This is a great question, and gets to the very heart of what we wish to accomplish in our ministry. Rather than present a blog with 5 reasons why we focus on the Bible, I have a 1A and a 1B. They work together to form both a foundation and a process that results in spiritual growth. And for us at Get More Ministries, that’s the goal. The ‘More” in Get More Ministries is, at its core more understanding, more maturity, more growth. With that comes all the “mores” that people pursue: more contentment, more purpose, more in their relationship with God, and more in their relationships with others.

Let’s dive in.

1A: The Bible is Objective Revelation

God has revealed Himself to humanity in many different ways. Romans 1 tells us Creation is a form of God’s revelation, as is our conscience, His answers to prayer, and even events that transpire in our lives. But none of these are objective revelations. Scripture was written by men who were moved by God so that what they wrote was exactly what God wanted written (2 Peter 1:21).  Additionally, this revelation is subject to the rules of written communication. When we read Ephesians 2:10, for example, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, had a specific point in mind he wanted to make. “For we are his workmanship.” The “For” communicates something. Who are the “we?” We are “His” workmanship–who is “His?” These are all questions that the rules of language generally, and the rules of grammar and syntax specifically will answer for you. With these answers in hand, objective meaning can be determined.

One distinct advantage the objective revelation of Scripture offers is its specificity. Consider the following passage:

“So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. 20 For the Father loves the  Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. 22 For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” (John 5:19-24 ESV).

This passage is the beginning of a discourse that runs from 5:19-47. In this one section, I count more than 12 specific revelations Jesus provides about Himself, the Father, their relationship and the nature and process of conversion. In addition, there are 2 specific purpose statements that tell us the “why” of certain aspects of this revelation. We have them preserved for us, so that we can read them, study them, and meditate on them. This revelation is specific, telling us things exactly how God wanted them revealed. This is objective revelation, not influenced by the recipient’s attitudes or feelings. Jesus meant something when He said these words, our job is to work within the boundaries of written language to determine that meaning.

1B: The Bible Has The Answers To The Rest Of Your Questions

That statement is true, just not in the way you’re expecting. If you have a question about the choice of which job opportunity to take, the Bible won’t answer that question specifically. However, for the mature Christian, someone engaging with Scripture properly, faithfully, and with a disciplined approach, the question of job opportunities is certainly answered. “How is that?” you may ask. And I get it. Here’s how this works.

The Bible is transformative. By that, I mean when engaged with proper motives (to gain understanding and a deeper relationship with God), and engaged regularly, properly and faithfully, the Truth contained within will transform you. You will mature. As you become more and more familiar with the Biblical text, and you grow in your relationship with God, you will encounter principles concerning prayer, day to day conduct, and yes, even decision making. 

Some principles are presented as specific prescriptive instruction–”Do this, don’t do this.” But much more is presented descriptively–through the actions of various Biblical characters. You will see them engaged in prayer, and you will notice the issues they bring before God. Your understanding of Who God is will radically change, and you’ll develop understanding in what and how life with God in Christ is to be lived.

For the person steeped in Scripture, they will become aware of the issues that make up a full rounded Christian life. They will discover the proper roles prayer, service, giving, community, meditation and others play in their maturation. They will encounter God’s point of view on these topics, and be able to respond in obedience. They will come into contact with multiple Biblical characters who had difficult decisions to make. They will learn decision making from these characters’ experiences. They will learn how to form their own belief structure based on God’s Word, not someone else’s view. For the person who doesn’t engage with Scripture, these things remain a mystery.

For these reasons and others, we put a focus on the proper handling of the Bible. As stated earlier, there are rules that govern written communication. They are not difficult to gain mastery over, it just takes a bit of time to be exposed to them, and then to put them into practice.

The end goal is that you are able to rightly handle the Word of God, and in doing so, you will learn to think Biblically on your own. Your understanding of prayer will be based on what God has revealed through Scripture. You want to know God’s plan for humanity? That’s one of the key themes of the entire Bible. But you can’t pick and choose which sections to read and which to ignore. All of Scripture functions as one self-contained narrative. Trying to gain understanding of God’s holiness without being familiar with Leviticus is a flawed approach that will yield flawed, incomplete results.

So, check out our content. We are active through our blog, YouTube channel, and Instagram. This content is designed to help you engage with Scripture in a more complete way, resulting in you getting more from Scripture and more in your relationship with God. 

May God richly bless you,

Pete Out