How Important Is Attitude for Bible Study?
by Tommy Willis

As Christians we know we are supposed to study our Bible diligently, but to be able to receive the spiritual insight God wants us to gain, the attitude in which we study is extremely important.

We often want to go about Bible studies to become intellectual and biblical scholars, rather than coming to meet the Lord Jesus through the pages of God's Word. This relates to what Jesus said in Matthew 11:25: "...I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hid these things from the wise and prudent, and have revealed them unto babes."

Here we see the importance of having a child-like attitude in order to have revelation from God. We may study the Scriptures diligently (as the Pharisees did) but not be able to receive God's revelation because of the attitude with which we approach the study.

We can study the Bible diligently and be able to quote from cover to cover with amazing brilliance, knowing all the right doctrine. But until we learn to approach our studies with a tender child-like attitude, we will never receive from God the revelation necessary to illuminate the written Word.

"I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones" (Isaiah 57:15). "... God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6).

If we want to be properly led by God's Spirit, then we cannot afford to get into a proud attitude.

"Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD" (Jeremiah 9:23-24).

We can wind up glorying in the wisdom we feel we have gained from a lifetime of Bible study, feeling we see many things that others don't see. And we can then pass right over these biblical principles that tell us how God will hide from and resist those who become wise in their own eyes. When we get into this attitude, God will not communicate with us, except, perhaps a rebuke.

Jesus said, "You search the scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness to me; yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life" (John 5:39-40 RSV). Here we see that one can study the Scriptures and not come to meet the Lord Jesus in those studies.

It is easy to get away from simply sitting before Jesus Christ and asking Him to take us by the hand and lead us through the Bible so that we will come to know Him. All too often we boast of some technical approach with which we are trying to study the Bible. We may boast of how we have gone over the Greek and Hebrew, and how we have specific insight from years of study. Studies like this have their place, and I'm not trying to belittle those studies. But if we allow ourselves to become proud, then we drift into danger, and we can wind up missing the basic biblical truths that just about any translation will show.

"For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent" (1Corinthians 1:19).

To approach God with a child-like, tender attitude is so important for our studies. The more we depend on our own wisdom, the more God's Word is hidden to us, and the less we will be able to see, even if we strongly desire it.

But to the humble heart and mind God's revelation will come forth to feed it the spiritual food necessary. As each is able to handle God's spiritual nourishment, he will be brought forward, step by step, in spiritual development.

Let us learn to approach God with the child-like humility necessary in our Bible study. Then He can give us the wisdom of Christ. He is our wisdom.

"But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." (1Corinthians 1:30).

As we learn that we cannot depend on our own wisdom, we will then see the need to seek the wisdom of God, but the more we depend on our own wisdom, the more we will be blinded to the true wisdom from above. As we acknowledge our lack before God and come before Him with this child-like attitude, not self-willed but open and tender, then He will shine His light on the pages of the Bible so we can be taught properly.

In Luke 24:13 -47 we see after Jesus resurrected from the dead, walking along the road talking with two brethren, and they did not know who He was. Luke tells us how He opened the Scriptures to them. Jesus' lesson to them and to us is that if we will walk along with Him and seek His instruction, He will open the Scriptures to us also. Each day as you study, ask Jesus Christ to take you by the hand and walk you through the Scriptures.

TSS

July / August 2005 The Sabbath Sentinel