Alphonso Smith’s book, What Can Literature Do for Me?, states six benefits of reading. They are: 1. Gives you an outlet. 2. Keeps before you the vision of the ideal. 3. Gives you a better knowledge of human nature. 4. Restores the past to you. 5. Shows you the glory of the commonplace. 6. Gives you the mastery of our own language.
But there are greater benefits in reading your Bible. Wilbur Smith lists at least seven:
- It will reveal and convict us of sin (Heb 4:12; 2 Tim 3:16; Jam 1:23-24).
- It will cleanse us from the pollutions of sin (1 Jn 1:9; Psa 119:9; Jn 15:3; 17:17; Eph 5:25-26).
- It will impart to us strength to live a life wisely (Deut 8:3; Mt 4:4; Psa 19:10; 119:103; Job 23:12; Jer 15:16; 1 Pet 2:2; 1 Cor 3:2; Heb 5:12-13; Acts 20:32; 2 Tim 4:1-4; 1 Jn 2:14).
- It will instruct us in our duties (Mt 7:24-27; Jam 1:22).
- It will provide us with a power and promises for victory over sin (Eph 6:17; Psa 119:11).
- It will make our lives fruitful (Psa 1:1-3; Josh 1:8-9).
- Gives us power to pray (Jn 15:7).
John Calvin’s testimony about the Bible is true: “No human writings, however sacredly composed, are at all capable of affecting us in a similar way. Read Demosthenes or Cicero, read Plato or Aristotle, or any other of that class. You will, I admit, feel wonderfully allured, pleased, moved, enchanted; but turn from them to the reading of the Sacred Volume, and whether or not it will so affect you, so pierce your heart, so work its way into your very marrow that the comparison of the impression so produced, that of orators and philosophers, will disappear, making it manifest that in the Sacred Volume there is a truth Divine, something that makes it superior to all the gifts and graces attainable by man.”
Lanny Tanton is the Pastor at The Bible Church of the Lakes in Horseshoe Bay, Texas – just outside of Marble Falls. Pastor Tanton welcomes you to our website and hopes that you’ll enjoy reading these insightful blog posts. Please contact us if you have further questions!!
