The Bible is the most read book in the world!

Just in the last fifty years, over 3.9 billion copies have been sold. Whether people read or not, the Bible is the most popular book the world has ever seen at all times.

And, there are many reasons why people buy a bible. For it is a gift for children, youth or adults. Others purchase bibles for special occasions or personal use.

But, why do we each need a Bible?

There are seven reasons why you need a Bible. Not only do you need a Bible, but why you need to read it as God’s Word.

The Bible is the Revealed Word of God

You should take a look at the history of how the Bible came to be. It’s a book that was written over a span of time of around 1500 years.

What you find in the Bible comes down to stories about GOD, most people refer to as the God of the Jews. And, yes, that’s how the entire story starts, especially with the calling of Abram in Genesis 12.

As you can tell by the number of years it took for all the books (in the Bible) to have been written, the writing took more than just one person.

We claim that about 40 people wrote the books we have in the Bible, which took close to 1500 years.

The stories, even though written by people, are about God who’s always seeking the lost human soul. (see Luke 19: 10).

God revealed Him-Self to humans from the very beginning, even when we, humans, have always fled His presence.

In the Old Testament (Genesis 12), God calls Abram, following the fall of Adam and Eve into sin. Through Abraham, God plans to establish a community of believers.

Three major religious groups claim Abraham to be their father:

• Jews.
• Muslims.
• Christians.

When the Jews wanted to trap Jesus with a question asking Him if He was greater than Abraham, their father, Jesus answers saying:

Before Abraham was, I am. John 8: 48-59.

What that means is God, the “I Am,” as He introduces Himself to Moses (Exodus 3: 14), has revealed Him-Self to us through Jesus Christ.

The stories of God’s revelation is what we read about throughout the Bible. Therefore, everything we come across in the Bible is God’s revealed Word to help us learn more about God.

The Bible tells us about God’s Plan for humankind

The stories about God, we read in the Bible, also consist of God’s desire to save all humans.

God created us all to be just like God.

However, as a result of sin, we have moved away from being God’s children, even we still are God’s creatures.

Jesus, according to both the Old and New Testaments, is God’s redemptive plan for all human beings. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14: 6).

The Bible also tells us how we each can experience at a personal level God’s plan. For instance, John writes:

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. John 1: 14-15. NIV.

One, therefore, becomes able to see God’s plan be a reality only when they choose to believe and receive in the name of Jesus Christ. God’s plan isn’t something that has to do with human decision or plan.

The Bible speaks to our human brokenness

God’s redemptive plan we read about in the Bible speaks to our human brokenness, which results from sin.

From the very beginning (Genesis 3), sin has broken humans starting with Adam and Eve. This brokenness has affected all areas of human existence.

Evil and everything else that comes with it has ushered imbalance, disorder, and disharmony in what was made to be a place of peace, hope, love, and joy: the cosmos.

If sin is the cause of death, pain, suffering, and brokenness, then our redemption can only come from someone who’s sin-free.

God doesn’t sin. Nor does Jesus Christ!

That makes Jesus Christ the only hope that gets us out of our brokenness. Of course, complete restoration will take place when Jesus comes back again to judge the quick and the dead.

The Bible helps us with clarity in life

The Bible is about God’s plan for us all, which helps us with the clarity we all want in life.

Clarity brings about:

• Awareness.
• Identity.

We become aware of who we are and who we should always be. Who we are is what God says we should be.

The Bible helps us establish healthy relationships

Clarity on who we are helps us be healthy in all our relationships.

Discovering our identity through the Bible helps us with the following:

• We master our emotions and feelings.
• We master our response to people’s emotions and feelings.

The Bible gives us the tools we need to do the above. It’s not something you have to try so hard. It becomes as natural as possible because it is who you’re now through faith in Jesus Christ.

God makes you a new creation (2 Corinthians 5: 17) and the old “you” is gone through regeneration one experiences once they believe in Jesus Christ.

The Bible equips us for a healthy lifestyle

Being a new creation in Christ allows you to embrace a new lifestyle. You choose to abandon the old ways of living to follow Jesus as one of His disciples. Old ways of life, not only damage your relationship with God but also affect you, physically, spiritually and emotionally.

A healthy lifestyle, therefore, implies caring for your body as the temple of God while keeping in mind that you don’t belong to yourself (1 Corinthians 6: 18,19).

The Bible has more to equip you for a healthy lifestyle and learn how to care for your body, soul, mind, and spirit.

There are a lot of Scriptures that talk about, in the entire Bible, how to live in the way that’s pleasing in God’s eyes. Two of them could 1 Corinthians 13 and Galatians 5.

Remember that you need God’s presence in your life to have a more meaningful lifestyle. You’ve got to stay connected to the Vine (Jesus Christ) through a simple practice of spiritual disciplines: prayer, Bible study, and Christian fellowship.

The Bible helps us with priorities

The Bible is all about priorities. That’s why God gave to the Israelites, and all of us today, the Ten Commandments. Read Exodus 20: 1-21.

If you pay attention to the Ten Commandments, you’ll realize they are all about how you should prioritize your life.

Here’s how your life should look like regarding priorities:

• God finds a place in your life.
• Family becomes your priority and has a vital role in your life.
• You can respond to your emotions, as well as those of other people. You have the freedom to care for, love and serve them.

In summary, the Bible is a book you should never replace with any other book. It’s a resource that helps us all discern God’s will and discover who God wants us to be in life.