08 May, 2010

Diligence in Scripture Reading

Today at the men's prayer breakfast Elder Hector Pino led us in a devotion in which he challenged us as men, husbands, and/or fathers to consider the role of the Scriptures in our own lives. He challenged us to consider the level commitment that we have to the Word of God as Christian men.

As Reformed Presbyterians our fifth vow when joining the Church is that, "To the end that you may grow in the Christian life, do you promise that you will diligently read the Bible, engage in private prayer, keep the Lord’s Day, regularly attend the worship services, observe the appointed sacraments, and give to the Lord’s work as He shall prosper you?"

Diligently read our Bibles our vow says. We all struggle here, don't we? We all ebb and flow in the due diligence that the Word of God deserves in our lives. How can we improve in our Scripture reading and meditation on God's Word? Elder Pino gave us seven ways. These can be found complete with exposition in JC Ryle's Practical Religion:

1) Read the Bible with an earnest desire to understand it.

2) Read the Scriptures with a simple, childlike faith and humility.

3) Read the Word with a spirit of obedience and self-application.

4) Read the Holy Scriptures everyday.

5) Read the whole Bible and read it an orderly way.

6) Read the Word of God fairly and honestly.

7) Read the Bible with Christ constantly in view.

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