Issue link: http://denverseminary.uberflip.com/i/489073
The very point of teaching and training is for students to learn— not merely to amass knowledge, but to put that knowledge into practice, or in Paul's words, to do what is righteous and good. Training keeps us practicing what we have learned so that our lives are changed. Life transformation is the point of Bible study. Dr. William Klein PRESIDENT'S LETTER Mark Young, PhD PRESIDENT ENGAGE 3 I can't imagine a day without the Bible. After 40 years, the complexity, the beauty, the profundity, and the humanity of the Bible still give me goose bumps. The Bible inspires me, instructs me, confounds me, and convicts me. There's no question that the truth of Scripture has changed my life. But how has that happened? I've met people who were inspired to change the direction of their lives based on a profound idea in a single verse of Scripture. That's never quite worked for me. One time I prayed for God to show me what to do when faced with a dilemma. With eyes closed, I opened the Bible and put my finger on the middle of the page, trusting that God would answer my prayer with the verse I landed on. The first words I read were, "Dead flies give perfume a bad smell" (Ecc. 10:1). I think the life-changing work of the Bible is more cumulative than sudden. Because it piques our interest, challenges our thinking, and interrupts our delusion, the Bible should be read in its entirety again and again. Sure, some parts are more difficult to understand than others—and some are downright disturbing. Still, we can be sure that all Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for us (2 Tim. 3:16). Think of it this way: If you've ever been to the Grand Canyon, you've seen the incredible power of flowing water to reshape a landscape. But that took constant pressure over time. So it is with the Bible. Over time, reading it will completely change the landscape of your life as the Spirit puts pressure on those areas that must change. So why not start today on a plan to read through the entire Bible. If that seems like too big a pill to swallow, try reading through the entire New Testament. It will change you.