)
janeytobler
8/27/2007 1:16 AM
i know there are scriptures in the bible that apply to my situration and i am searching for them and praying for them.

this article i agree with,but need assistance in finding subjects to fit the life situations i am in. how do i find the word i need for my problem...

what subject do i look up when my husband is verbally abusive, not following christ's ways and doing ilegal actions.

what word searches do i do to find scriptures that go along with that.
what do i look under when my child is physically hitting me andverbally threatening me.

i can't find any scriptures under abuse, threats, husbands that do't lead the household

what word searches would il look up to line my situration and my decisions up with god's will....
how can i apply god's word to my situration so i am doing the right thing...
thank you for your feedback.
janet
Sign up to post your comments

It's quick and easy to register with Crosswalk.com! Just fill out the short form below. You'll have the opportunity to post comments, and be more involved in our community and forums. Plus, with this one account, you can sign in anywhere in our network of sites displaying the Salem All-Pass logo, including Oneplace.com, Christianity.com, Lightsource.com, Crosscards.com, and more!