Not Reading the Bible on a Daily Basis is a Sin

Sin: Not doing what God tells us to or else doing that which He tells us not to.

If the polls are to be believed the majority of Christians almost never read their Bible. Not just sometimes or once-in-a-while but almost never. The Bible cleary states that we are to be in the Word on a daily basis. The Bible is the foundation of the Christian faith. It is living and active, sharper than a double-edged sword. It is the very word of God. There is no excuse for a Christian to not read, and know, the Bible.

I had a pastor once tell a story about two horses. The owner fed one of the horses but starved the other. Which one got stronger? When we read our Bible we are feeding our spiritual nature and starving our sinful nature. As our battle is not against flesh and blood but against the spiritual forces in the heavenly realms we need to keep feeding our spiritual nature. Our sinful nature gets enough food just by living in this fallen world.

I had another pastor who had his own take on Bible reading. He said that we eat three meals a day but sometimes we need a snack. He went on to explain that in-depth Bible study is very important in a Christian's life. But there will be times when we are in situations where it would be helpful to have God's word quickly at hand. He recommended memorizing scripture. I took that advice to heart and began to memorize the word of God. I cannot even begin to recall how many times a Bible verse would come into my mind when I needed it. For anyone who might be interested I placed a list of my memory verses in a separate file.

My Memory Verses

Reading the Bible also helps us be able to quote scripture if needed. But when we quote God's word it is important to do it correctly. When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness He quoted scripture. He did not paraphrase it. It seems that for many Christians when quoting scripture close seems to be good enough. But from the example set by Christ it is not. When quoting Bible verses we need to be careful not to let our words take the place of God's words.

No matter what the reason, or the method, it is important for the Christian to be in God's word on a daily basis. Just as a doctor studies medical texts or a mechanic reads service manuals the Bible should be the Christians guidebook for living. But when it comes to Bibles a question often asked by believers and non-believers alike is "which version is the best one?" Because there are so many versions of the Bible in circulation today it is difficult to know which version is the best one. I offer my own opinion on that subject in a separate letter.

Bible Versions