A good question
Someone recently asked me, “What are ‘the means of grace’?” It’s a good question and when you think about it, God has many ways in which he helps us get to know him better and work and witness for him more effectively. But there are four “means of grace” which stand out among all others: Bible reading, prayer, worship and fellowship; and I put Bible reading first of all because it leads us into the others. While the Bible might be the most widely distributed book in the world, sadly it might also be the most unread – even by many strongly professing Christians, so we need constant encouragement to keep on with it.
Too much is never enough when it comes to reading, marking, learning and inwardly digesting the Word of God, for it is in his Word, the Bible, that God reveals to us all that we need to know for our salvation, faith and life, and it is the Bible which is our only rule of faith and practice. The Apostle Paul certainly hit the nail on the head when he wrote to the Thessalonians, under Holy Spirit inspiration, “you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers”(1 Thessalonians 2.13b).
A big help
One of the great Christian leaders of the 19th Century was Bishop J.C. Ryle and one of the hallmarks of his ministry was the encouragement of his fellow Christians to grow in grace by practising the means of grace including Bible reading. In a small book, How Do You Read the Bible?he encourages not only diligent Bible reading but thorough use of the Bible in all our endeavours to lead our lives to the glory of God and for our own blessing as well as a testimony for others.
Eight good reasons
In eight propositions proceeding in his usual logical fashion the godly bishop establishes why it is essential to read the Bible:
1. There is no book in existence written in such a manner as the Bible.
2. There is no knowledge as absolutely needful to our salvation as a knowledge of the things we find in the Bible.
3. No book in existence contains such important matter as the Bible.
4. No book in existence has produced such wonderful effects on mankind as the Bible.
5. No book in existence can do so much for everyone who reads it rightly as the Bible.
6. The Bible is the only rule by which all questions of doctrine or of duty can be tried.
7. The Bible is the book which all true Christians have always lived on and loved.
8. The Bible is the only book which can comfort us in the last hours of our life.
Who? How? Why?
He follows this by dealing with the types of people who read or don’t read the Bible before outlining and advising on the best ways to engage in Bible reading. He concludes with a list of blessings which arise from Bible reading and study.
What about you?
Hopefully this book will encourage any who have not yet taken to reading the Bible to do so forthwith, any who have let the practice slip to return to it without delay and any who are diligent in reading it to go more deeply and benefit more fully in their spiritual enrichment.
(How Do You Read The Bible? J.C. Ryle, The Banner of Truth Trust, Edinburgh, 2021.ISBN: Print 978 1 80040 128 0; Epub 978 1 80040 129 7; Kindle 978 1 80040 130 3.banneroftruth.org )
Rev Bob Thomas, Melbourne, retired editor of New Life fortnightly evangelical newspaper of 20 years and a former Moderator General of the Victorian Presbyterian Churches and honoured with an invitation to be part of Billy Graham's funeral in the US. Bob Thomas is involved with the Banner of Truth and the MC of the annual mission’s media seminars 'One Day in Melbourne'. He is married to Alison they have two children, seven grand children and one great grand child.