Biblical Illiteracy: Spiritual Deadness

[In the following essay, I examine some of the causes of a neglected devotional life.  Are these same excuses holding you back?  I will warn you, reading your Bible and praying every day takes perseverance, and you might not always see the effects immediately, but in the long run, it will be more than worth it.  I can guarantee.  Remember that the Word of God is living and active (Hebrews 4:12) and it accomplishes the purpose for which God has sent it (Isaiah 55:11).]

Out of the 90% of surveyed Christians who claim to desire to please the Lord in everything, just 19% read Scripture daily (Rankin). Astonishingly, 82% of American Christians only open their Bibles during church (“Christians”). More and more, believers live in a state of biblical illiteracy and spiritual deadness. Although they place Bible reading in their list of New Year’s resolutions, few follow through past the first week. Despite the abundance of God’s Word and the many resources expounding upon it, Christians would rather squander their lives in front of the TV than pour over the Word and receive life from its pages. Laziness, apathy, and missing passion, cause the neglect of Scripture that abounds among today’s believers.

Shrouding behind excuses for an abandoned devotional life like, “I don’t have enough time,” or “I’m simply too busy,” lies the cunning master, laziness. According to the American Bible Society’s poll, 61% of Christians desire a stronger devotional life, but lack the guts to actually read His Word (“What”). While many claim they lack time, their minutes slip by in worthless activities such as social media or television. They use these as excuses to avoid exerting the effort to spend time with the Word. Unlike many Christians today, despite running five orphanages, pastoring a church, and directing the printing and circulation of millions of biblical literature, George Muller never allowed laziness to stop him (Carty 155). Like Muller, many activities can vie for a Christian’s time in the morning–time they should spend with the Lord. However, countless avoid waking up earlier simply out of slothfulness. Often times during my pre-teen years, I would dive into a Bible reading program, only to have it evaporate after a few days since I lazily refused rise any earlier. Above all, Christians avoid Bible reading because of their own idleness.

Contrasting laziness, a lack of motivation sometimes instigated by unfruitfulness often manipulates the disregard of the Bible. According to the Ponce Foundation, only 22% of Christians believe “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God...” as 2 Timothy 3:16 reveals (“Christians”). For those who deny Scripture’s divine inspiration, Bible reading loses its purposefulness. Conversely, the promises of changed and transformed lives leave many disillusioned into believing one morning in the Bible will leave them completely altered. I too have often fallen into the pit of believing if I simply read His Word once or twice, my life would alter drastically. Many do not realize however that the Bible’s transformation takes place subtly over the course of a year or more, instead of instantaneously. After a couple days of seeming unfruitfulness, they quit, claiming, “It simply doesn’t work.” Sadly, many believers lack the motivation to read whether by disbelieving or misunderstanding its power of transformation.

Finally, a simple lack of desire underlies all excuses for the negligence of the Scriptures. As Mrs. DeMoss highlights, many Christians gorge themselves on a spiritual diet of junk food–television, social media, books, movies–and so “have little appetite for the Word and prayer” (DeMoss 12). When it comes to feeding on the meat and greens of the Word, believers find it bland and so dump the nutrition in place for what temporarily satisfies. Moreover, as D.L. Moody expounds, “The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible.” Those who allow sin and the things of the world to take precedent in their life lack incentive to nourish themselves with Scripture. Unfortunately, some who claim the name of Jesus would rather walk along the path of the world, which induces them to abandon the discipline of Scripture reading.

Whatever the reasons, a neglect of the Scriptures reaps havoc. According to George Muller, “The vigor of our spiritual life will be in exact proportion to the place held by the Bible in our life and thoughts.” For Christians universally, the absence of daily Bible reading results in spiritual deadness, just as a lack of physical food leads to death. If a Christian must live “by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God,” then to refuse to do so would lead to demise (Matthew 4:4). Unsurprisingly, 67% of teens never read their Bibles, and almost 75% of evangelical teens desert the church after high-school, because they starved from lack nutrients (Grossman “Survey”) (Grossman “Young”). In addition, many who miss the freedom that comes from the truth of God’s Word live in spiritual bondage (John 8:32). Still others trudge through the mud of discontentment and dissatisfaction because they lose the joy and pleasure that emanates from the presence of God (Psalm 16:11). Those who wish to live for the Lord must push past their laziness and indifference and dive into the rich and bountiful pages of the Scriptures.

Works Cited

Carty, Jay. Counter Attack. Portland: Multnomah, 1988. Print.

"Christians Don’t Read Their Bible." Ponce Foundation. The Ponce Foundation, n.d. Web. 9 Jan. 2015. <http://poncefoundation.com/christians-dont-read-their-bible/>.

DeMoss, Nancy Leigh. A Place of Quiet Rest. Wheaton: Tyndale House, 2000. Print.

Grossman, Cathy Lynn. "Survey: 72% of Millennials 'more Spiritual than Religious'" USA Today. USA Today, 14 Oct. 2010. Web. 9 Jan. 2015. <http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/religion/2010-04-27-1Amillfaith27_ST_N.htm>.

Grossman, Cathy Lynn. "Young Adults Aren't Sticking with Church." USA Today. USA Today, 19 Mar. 2011. Web. 09 Jan. 2015. <http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20070807/d_churchdropout07.art.htm>

Rankin, Russ. "Study: Bible Engagement in Churchgoers' Hearts, Not Always Practiced." Life Way. LifeWay Christian Resources, 6 Sept. 2012. Web. 9 Jan. 2015. <http://www.lifeway.com/research-survey-bible-engagement-churchgoers>.

"What Do Americans Really Think About the Bible?" Barna Group. Barna Group, 27 Mar. 2013. Web. 9 Jan. 2015. <https://www.barna.org/barna-update/culture/605-what-do-americans-really-think-about-the-bible#.VLBXpSvF_Pp>.