Everything but the Bible😏

Memory Verse💟: "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have"~ 1 Peter 3:15

As believers, there are so many things that occupy our minds and our time. We think about school, work, money, relationships, the future, and everything else that comes with life. Even when it comes to our Christian walk, we can become consumed with church activities, ministry, serving, conferences, and Christian content. None of these things are necessarily wrong; in fact, many of them are important, but sometimes, in the middle of doing everything else, we forget to actually sit down and study the very Book our faith is built upon.

We can know how to pray. We can know how to serve in church. We can know how to sing worship songs and quote popular Bible verses. We can even know how to call ourselves Christians. But how well do we actually know the Bible? And beyond simply reading it, how well do we understand what we believe? What happens when someone asks you why you believe in Jesus? What if someone asks why you trust the Bible? What if they ask you difficult questions about Christianity? Of course, we will never have the answer to every question. We are human, and there are things we may not fully understand. However, Scripture instructs us to be prepared to give an account for the hope that we have. This is where apologetics comes in. Apologetics is simply the practice of giving a reasoned defense of the Christian faith. It is not about arguing with unbelievers, proving that we are smarter than others or winning debates. Rather, it is about understanding what we believe and being able to explain why we believe it. The Bible itself gives us examples of this.

In Acts 17:2–3, Paul reasoned with people from the Scriptures and explained why Jesus was the promised Messiah. Apollos also used the Scriptures to demonstrate the truth about Christ. Even Jesus Himself often responded to questions, challenged false ideas, and pointed people back to the Scriptures. We are called to have faith, but faith does not mean switching off our minds.

Jesus commanded His disciples to go into the world, make disciples and teach them to obey everything He had commanded them (Matthew 28:19–20). But how can we teach others about a faith we have not taken the time to understand ourselves? Sometimes, I think we are more willing to study everything except the Bible. We can spend hours researching careers, watching videos about how to make money, preparing for exams, learning new skills, and gaining knowledge about the things that interest us. We can know everything happening on social media and still struggle to explain the foundation of our faith.

But the Bible should not be something we only open when we need a verse for encouragement or when a pastor tells us to. It is the Word of God. And if we claim to believe it, we should desire to know it. This does not mean every Christian must become a theologian or an expert in apologetics. Neither does it mean we will always have an immediate answer to every difficult question. Sometimes, the most honest response is simply, “I don’t know, but I am willing to look into it.” However, we should never become comfortable with remaining ignorant about the faith we claim to profess.

There is a difference between not knowing everything and having no desire to learn. As believers, we should not only be enthusiastic about expressing our faith. We should also be enthusiastic about understanding it. Let us read the Bible beyond our favourite verses. Let us study its context. Let us ask questions. Let us learn about its history. Let us seek answers to difficult questions and allow God’s Word to deepen our understanding of who He is. Because there is a world outside the church that has questions. And while we may not have every answer, we should be willing to seek the answers that can be found.

Conclusion💜

It is possible to be busy with everything surrounding Christianity and still neglect the foundation of our faith. Let us not become believers who know everything about church but very little about the Bible. May we have the same enthusiasm we have for other areas of our lives when it comes to knowing God’s Word. Not simply so that we can win arguments, but so that we may know God more deeply, stand firmly in our faith and be prepared to give an answer for the hope that we have. After all, before the ministry, the activities, the sermons and everything else, there is the Word.💕