Do you take the Bible seriously?

Many professing Christians do not. While most of them do own a Bible, it seems that there are relatively few who actually read it on a regular basis. Even those who do, seem rarely to allow the Word of God to challenge them and change them as it ought.

If Christians did read their Bibles in this manner, their faith would be strong, their doctrine would be pure, their worship would be reverent, and their profession of personal faith would always be adorned with a godly walk.

God calls you to take his word seriously:

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Do you take Bible study seriously?

Many professing Christians do not. While most of them do own a Bible and while many will attend the Bible Studies scheduled by their local church, it seems that there are few who spend time studying scripture on their own.

If more Christians did study their Bibles, they would not be so easily deceived by the charlatans and heretics who have snuck into the church unawares to draw away disciples after themselves and away from orthodoxy through empty-but-persuasive words.

God calls you to take Bible study seriously:

For the Holy Spirit judged the saints in Berea as “more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” (Acts 17:11).

Do you take Bible translation seriously?

Many professing Christians do not. It seems that most simply use the Bible translation that their parents used or whatever their pastor happens to use. Many even choose their translation like they choose any other commodity (having being manipulated through mass marketing).

If more Christians did take seriously the topic of Bible translation, they would not only research the differences between text families (i.e., Textus Receptus, Eclectic, and Majority), but also between translation philosophies (i.e., Formal Equivalence, Dynamic Equivalence, and Paraphrase) before choosing a translation.

God calls you to take Bible translation seriously:

“Forever, O Lord, thy word is settled in the heavens…” and “assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” (Psalm 119:89 and Matthew 5:18).

Do you take scripture memorization seriously?

Many professing Christians do not. While they will indeed memorize a favorite “life verse” from the Bible and perhaps a few other de-contextualized snippets of evangelical sloganeering, it seems that very few devote themselves to a regular and rigorous program of scripture memorization.

If more Christians did take scripture memorization seriously, they would not be so easily deceived by heretics and they would not be so quickly defeated by the devil and drawn into sin when he takes aim at their hearts and lets his fiery arrows fly.

God calls you to take scripture memorization seriously:

For the man of God says, “Thy word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against thee…” and of this man it is written, “The law of his God is in his heart; therefore none of his steps shall slide.” (Psalms 119:11 and 37:31)

Do you take doctrine seriously?

Many professing Christians do not. Rather than following the noble example of the first believers who continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine (Acts 2:42), they have chosen to walk according to that post-modern excuse for biblical ignorance: “Doctrine divides, but love unites.”

The only thing doctrine truly divides is truth from error, light from darkness, sheep from wolves, and wheat from tares. Such distinctions are becoming increasingly rare in the churches of today and that is why so many Christians are confused, weak, unstable, and in danger of apostasy.

God calls you to take doctrine seriously:

“Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine… Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.” (1 Timothy 4:13, 16)

Do you take preaching seriously?

Many professing Christians do not. While they will indeed pay attention and perhaps even take a few notes during the sermon, it seems that few understand and appreciate what actually happens when the Bible is preached by men who are sufficiently gifted and duly approved and called to the sacred office.

If more Christians did take preaching seriously, they would not only attend unto preaching with diligence, preparation, and prayer but they would also receive, meditate upon, and allow the truths preached to bring forth fruits of repentance, faith, and holiness in their lives.

God calls you to take preaching seriously:

“For this reason we also thank God without ceasing: because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” (1 Thess. 2:13)

Do you take holiness seriously?

Many professing Christians do not. While many will indeed speak of their desire to “become more like Jesus”, it seems that any serious discussions about pursuing personal holiness are immediately dismissed by modern evangelicals as nothing but legalism and phariseeism.

If more Christians took seriously God’s command to come out from the world, stay separate from the world, and even hate the world so that they might become more like their Saviour, they would so shine as lights in this world that many would come to Christ.

God calls you to take holiness seriously:

“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14) “For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.” (Romans 6:19)

Do you take the sabbath seriously?

Many professing Christians do not. While most will indeed attend an hour-long worship service each week, there are very few who consciously and consistently set aside an entire twenty-four hour period each week for rest, worship, and ministry.

If more Christians took seriously God’s command to remember and keep holy the sabbath day, the stores and restaurants would be empty, the houses of worship and prayer would be filled, the orphans and widows would be visited, and the saints would be refreshed and rewarded.

God calls you to take the sabbath seriously:

“If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy day of the LORD honorable, and shall honor him, not doing your own ways, nor finding your own pleasure, nor speaking your own words, then you shall delight yourself in the LORD…” (Isaiah 58:13-14)

Do you take worship seriously?

Many professing Christians do not. While most of them do attend the weekly service of their church, many do it only out of custom and merely go through the motions of worship (while their hearts remain far from God).

Even those who attend for the right reasons, are often unable to experience the power and presence of God because the service itself has not been regulated according to scripture and is not conducted in a decent and orderly manner.

God calls you to take worship seriously:

“Honor and majesty are before him; strength and power are in his sanctuary.  Give to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts. Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness!  Tremble before him, all the earth.” (Psalm 96:6-9)

Do you take baptism seriously?

Many professing Christians do not. Whether one believes in infant baptism or believer’s baptism, it  seems that most Christians believe that baptism is as a religious rite which is once to be received and then may be forgotten.

If Christians were to remember their baptism more often and especially that glorious name into which they were baptized, they would be more conscious of their identity, more diligent in mortifying the flesh, and more careful to walk in newness of life.

God calls you to take baptism seriously:

“Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we were buried with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:3-4)