Readings:
2 Kings 22:8-23:3
Psalm 119:33-40
To grow in holiness, it is crucial for one to read, meditate on and study the Bible. The Bible contains the words and instructions of God Himself. Daily and constant reading of the Bible, and trying to live out what we read, will surely move us along the path of holiness.
The Bible itself uses different words to refer to the instruction it contains. These are statutes, law, commandments, testimonies, way, promise, judgments and precepts (Ps 119:33-40). These show the richness and great variety of God’s instruction contained in this holy book. These are all designed to lead us into a life of holiness. “See how I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life.” (Ps 119:40).
How can we be holy through the Bible? We must look to God’s statutes and strive to “keep them with care” (Ps 119:33). We must desire to keep God’s law and “observe it with all my heart.” (Ps 119:34). To read the Bible but not to act on what we read and learn is useless. We must know that the Bible is God’s blessed gift to us, and truly desire to be led along the right path, “for that is my delight.” (Ps 119:35).
Without guidance contained in the Bible, God’s people can easily go astray. This is what happened to God’s people Israel. King Josiah realized that “the rage of the Lord has been set furiously ablaze against us, because our ancestors did not obey the words of this book, nor do what is written for us.” (2 Kgs 22:13b). Fortunately, in restoring the temple, the high priest Hilkiah “found the book of the law in the temple of the Lord” (2 Kgs 22:8). And King Josiah started his religious reform.
The Bible is our guidepost for Christian living. Unless God’s people know the Bible and are guided by it, we cannot grow in holiness and would even be led astray. Would that our pastors and servant leaders would follow the example of King Josiah, as he “made a covenant in the presence of the Lord to follow the Lord and to observe his commandments, statutes, and decrees with his whole heart and soul, and to re-establish the words of the covenant written in this book. And all the people stood by the covenant.” (2 Kgs 23:3).
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Practical suggestions for getting into the Bible:
Read the daily Church readings, using readily available Bible reading guides.
In reading From the SG articles, look up the Bible passages indicated. Read the verses before and after for better context.
Learn the LBS methodology, and form your own LBS group, whether in the family or with community brethren or in the workplace.
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