What do you use the Bible for?

I was doing a woman’s bible study book and one of the questions looked so simple it seemed ridiculous. It was “what do you use the bible for?” All the “Sunday School” answers came to mind. You probably know the drill. It is a way for God to reveal His will for my life. It teaches us right from wrong. Through reading the Bible I can understand the nature of God.  2 Timothy 3:16-17 gives a good summary. “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God maybe thoroughly equipped for every good work.” I had to ask myself, is that what I really use the bible for?

My answer to this question stopped me in my tracts. I use the Bible for something different. It’s such a subtle difference that a casual observer might not even notice. I have not been using the Bible as it is described in 2 Timothy. Instead of using it as a reference for correcting and training, I was using it as proof that I am an awful follower of Christ and am hopelessly missing the mark. Instead of using it as a guide and humbly submitting to the changes that I needed to make for my walk with Christ to improve and flourish, I was using it as a tool for emotional self-flagellation.

What’s the big deal, right? In both scenarios I’m reading the Bible and trying to adjust my way of thinking or my actions to be in accordance with the Bible. What’s the harm? It turns out, the harm was far reaching. I was using the Bible as a tool for punishment, not correction and guidance.  I was using the greatest love story ever written to meet my own twisted desire for self- punishment and regulation. I was essentially saying, “Thank you God for forgiving me of my sins and giving me the gift of salvation, but just in case that isn’t enough, I’m also going to emotionally torture myself.” 

I think Christians have issues with this because we know we are sinners and we are so grateful for the mercy and salvation we have in Christ. We desire to follow God and please him so much that our perspective can shift. It’s like when you are looking through binoculars and they are out of focus just a bit. You can still see what is in front of you but the image is blurred. In the same way, I wanted to be so conscientious in serving God that I let me own control issues blur the reality. We sometimes use this emotional self-flagellation, as I call it to say: “See God, I am trying so hard, I am even willing to torture myself for you.”

I imagine that some people with a sensitive conscience (like me) will say well it’s better to go overboard versus not trying hard enough. But let’s take that out of the equation for a moment. I’m not talking about not trying hard to follow the Word of God, or no longer feeling the real and true need for repentance. We are sinners. We need that. But where is your focus? Are you using the word of God for training and guidance, or as a guidepost to confirm your own poor nature and to impose your own self-punishment when you find yourself lacking? Are you commandeering the role that God has in your life by putting yourself in charge in this way?

That is the crux of it. It is not my place to change what the Bible is for.  I have yet to find in scripture that we are required to be unkind to ourselves and apply our own punishment. Please don’t misunderstand me. Sin is a very real and very serious thing. Following God and His Word should be our utmost priority. If your vision has been out of focus like mine has, I hope you will begin to see clearly as well. I am so very grateful for the forgiveness and the purpose that I have in Christ. My prayer for myself and for those like me, is that we will truly step out in faith and let God change us. That we will stop punishing ourselves in the hope that we will improve, and instead truly trust in the forgiveness that Christ gives and to give God the reins so that through His word we will be transformed.

Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

See, the Bible doesn’t need our help. It needs our obedience.

In Love,

Danielle