Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart…”

If we’ve been believers for long, we have heard this verse repeatedly. Maybe we can even quote it. But what does it mean?

It means that the Bible can never be completely comprehended. It’s incredibly deep in meaning. It grows and expands. It breathes life into dead souls. It makes a difference in our thinking, behavior and attitude. 

Take the Gospel of John, for instance. It’s my favorite of all the Gospels. I’ve studied it.   know it well. I’ve even taught it. Yet, every time I read the Gospel of John, I see something I didn’t see before, or realize in a deeper way something that was only surface before.

I’ve said many times that the Bible is like a yummy piece of baklava—it is formed of myriad layers and the sweetness drips from within every single bite. When we study it, we learn one layer at a time. But as we learn, we realize more layers await us.

Perhaps it’s the life-experience God gives us. He directs our steps and determines our days. He molds us and makes us into who He wants us to be. So perhaps the reason we see more every time we read His word is because we have experienced more of life and can better appreciate more depth in our study. 

Perhaps it’s because the Holy Spirit gives us certain understanding as we can digest it. He doesn’t give us the entire load at one time. Maybe that’s why we see more deeply what each passage says every time we read it.

Have you ever sat in church listening to a really good sermon? The pastor teaches from a passage you already know very well. So, you sit back and relax and perhaps think, “Yeah, I’ve got this.” And then he proceeds to share details and depth you’d missed before.  It’s amazing!  You think, “How could I not have seen that?” Sometimes it’s like hearing it for the first time! 

The word of God is active and alive. 

But what is its purpose? Why is it so important that we know our Bibles backwards and forwards? 

It’s because everything we know about God is in that book. It’s our lifeline to Him. It’s like a love letter He’s given us to remind us Who He is and what He expects of us! 

Some think they possess some kind of mystic, special knowledge of God, but guess what. He doesn’t work that way anymore. Instead, He, through the Holy Spirit, gave us everything He wanted us to know and recognize about Him. It’s all about Him, you know. Our very salvation is due to the reading or preaching of His word. 

It’s the most important book ever written. And that’s because it was written by God!

2 Timothy 3:16-17, “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..”

Inspired by God. In other words, “God-breathed.” He wrote it through the men He chose for this task. The verse goes on to tell us what purposes it can be used for—teaching, reproof, correction, training in righteousness. And then it goes on to explain why it is to be used for these things—so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. It is given to us to teach us about God, to grow us up in Him, using God-given principles to accomplish this. It convicts of sin.  It outlines our paths, our direction through this life. It makes us complete.

James 1:2-5, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him…”

“Perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” This is talking about spiritual maturity, about our progressive sanctification. And then a promise is given—that if we lack wisdom, all we have to do is ask God for it and He will give us wisdom.

Does He just “zap” it into our hearts and minds? Or do we actually need to put out a little effort? J.C. Ryle wrote, “Knowledge of the Bible never comes by intuition. It can only be got by hard, regular, daily, attentive and wakeful reading. Do we grudge the time and trouble this will cost us? If we do, we are not yet fit for the kingdom of God.” Ouch. How many of us spend this kind of quality time in the Bible? Many have good intentions, but how many believers are actual students of His word? How very convicting!

What about this one: 2 Peter 1:2-3, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him Who called us by His own glory and excellence…”

That’s how the Bible is alive. It gives us everything we need pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of God, the Father, who called us by His own glory and excellence. 

It gives LIFE!  It changes hearts! It brands us with our very identities in Him. It comforts. It guides. It clarifies the human condition. It restrains. It shapes our thinking. It protects us. It provides the armor we need to fight our spiritual battles with heavenly weapons. Ephesians 6:10-11, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil…” What other book can possibly do all this?

Next time you pick up your Bible, dust it off and take a good look at it. It is the sword of the Lord. It is the most important possession you own. We don’t worship the Bible. However, through study of the Bible, we come to worship our Savior in deeper ways. Don’t discard or neglect this book. Let its words live in your heart and mind forever.