Six Reasons for Knowing God’s Word

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. (Psalm 1:1–3)

Why is it so important to be well-grounded in the truth of God? Why bother to know the scoop? Why not leave that responsibility to the missionary and minister? Let me suggest six specific reasons. There may be many more, but these six are essential. Each one is something we must personally enter into.

1. Knowledge gives substance to faith. On what do those who do not know the truth rely? On emotion, on feelings, on someone else’s opinion, on a book, on tradition, or some other empty, humanistic hope. And the result? Their faith lacks substance. That is especially revealing when they are under attack or when testing comes. That thought introduces the next benefit.
2. Knowledge stabilises us during times of testing. When we know what God has said, and then we go through a period of pain when the bottom virtually drops out of our life, we don’t panic, we don’t doubt, we don’t skip the faith. The knowledge we have gained stabilises us and equips us with essential, calming fortitude when the tests come.
3.  Knowledge enables us to handle the Bible accurately. By knowing the general themes of Scripture, we are better able to handle the Scriptures intelligently and wisely. A working knowledge of the doctrines, for example, gives us confidence in using Scripture.
4. Knowledge equips us to detect and confront error. As I mentioned earlier, when you know where you stand spiritually, no one can get you off course. When you’re hearing erroneous information, you don’t need someone to nudge you and say, “Did you get that? Listen to that. That’s not true, is it?” Or “You know, in light of what Scripture teaches, what he just presented is out of whack.” Why? Because you have gone to the trouble to know the scoop. You can’t be intimidated. Your antennae have been sensitised.
5. It makes us confident in our daily walk. Show me a person who stumbles along in the Christian faith, and I’ll show you a person who isn’t exposing himself or herself to a consistent intake of the Scriptures. The learning process has somehow been stifled, interrupted, or put on “hold.” Biblical knowledge and personal confidence are like Siamese twins, inseparably linked together.
6. A good foundation of spiritual truth filters out our fears and superstitions. How important! God’s truth has a way of silencing those erroneous voices that would otherwise siphon our inner energy and immobilise us.