America has become a land of instant everything. One
can purchase instant soup, instant coffee, instant
iced tea, instant mashed potatoes, and countless other
instant items. The advent of the microwave oven also
has increased this demand for instantaneous fulfillment.
No longer must hungry consumers wait thirty minutes
for a meal to be prepared; now they can have it piping
hot in only thirty seconds. If Americans cannot have
it in an instant, then they do not want it at all.
Unfortunately, this attitude of having everything in
an instant has not missed the realm of Christian life.
Because Bible knowledge can never be attained instantaneously,
many Christians in America neglect studying. This can
be seen in the advertisement for a new "Bible"
that is on the market: the "One Minute Bible."
The advertisement for this book asks, "Never seem
to have enough time to regularly read the Bible?"
It then goes on to describe how the book is arranged
into 366 daily one minute Bible readings that highlight
"every primary Biblical topic and theme."
Just like instant coffee, now there is instant Bible
knowledge available, and all it takes is one minute
per day!
This attitude toward Bible study contributes to the
increasing departure from the faith that continues
in the church today. Because brethren have not devoted
the time to learning what God's will is, they are "...tossed
to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine,..."
(Eph. 4:14). And there are many contrary winds blowing
in the brotherhood today, whose destructive forces
exceed those of any hurricane, tornado, or typhoon.
One of the best ways to avoid such damage to the Lord's
body is by prevention. When hurricane warnings are
given, home owners and store owners scurry to board
up windows, store up provisions, and to make whatever
preparation they can for the coming storm. The same
principle holds true for the Lord's church. The warning
was given long ago: "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly,
that in the latter times some shall depart from the
faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines
of devils" (1 Tim. 4:1). Those in the early church
who heeded the warning protected themselves from the
coming departure by being aware of it and by knowing
what the truth of God's will is (1 Tim. 4:6). The same
preparation must be made today. The people of God must
be aware that departure is taking place and must not
be ignorant of His Word.
God's warning to Israel ought also to be a warning to
the church. "My people are destroyed for lack
of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge,
I will also reject thee,..." (Hos. 4:6). Knowledge
of God's Word protects from sin (Psa. 119:11). Christians
are commanded to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ
(2 Pet. 3:18). Searching the Scriptures to prove what
teachings are true is a noble thing to do (Acts 17:11).
But all of these things demand determined study of
the Word, not an instantaneous obtaining of knowledge.
An old saying states that anything worthwhile does not
come easy. This principle certainly is true of Bible
knowledge. Men who have devoted their entire lives
to studying the Bible would be the first to admit that
there is no end to its depth. Only a daily feasting
on the Word can bring about that kind of knowledge
that the Christian needs. But he first must develop
that intense desire to know God's will. "As newborn
babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye
may grow thereby" (1 Pet. 2:2). Then, based on
the intense desire, must come the diligent study. "Study
to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth
not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth"
(2 Tim. 2:15).
When Christians again realize the importance of Bible
study and devote the time to it that is necessary,
then the false teachers in the land will have a much
harder task in trying to lead people away from the
truth.
Kevin D. Beard, Bybee Banner, 5/7/00
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