My husband and I were watching a show on Netflix earlier about people who escaped so called “Christian” cults (like the FLDS that was led by Warren Jeffs (Mormon off-shoot) and a weird militant cult in Sacramento, CA . Time and again the people interviewed were saying how the leaders instilled fear in them and would tell them they were going to hell if they left and if they did or didn’t do such and such, or if they told others what the cult leaders had done to them. The cult leaders would control them even to the point of telling them to whip their children and lock them in a dark shed for days on end when they were only two years old for cooing and crying like any babies will. I kept wondering why they didn’t realize that the Bible never taught anything those cult leaders told them then I realized many so called “Christian Cults” don’t let their members read the Bible so they can keep them controlled. If they had spent time in the Bible, they would know what they were taught was not truth and they would know to run from such people. They would know that God teaches us to love one another (it’s the greatest commandment according to Jesus Christ Himself!) and that we can know we have eternal life in heaven if we receive Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross by believing by faith.
It got me thinking about how important the Bible is for a Christian. When our pastors, priests, Bible study leaders, etc. teach us things, we can (and SHOULD) always back it up with the Bible. Check the Bible and see if what they’re teaching you is true. The Bible itself tells us to examine the scriptures regularly to check for the truth of what leaders teach us:
“Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” -Acts 17:11 (NIV)
The Bible is the most important tool a Christian can have and he or she should make use of it daily. It’s God Almighty’s Word to us. It teaches us everything we will ever need to know to grow close to God:
“and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” -2 Timothy 3:15-17 NIV)
Men and women throughout history have suffered died so we can have the Bible to know God through. There are believers in non-Christian nations who would give anything to own a Bible, even just a few pages of a Bible.
Do you open yours regularly to let the Lord speak to you? Do you read it to see if what you’re being taught is really true? I challenge you this week to read at least one chapter in the Bible every day. I know you can do it!
