Read The Book

There's nothing more glorious than discovering scripture truths for yourself. When you read the word of God, He opens your eyes to truth. He says my people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6).

Many of us Christians do not read or study the bible for ourselves, we just go with what the pastors tell us which in my opinion is a dangerous practice, being a Christian, is more than just going to church and regurgitating what they preach on a Sabbath or Sunday. Being a Christian is not a one day or 2 hour experience is a daily lifestyle, it's personal whilst public, it's a journey getting to know and sharing the infinite Love of the Father and the son. How then are we to do that if we do not read for ourselves. There is no excuses for reading and studying the bible, there are many translations out there for you to get to know him, If you don't understand the Shakespearean language of the King James use the New International Version or the New Living translation.

It's not good to say my pastor said this so I'm going with what they say, God said to test every doctrine:

1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

1 John 4:1

(ESV)

How are we to test the spirit if we do not study for ourselves, that is how the enemy catches a lot of us we are followers of the doctrines of men, not of God just as the Pharisees and Sadducees where doing in Christ's time. We allow men to guide us, not the Word of God and it pains for me to say this but to many of our destruction.

Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

Matthew 15:14

(KJV)

And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

2 Corinthians 11:14-15

(ESV)

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. Hosea 4:6 (KJV)

Then how are we not to fall into the ditch with many of the wrong teachings in the world read and study for yourselves. And when I say study, I mean study use the dictionary, read history books, use other ancient scripts and go into the bible as a blank slate do not go into the bible with your own or another's presuppositions and you may just learn something. But many of us want to be lazy Christians and not put in the work ourselves or are we afraid in what the Word of God says that may actually force us to have to change our lives and our views but that's what is there for to transform us in to righteous disciples for Christ .

I can wax lyrical about the benefits of reading for yourselves but here's a little video:

So if even the "Martians" know why don't we as children of God don't do it. So start today.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)