One key lesson to take away from bible verses about studying the Bible, other than its benefits, is that it is of utmost importance to God.
By reason of New Testament emphasis (especially in Paul’s prayers), one could argue that Spiritual Maturity is second to Salvation on God’s priority table for mankind. However, there are some Christians who find the call and rigors of personal bible study irrelevant since they already believe in the redemptive work of Jesus and are saved.
Let us looks at what some Bible verses about studying scripture have to say and what it means for our attitude to bible study.
In this article, we are regarding Bible Study, loosely, as any activity that enables us to learn more about God and specifically, as the process of examining the background, context, and intent of biblical texts for proper interpretation.
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Is there a bible verse that talks about us studying to show thyself approved?
Yes, there is. The Bible verse that talks about us studying to show thyself approved is found in 2 Timothy 2:15. This is a prominent verse about studying the Bible for reasons that can not be ignored. Let us conduct a quick bible study on this verse and discover for ourselves why it has earned its place in today’s discourse.
Reason #1: It is a verse that actually talks about studying God’s word.
The King James Version(KJV) translates 2 Timothy 2:15 as Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
The Greek word KJV translates as “Study” is Σπούδασον (Spoudason) which literally means to make effort and figuratively means to study considering the context.
Here is how the Amplified Bible version puts it;
Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman [tested by trial] who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 AMP
Reason #2: Bible study is an art that demands diligence from the student.
I love the focus text for two reasons; Firstly, Paul acknowledges that Bible Study is not a walk in the park. If it were easy, he wouldn’t be urging his protegee to put in every effort. This leads me to my second point. Despite the inherent difficulty, he encourages Timothy to put in the hard work regardless. It may not be easy, but it is possible and achievable.
Bible study is an art consisting of rules and procedures that must be known and strictly adhered to. If there is a right way to “divide the word” then there is also a wrong way to do so.
Logon is the Greek word that is translated as “word” and it means something said referring to the communication we receive from God of which the chief and principal way God speaks to us is through the Bible; the written word of God. Thus, as we study the Bible, we are constantly trained to properly handle the word of God. That is, we get better at receiving the word, gaining an accurate interpretation of it, responding to it, and applying it as well.
We become like skilled artisans who, through continuous practice, can effectively dissect a piece of work material with a specific tool having no need to be ashamed.
Reason #3: It is an art God expects every believer to practice.
Some believers might argue that this verse of scripture was addressed to Timothy who was a teacher of the Gospel and as such, this passage of scripture does not apply to them since they are not pastors or church leaders.
It is true that Paul was talking to Timothy who was Paul’s partner and assistant. But his statement doesn’t exclude the rest of the body of Christ because the same Paul said in his address to believers at Corinth that they were also called into the ministry or work of reconciliation(2 Cor 5:19). Hence, all Christians are called to be ‘workmen” in God’s field and it doesn’t always have to be pastoring.
To make the connection between service and bible study clearer, Paul shortly after advised Timothy to pursue faith (amongst others) if he was going to be used by God for a special purpose(2 Tim 2:22).
I believe that success in our various ministries would depend significantly on our bible study life. I think that as a believer, it would be settling for less or an act of mediocrity to not engage in bible study.
Compelling Bible Verses about Studying the Bible.
1. 1 Peter 3:15
“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,”
2. Matthew 9:13
“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
3. Matthew 19:4
“Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,'”
4. James 1:25
“But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.”
5. Galatians 1:8
“But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!”
6. Ephesians 4:5
“one Lord, one faith, one baptism;”
7. 2 Timothy 4:3
“For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”
8. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
“The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie”
9. Acts 17:11
“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.”
10. Ephesians 4:13-14
“Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.”
11. Psalms 119:130
“The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.”
12. Psalms 25:8-9
“Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.”
13. John 5:39
“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,”
14. Luke 22:45
“When he rose from prayer and went back to the disciples, he found them asleep, exhausted from sorrow.”
15. Luke 24:27
“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.”
16. John 2:17
“His disciples remembered that it is written: ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.'”
17. Luke 21:22
“For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written.”
18. Daniel 9:2
“In the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years.”
19. Acts 4:11
“Jesus is ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.'”
20. Mark 12:10
“Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;'”
21. John 7:42
“Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?”
22. Acts 17:11-12
“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.”
23. Joshua 1:8
“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
24. Titus 2:7-10
“In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.”
25. 1 Timothy 6:3-4
“If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. Instead, he has an unhealthy interest in controversies and semantics, out of which come envy, strife, abusive talk, evil suspicions “
26. Ephesians 4:13-15
“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”
27. 2 Peter 3:14
“Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.”
28. Hebrews 5:11-14
“About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”
29. 2 Peter 1:10
“Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.”
30. Romans 1:28
“And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.”
31. Hosea 4:6
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.”
32. Romans 11:36
“For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”
33. Romans 12:1-2
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
34. 1 Corinthians 3:1-2
“But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready.”
35. 2 Corinthians 5:17-19
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.”
Final word on verses about Bible study.
As we wrap, let us quickly go over some of the things we have learned through bible study about bible study. Bible verses about studying the word of God inform us that we, as believers, have been entrusted with the ministry/message of reconciliation, and our success depends on how well we study the bible.
Not only is Bible study non-negotiable, it should also be approached with an attitude of diligence and responsibility as portrayed in verses about studying the bible. It is a responsibility that we must bear.
Remember, part of biblical self-leadership is to develop our new life in Christ
