Why are so many Christians biblically illiterate?

[phil112]

Why are so many Christians biblically illiterate? | Fox News

This is a serious problem, and it exists in this forum too.
When I got saved, altho I had gone to church as a lad with the family, and dad was always a studious believer, I made a vow to myself that I was going to get it right. I made the decision that I would no longer accept what I had been, and was being, taught as truth. I measured everything I knew and heard against the word. And I consequently rejected many things that I had long believed and accepted as bible truth.
I had many a discussion and argument with my father because of that. And he too came to see many things differently than he previously had.
Many of you here are of that cloth. You read and believe what you know to be true, but never really measuring it against the word. Being taught something from our youth, having mothers and fathers, loved ones, that believe something in error is not what we want to hear.
I have had discussion and disagreements with folks here because of that very thing. It's always the other guy that needs to reconsider, to see it my way. Never me.
But I don't have a way. I see it as the bible tells me to. And, just as it tells us, when we adhere to the word we are going to be on an island on this planet. Truth will isolate us from most people.
Friends, this is something that we must always search our inward parts about. We must always be on guard to prevent ourself from falling into that error of never being wrong. We must do this daily. Hourly. Ever. It is important.

And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

Folks, think about this scripture. There is just no room for error. We must be right. That requires constant study and prayer.

Pray without ceasing.

The stakes are enormous. Never in anyone's life has anything been more important, yet we cavalierly dismiss others input because it disagrees with something we have made up our mind about long ago, something we have decided to believe because, well because that is what we believe.
God is right. Anyone and anything that disagrees with Him is wrong. Period. So it doesn't matter if you got it from your father, your mother, your favorite preacher. It matters if it agrees exactly with His word.
I would exhort everyone to constantly measure their beliefs with the bible. Why? Because it is the word of God and God is never wrong. Very simple at the heart of the matter.
Study to show yourself approved, not unto your neighbor, your wife, your husband, your church, but to God.
Food for thought..............

 

[3Scoreand10]

Choice------------
They choose not to put in the time and effort and prayer to understand the Word.

 

[phil36]

It takes discipline to study. not mny people are prepared to spend the time as 3score has said, the other half think they have a direct line and dont need to study.

 

[Chuckt]

You have to give up television.
You have to read the Bible.
Churches have to read more than two verses a week.
Another reason is that churches attract people who aren't born again and people who oppose the work of Christianity in their churches so they hold their churches down. Because they are illiterate and people are illiterate, the only way to function is to invite the world in whom hates the Bible.
The pastors don't believe and you just have to find a survey by the barna group.

You have to find a group like the Word for Today with Chuck Smith or "Thru The Bible" by Dr. J. Vernon McGee on the Bible to hear the Bible verse by verse. Another good teacher is Dr. Oliver B. Greene of the Gospel Hour on some stations. If you are in another country, you might be able to find some Christian programs on the internet or on short wave radio.

I would participate with people who wish to learn the Bible on this forum.
It is also important to find some good Christian books from the best teachers and avoid the heresies in this life.

I feel that if you want to be a disciple, you have to read more than 30 chapters of the Bible a day because time is short and you have to get it done.

 

[EarsToHear]

Religion is one of Satan’s hidden dynasties. He (Satan) does some of his best work from Christian pulpits.


With what did Satan tempt Christ in the wilderness? Scripture, of course, which he loves to twist. Also, Satan knows Scripture better than most Christians know it.

 

[Lost_sheep]

When I very first got my Bible, I read an article that stated approximately 90-95% of self-identified Christians have never read the Bible cover to cover. The article went on to talk about how the little bit they do read is what they get on Sunday, which I inferred as an admonishment of a lot of churches not teaching the Bible either and focusing on only a few parts.

Not to brag, but I'm only a few steps closer to Jesus than an atheist, and I'm nearly 25% through my first reading of the Bible. Granted, I'm not going to be a chapter-and-verse quoting guy this first go around, but if someone like me can read the entire Bible, there won't be any excuse for Christians who've been in the faith for years or decades to NOT have read it...at least once.

 

[wattie]

A big part of this is putting things in context. As others have typed b4.

So people often quote a stand alone verse.. thinking the whole meaning is encapsulated in that verse.. eg.. 'faith without works is dead'.. its just fired in there.. none of the passage around it.. which is what gives its fuller meaning.

And then there is the rule of thumb in looking at who a verse is being addressed to. If it is to a local assembly.. local church .. then it doesn't necessarily apply to an individual believer alone not assembled with their church family.

Also you get verses addressed to Pharisees, Scribes, other non believers.. and these shouldn't be applied to a born again believer.
There is much more also.. like cross references.. where a NT scripture is an extension of an OT scripture. Eg.. deuteronomy process of resolving disputes with Israel travelling as a whole journeying.. is later translated to use in a NT local church (Matthew 18) 'Where two or three are gathered, there I am with them'

 

[Jeffry]

From your post, Phil...
"This is a serious problem, and it exists in this forum too.
When I got saved..."

No human being has ever yet been "saved", Phil, in the Biblical sense. Please look to the Scriptures: Of what Christians are to be "saved" FOR (eternal life as members/family in the Kingdom of God - see Rom. 1:3-4), and what we are to be "saved" FROM ("the second [final] death" - see Rev. 21:8)... NEITHER HAS HAPPENED YET! So you can't already be "saved"! No one can be! No way. No how. Neither can anyone already be condemned. That's part of the "good news" (gospel) that Jesus brought us from His Father. "Now after John was put in prison Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God" (Mrk. 1:14) (NKJV). jg

 

[3Scoreand10]

Reading your Bible is great, I would never discourage you, but proper STUDY is what is needed if you are to understand the WORD.
Learn how to study. The reward is much greater than just reading.

 

[Lost_sheep]

Reading your Bible is great, I would never discourage you, but proper STUDY is what is needed if you are to understand the WORD.
Learn how to study. The reward is much greater than just reading.

You've had a few more trips around the sun than I have, have been in the faith much longer than I have, and it's easy for you to say "don't just read, study". How? Where? With whom? I'm more than open to studying, but my options for that in-person are extremely limited in my area, and from what I've seen on these forums the past couple of weeks, I wouldn't trust enough people here to not lead me completely astray were I to get into an online study course through these forums.

If you want, you can send me a PM with your advice so we don't derail this thread.

 

[John146]

Interesting:

There are approximately one 1,000,000 words in the English vocabulary; 500,000 are cited in most dictionaries. The Bible uses less than an 8,000 word vocabulary.

A child knows 300 words by age two and 3,000 words by the age of three; by age five a child could know the 8,000 word vocabulary of the Bible. Whether this capacity is filled with words like “spongebob” or “concupiscience” is the parent’s choice.

The competing voices are taking away from the one voice we should be listening to, the Word of God. TV is a powerful medium. Only the Word of God is more “powerful” (Heb.4:12).

 

[EarsToHear]

Interesting:

There are approximately one 1,000,000 words in the English vocabulary; 500,000 are cited in most dictionaries. The Bible uses less than an 8,000 word vocabulary.

A child knows 300 words by age two and 3,000 words by the age of three; by age five a child could know the 8,000 word vocabulary of the Bible. Whether this capacity is filled with words like “spongebob” or “concupiscience” is the parent’s choice.

The competing voices are taking away from the one voice we should be listening to, the Word of God. TV is a powerful medium. Only the Word of God is more “powerful” (Heb.4:12).

Granted, to a degree; however, you must often go back to the original languages for the true meaning. For example, the word from which “fear” is translated can be either “fear” or “revere”.


Also, 1611 KJV had two letters, one to the king and the other to the reader. They translators said, “we did the best we could, but check it out for yourself”, or words to that effect. Check it out where? In the manuscripts.

 

[John146]

It take approximately 60 hours for an above average reader to read through the Bible. One could read the Bible in 2 months reading 1 hour a day. Here's a breakdown:

12 times a year =2 hours/day or 1/12th of your day
6 times a year = 1 hour/day or 1/24th of your day
3 times a year = 30 min/day or 1/48th of your day
1 time a year = 10 min/day or 1/144th day

Straight reading helps one get an overall familiarity with the Bible. We must also study and memorize the Bible. The more Scripture I intake, the better chance I have not conforming to this world.

 

[Dino246]

Another thought is to read an entire book in a sitting, or at most a few sittings. Study is needed, though frankly I would recommend reading the entire Bible at least once before embarking on a program of study. The reason I say this is that, as John146 noted above, overall familiarity is needed. One needs to grasp the sweep of the story before trying to understand what a particular term or passage means. After the first reading, keep reading and start studying.

One more thought: don't read commentaries until you've done your own homework with a topic or book. Let God speak to you, then see what He's said to others. Commentaries are great for rounding out your understanding, but not for grounding your understanding. That is the Holy Spirit's job.

 

[Willie-T]

When I very first got my Bible, I read an article that stated approximately 90-95% of self-identified Christians have never read the Bible cover to cover. The article went on to talk about how the little bit they do read is what they get on Sunday, which I inferred as an admonishment of a lot of churches not teaching the Bible either and focusing on only a few parts.

Not to brag, but I'm only a few steps closer to Jesus than an atheist, and I'm nearly 25% through my first reading of the Bible. Granted, I'm not going to be a chapter-and-verse quoting guy this first go around, but if someone like me can read the entire Bible, there won't be any excuse for Christians who've been in the faith for years or decades to NOT have read it...at least once.

There are many of us on here who can quote almost every "popular" (for lack of a better word) verse in the Bible, but PLEASE, never make that your goal. That usually only proves you've been "churched" a lot.

 

[secondtimearound]

So you can't already be "saved"! No one can be! No way. No how. Neither can anyone already be condemned.

[SUP]18 [/SUP]He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Sure about that?

 

[Willie-T]

You've had a few more trips around the sun than I have, have been in the faith much longer than I have, and it's easy for you to say "don't just read, study". How? Where? With whom? I'm more than open to studying, but my options for that in-person are extremely limited in my area, and from what I've seen on these forums the past couple of weeks, I wouldn't trust enough people here to not lead me completely astray were I to get into an online study course through these forums.

If you want, you can send me a PM with your advice so we don't derail this thread.

Have you employed the map I posted?

 

[posthuman]

i don't understand why so many who claim to have put their entire life into God's trust aren't more interested in reading this book, that contains the written record of His dealing with mankind, and His very own words to us. it really bewilders me.

i can only speak for myself - and for a long time i didn't pick it up much, even though i "believed." and when i did, i just flipped to a random section and read a few pages, and then pondered on them for some time. i can't explain why it wasn't more important to me. i guess i felt like i got "enough" of it by going to church a couple hours a week. in hindsight of course, that was ridiculous. it's ridiculous that any of us should think that showing up for an hour on a sunday and a wednesday is "enough." but i reckon that's what a lot of people do.
if that's ridiculous, than it's also ridiculous to criticize 'the church' en masse for not reading enough of it during a sunday meeting. that's not supposed to be "enough" in the first place. that's passing the buck. the pastor's job isn't to do your homework for you.

and i even read a lot. a lot of novels, even non-fiction. one day i hadn't been to the library recently and wanted something to read, and was going through the house looking. there was my Bible staring at me. it occurred to me - if i really believe that this is the single most important collection of writings on planet earth, why am i looking for something else to read, when there it is?

so i picked it up.

i still don't read it - or study it - as much as i ought. but i'm in a much better position of understanding now than before the spirit in me brought that thought to mind.

so there's the thing about biblical illiteracy, in my opinion -- i guess we haven't asked ourselves that question, because that's what "clicked" for me.
so maybe we all need to face that question: if we really believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, born into human flesh to give His life as a ransom for us, died on the cross and rose again, and ascended to heaven, and will return again -- if we really believe this, then this book is the single most important collection of writings on the planet. so why aren't we reading it?

ask ourselves that question. ask ourselves why we're not involved in bible study groups apart from the single hour or couple of hours a week that is the christian ritual of the western world.
and most of us are involved in local churches - ask the people in the pews around you that same question on sunday. ask them why they're not involved in a bible study group, if they really believe that this book is so important.
and get involved with them. find a time. get together, and start reading something. read Romans together. read Matthew or Psalms together. read through the whole Bible together, and talk about it together, and discuss it, and think long and pray hard over it.

none of this changes if all we do is complain. get up and do. do in your own lives, and do for others. we, as believers, are for each other - we belong to each other. God has made us a body so that we all benefit each other. isn't this something we can help each other with, then? we who have some knowledge? we who have some drive?

 

[Willie-T]

If you don't read your Bible, you should not feel guilty.

(You should feel hungry.)

 

[3Scoreand10]

You've had a few more trips around the sun than I have, have been in the faith much longer than I have, and it's easy for you to say "don't just read, study". How? Where? With whom? I'm more than open to studying, but my options for that in-person are extremely limited in my area, and from what I've seen on these forums the past couple of weeks, I wouldn't trust enough people here to not lead me completely astray were I to get into an online study course through these forums.

If you want, you can send me a PM with your advice so we don't derail this thread.

Remember what you were taught in school.
Who is speaking, who are they talking to, what are they talking about, why are they talking, time--past, present, past.
It is very important to understand what key words ment when they were first writen by God's men.
Languages change with time. The meaning of words change. A word or term used 2000 years ago may have had a different meaning today.
Get a Strong's Hebrew-Greek dictionary. Look up words you are not sure of. If you have difficulity with a verse, look up everyword. It takes time and effort. Study with an open mind. Be willing to allow the Word to change you mind.
Keep a notebook. Things you learn/understand for furure reference.
Start with the Gospel of John.
Pray.
Don't get discourged. It may be a slow process when you begin.
Never be ashamed to ask for help.
Remember, we were all there in the begining.