SFP 67: Can You Read?

Welcome. The title of this episode might seem a bit paradoxical, considering if you cannot literally read you will not even know the question is being presented. But I am not talking about literally reading, instead what I am talking about is Bible literacy. The sad fact is, not many people know their Bibles, and few read them on a regular basis.

What’s even sadder is that many have little to no clue at all about many of the major Bible stories. According to various surveys fewer than half of all Americans can name all four Gospels. As a refresher this would be Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Many of the professing Christians could not name more than two or three of the disciples, nor could they name even five of the Ten Commandments. The disciples could include James the Greater, Thomas, Simon, James the Less, Peter, and Andrew. For the Ten Commandments, five of them are no other gods before the Lord, no graven images, don’t take the Lord’s name in vain, honor your father and mother, and do not kill.

One survey reported that some eighty percent of respondents believed that ‘God helps those that help themselves’ is in the Bible. This is not true. In fact, the opposite turns out to be the case. (Joh 15:5)  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. You see here that we can do nothing without the Lord, so therefore we cannot help ourselves without God in the first place. God wants us to depend on Him and not on ourselves.

This one is mind-blowing: some twelve percent of respondents in one survey said that Joan of Arc was the wife of the Biblical Noah! The differences between the two are astounding! [do more on Joan]

One survey indicated that over half of students graduating from high school believed Sodom and Gomorrah to be husband and wife! This is what being ‘politically correct’ has done to our world when it comes to religion.

The massive failure here is the fact that most of those students either would claim Christianity as their religion directly, or come from a home where the parents claim to be Christians. If these children are growing up in a home that is supposed to be Christian, they should be well aware of these places, and should also be well aware of the significance of them.

The reason why this happens is because more and more people are finding it hard to speak out against anything in fear of offending someone. That and a lot of people are either Sunday morning Christians or even just Easter morning Christians. They are either deeply ‘backslidden’ believers or are not believers in the first place, since they are not seeking after God with a diligence.

Finally, when asked who delivered the Sermon on the Mount, a considerable number of respondents on one survey answered Billy Graham. This sermon was of course given by Jesus.

These are some of the indicators that show us that Bible literacy is very low in our country. This is a true shame in a nation where some seventy to eighty percent of the population claims to be Christian.

If we are so deep in our religion, why aren’t we better educated in our sacred text?

George Barna said “Increasingly, America is biblically illiterate”, laying it out bluntly. George Gallup and Jim Castelli are quoted as saying “Americans revere the Bible  but, by and large, they don’t read it. And because they don’t read it, they have become a nation of biblical illiterates.” These people are absolutely correct. We won’t read the book but we hold to it and oftentimes defend it vigorously, even when we don’t know what is said inside it.

This is not just a problem in the non-church going crowd either. Even those in the pews on Sundays are increasingly not familiar with the Bible.

Let’s take a moment to look at the effects of Bible illiteracy on ourselves, our churches, and the entire world.

Firstly we find that the lack of knowledge has led to destruction for God’s people in the past. (Hos 4:6)  My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

I think this is an interesting point considering what the world itself says about us and how it is claimed that Christianity and religion in general leads to the repression of information and knowledge. We see that the Bible itself says that the lack of knowledge is a bad thing. And being lacking in knowledge about the Bible itself is even worse.

(Amo 8:11)  Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: (Amo 8:12)  And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it. (Amo 8:13)  In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst. Here it is said that people shall faint for want of God’s word.

They will not make correct choices because of their lack of knowledge of God’s word. They will also have no idea where to turn when they stumble either.

People who lack knowledge about God have no real direction in life as we see in (Psa 119:105)  Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. This shows us that God’s word is what we need to guide us along our path. The true meaning for your life is found through the worship of the Lord and seeking His will.

True peace can only be found through the Lord as well. The peace of the world is no peace at all. Joy is also something that can be felt deepest through the Lord. We see this demonstrated in (Joh 14:27)  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. Along with these verses from the book of Psalms: (Psa 119:111)  Thy testimonies have I taken as a heritage forever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart. (Psa 119:165)  Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

How many lives are wandering in darkness without the light and love of the Lord?

This lack of education also affects the church as a whole. Churches are in want of teachers, and there is a distinct lack of them. There are getting to be less and less Biblical literate teachers available. (Heb 5:12)  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

Churches and individuals are being led astray by false doctrines and false teachings such as the Word Faith movement, the Little Gods teaching, and the Gospel of Prosperity for if you don’t know what the Bible says how can you realize when something is presented is false? You need to know what is right to see what is wrong.

(2Pe 2:1)  But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. (2Pe 2:2)  And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. (2Pe 2:3)  And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

How many churches are dying on the vine so to speak or are just completely fallen in to apostasy because of erroneous teachings?

This lack of discernment is spilling over into our society. We now live in a society that is so politically correct that it does not allow anyone to speak out against nearly anything. Acceptance is reaching the point that nearly anything is tolerated. We have people openly fighting for homosexual marriage which is expressly against the will of God, along with the acceptance of premarital sex and many other wrong behaviors. (Isa 5:20)  Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

We slaughter the innocent with abortions. We reward many immoral people such as celebrities with great riches while teachers and even police in many areas are suffering from poor wages. We see divorce as something that is no big deal, and consider marriage in a very casual matter, with most people having at least one divorce in their past, and many having marriages lasting only a few months to a few years, showing a serious lack of commitment and foresight.

We come to the point of promoting premarital sex and promiscuity, and we’ve had an explosion of prominent people admitting to having affairs on their spouses. We have children being deprived of the proper parenting that they need, for parents fear traditional values, rules, and punishments in fear of some agency charging them with abuse. This in particular is leading to juvenile delinquency and later in life, adult criminal behavior.

(Jdg 21:25)  In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes. What would happen if every man did that which was right in his own eyes with no concern for anyone else?

This illiteracy has poisoned our lives, our churches and our communities. What can we do to counteract this? We will have to work ourselves, and convince other to do so as well. The first thing we can do is study the word of God every single day.

The truly blessed keep themselves in the word every single day. (Psa 1:1)  Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. (Psa 1:2)  But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. (Psa 1:3)  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

The practice of prayerful Bible study will bring a person closer to God, it will increase a person’s understanding as they grow, and will offer strength, hope, and comfort that only the Bible can bring.

Are you willing to do what is needed to fight illiteracy? Are you willing to read your Bible every day? It only takes the average person 70 hours to make their way completely through the Bible, and it only takes a few pages at a time to read the Bible all the way through within a year. And even if you have read the Bible completely, you should read it every day, because there is always something that can be learned through study.

Another thing you can do to help eliminate Biblical illiteracy is to study with others when you can. (Heb 3:12)  Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. (Heb 3:13)  But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Churches often provide opportunities for fellowship and mutual Bible study. There is also other formats that I believe allow us to support and study with each other such as podcasts and other alternative means of communication.

Parents must also accept their duty as parents. We are charged with the spiritual wellbeing of our children, and we are to raise and nurture them in the Word. (Deu 6:6)  And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: (Deu 6:7)  And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. (Eph 6:4)  And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

We are the ones with the responsibility to make sure our children are exposed to God and the Bible. The church can help, but it is ultimately our responsibility. We should be not only teaching our children, but also making sure others that teach them are teaching proper doctrine.

This is most important since most of the education system in our country pushes Darwinism so heavily. We must work hard to teach the word so that we can counter the propaganda that they are having their heads filled with at school.

Pastors must also be held to their duties as well, teaching the word of God as it is in the Bible and not wandering off into some ‘pop theology’ or ‘pop psychology’. They should be held to a higher standard, and should not be believed blindly.

We should expect them to be men of God. (1Ti 4:16)  Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. (2Ti 4:1)  I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; (2Ti 4:2)  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. (2Ti 4:3)  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; (2Ti 4:4)  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. (2Ti 4:5)  But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

An article by Albert Mohler says it quite well: “Churches must recover the centrality and urgency of biblical teaching and preaching, and refuse to sideline the teaching ministry of the preacher. Pastors and churches too busy–or too distracted–to make biblical knowledge a central aim of ministry will produce believers who simply do not know enough to be faithful disciples.” “We will not believe more than we know, and we will not live higher than our beliefs. The many fronts of Christian compromise in this generation can be directly traced to biblical illiteracy in the pews and the absence of biblical preaching and teaching in our homes and churches.” “This generation must get deadly serious about the problem of biblical illiteracy, or a frighteningly large number of Americans–Christians included–will go on thinking that Sodom and Gomorrah lived happily ever after.”

Bible illiteracy is something that is ravaging our world. Many of our brethren are not educated in the Bible nor do they try to be. It is important that we do not allow ourselves to be a part of this group.

Every Christian should open their Bible every single day. It is an activity that will bring us closer to God, and that should be the goal of every Christian, to walk closer with the Lord. We should be seeking out His will and His word.

So open your Bible and help fight Biblical illiteracy. Until next time, God bless.

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 26th, 2008 at 7:23 pm and is filed under Uncategorized | . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.