Thursday, February 3, 2011

Keep Learning and Growing

"What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin." -- Romans 3:9

Bible study is such a vital part of learning and growing as a Christian. It's important for everyone -- whether the person is a new Christian or one who was raised in the church and "always" a Christian. That's something longtime Christians sometimes fail to recognize.

I was fortunate that the first Bible study I attended was filled with longtime Christians. I was also incredibly insecure because the first Bible study I attended was filled with longtime Christians. They seemed to flip right to the passages and just know all the history behind certain sections of the Bible. I was embarrassed that I didn't. Though I'd been a Christian for a while, I'd never done more than read the Bible. I didn't even really know how to study the Bible.

But I learned. And I learned. And I'm still learning. I realize now that I'll never know everything I really need to know. I'll never fully understand everything -- at least not on this side of heaven. I can't imagine a time when I stop trying to learn and grow in His Word. I wish everyone felt the same way.

Sadly, many longtime Christians think they know it all. They don't attend Bible studies because, they insist, they've studied it before. They don't do any more than maybe read their Sunday school lesson because they've heard it before. I could go on and on. In their own minds, they know everything there is to know about being a Christian.

They don't. None of us do. We're all sinners -- equally so whether we are new Christians or old Christians. That's the beauty of God's grace and mercy. He doesn't play favorites. We are forgiven when we accept Christ's gift of salvation. We are His children. He loves us all. And as His children, we should continue to seek His advice and counsel.

That's what Bible study really is all about. No matter how many times I read the Bible, I gain fresh insights every day. It's amazing to me how I can reread a passage and find something completely new. Of course, it was there all along. It's just that now I needed it and God pointed it out. That's the beauty of His Word.

Don't ever stop studying and learning and growing. He has a wealth of blessings just waiting for you to discover - whether you're a new Christian or one who has been around a while.