Read Your Bible Regularly
Quote Review
“You live in a world where your soul is in constant danger. Enemies are round you on every side. Arm yourself with a thorough knowledge of the written word of God. Read your Bible Regularly.” – J.C. Ryle
Today’s quote came from the renowned Anglican Bishop, J.C. Ryle, and is an abbreviation of what he wrote, but it was presented in this way. Without going too much into denominational issues, let us reflect on a couple of truths that J.C. presents before us. The acknowledgment of a spiritual war that is constantly occurring, the clear and present danger of an enemy that seeks your soul, the strength of Scripture, and the practical application of defense.
First, there’s a strong pull from two extreme camps on the spiritual warfare topic within the Christian community. One camp normally is aligned with hyper-Calvinists and these individuals deny the spiritual within this realm. Many will note that there was a period where the spiritual or angelic realm played a larger part in humanity, specifically during the Old Testament period, and that Christ’s and the Apostolic period drove these miraculous occurrences to an end. The other side is the hyper-Charismatics who see such an overlap between the spiritual and the physical realm that both are affected by the other.
I think most mature and sensible Christians see something in the middle, however, the level of this balance differs on theological beliefs and understanding. I cannot persuade you towards my side of the scale without doing a disservice to Scripture, so it is best to allow you to read and interpret with the Spirit’s guidance towards your own convictions. But that statement itself is the first proof, as Christians we recognize the Spirit’s indwelling within us, and we cannot deny that there isn’t an active spiritual world. Additionally, Scripture does not indicate a passing period where the spiritual will become diminished (Eph 6:12). We must accept that there is a spiritual war that is still ongoing.
And this war is not without a victor, which is found in Christ, but it does not lead to a life without hardships. No army has ever fought a war without some casualties or threat of harm. Without diving into the harm of deliverance ministries, the danger exists in that we are told that we will suffer for Christ. My concern is not normally of physical danger, but the attacks that I consider to be more dangerous. The adversary, Satan, is not to just take lives away from this temporary world, but to own them for eternity. It is why we must be alert for the doctrines of demons which will cause souls to be lost through great temptation (1 Tim 4:1; 2 Tim 4:3-4). As humans, our greatest weapon in Spiritual warfare is the self-revelation and knowledge of God which leads us to the path of Christ and the words that speak the truth.
What I appreciate most in the quote is the last and simple statement, “Read your Bible Regularly.” Today’s American Christians are in competition with each other for some reason or another. There are comparisons for the number of times we have read Scripture or the number of verses that we may have memorized. Sometimes we set goals that cause us to act in defeat, such as setting a daily goal and quitting because life’s circumstances derailed our routines. While not an absolute case, I have seen the outcomes of the above examples being the same. That Scripture is not read. I know I am guilty of this on many occasions, especially during the Psalms or anything with genealogy.
In these sections, I often read words without gaining any understanding. In the couplets of Proverbs, it is easy to just gloss over it and believe that it is pointing to only foolish and righteous actions. When going through the genealogies, we may miss some symbolic purposes such as the differences of genealogies between Luke and Matthew. If we set a Bible reading plan, sometimes we rush through to mark off the chapters completed instead of meditating on the words written. In the end, we have not gained anything.
J.C. Ryle says to read it regularly. Of course, daily is ideal and for some, this is an easy task. One that I would assume they developed the habit for. For others, regularly may mean every other day or so. Maybe they’re like me who are reading things that are Scripture adjacent. I particularly love reading Church History and doctrinal concepts for apologetic purposes. It means that because of these readings, I find myself still working on a study of Obadiah in my free time while I also look up other verses and chapters that people point me to.
But looking up these pointed verses is not reading Scripture, nor is randomly flipping to a section and reading that. What may we gain if we do not read the Word of God to understand the context and purpose that He has revealed for us? Read Scripture as you can, strive for constant, but do not be dissuaded by a day missed. Regularly is a loosely defined word that should motivate us as well as allow for some laxness. To read is to understand and consume the material in a way that you may recall it later. Remember, Satan used Scripture to tempt Christ (Matt 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13), yet it was an incorrect understanding. When I read these accounts, I look back and see how vulnerable I was to misuse of Scripture because I lacked knowledge.
Now, as I continue to also read, I hope to refine my knowledge. But ultimately, my purpose is to be equipped for the battle that comes from the misinformation about the way to eternal life. To be prepared to defend the faith from those who desire you to walk a path that Christ did not intend. Or maybe to have you detract others from the faith because of unintentional misunderstanding. If the demons can’t convert you, but cause you to be a wall to others, then they still win. My practical advice is to have a plan, know what you want to read and what you want to read after that; strive for the entirety of the Scriptures as soon as possible; do not be set on a strict timeline but let God’s Word equip you.