Why do so many people who call themselves Christians don't read their bibles?

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   Virtuous1posted 12 years ago

   Why do so many people who call themselves Christians don't read their bibles?
   
   You know Jesus when things are going good than why don't you know Him when things are going bad. Imagine if you went three days without water what will happen to your physical body? Now ask yourself the same question what would happen to your spirit man? Reading God's word is very vital for any Christian.
   
   

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   gabgirl12posted 12 years ago

   I stopped reading my Bible since I was kicked out of Church. Why bother? If a church kicks you out, God has kicked you out. There is no point to continue reading or fellowshipping in any church, any where or even praying.
   
   God's word is only vital as long as you are 'in' the church.
   
   It's the same as the Olympics. If you get banned from the Olympics in a particular sport that you had been practicing for 4 years to win a medal, there is no point to do it.
   
   The Bible is not 'vital' to you like water or food. It is not vital to you like breathing is. It is a book and there are plenty of people who live without it. Christianity calls it such but they never understand or care about the repercussions their 'imperfection' has cost many who have truly and honestly believed.
   
   It is one thing to be rejected by the world, and I could never understand Jesus stressing about it. But when a Church condemns you? I don't wish that on anyone. Jesus never talked about having to deal with that. Spiritual leaders never deal with people who have been rejected and condemned by church because they consider themselves completely perfect and the 'wrong' one is the person who was kicked. It is a hopeless position to be in, and one where there is no going back.
   
   I have never seen a Church Leader go to the level of the person who congregated and admit that they were wrong. I have never seen a Church leader say that they made a mistake. They whine so much about how hard it is to be a leader, and how much harder Jesus is on them. But they never see what 'they' do. It is always the fault of the 'congregation', and the congregation's job is to lift the hands of the leader, is to make the burden easier on the leader because of all that they do.
   
   Frankly I believe they should never have been placed as leaders if they have to whine so much, but since God put them there, oh well they get to do whatever the hell they want. They are never accountable for anything.

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      lburmasterposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      How did you get kicked out of a church and what kind of church? Baptist, Methodist, etc? I've never heard of that happening before.

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      Virtuous1posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I've never heard of any one being kicked out of a church.

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      gabgirl12posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      It's all in my hubs. It will NEVER happen to me again. I don't care if this gets voted down or voted off. I have no defense and I don't want one, but I have a voice and that is all I need.

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      CJ Sledgehammerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Gabgirl12: You say you stopped reading your Bible after you were "kicked out of church". Sounds like you were "excommunicated". Be that as it may, were you reading the Bible to come closer to God, or were you reading the Bible to appease your church?

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      gabgirl12posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      CJ, its enough I get accusatory fingers for being outspoken. Who the hell are you to question whether I read my Bible or not? I moved out here to be near this ministry believing it was what God wanted me to do. Gee, did I read my bible, ya think?

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      Virtuous1posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I pray you come back to God and draw closer to Him for His word tells us if we draw close He will draw closer to us, in the mean time I thank you for your honesty and I will surely be praying for you to come back.

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      lburmasterposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      It doesn't matter what others say about your faith. It is your faith, not theirs. Every church is just a perspective of reading the Bible and I doubt one of them is entirely correct.

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      CJ Sledgehammerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Gabgirl: Please reread my comment above. Notice that I did not accuse you of anything - I was merely asking you a clarifying question based upon your above post.

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      Christinmeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Gabgirl you know that my previous church made things very uncomfortable for me , as I have the gift of the word of knowledge , and they did not believe in the gifts . This made me hunger for God more . xx

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       Norine Williamsposted 9 years agoin reply to this

       gabgirl12:  Did you ever read John 16:2?

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   lburmasterposted 12 years ago

   Because at this point in time, you can say you are something, but you don't have to do what that group of individuals normally do. You can say you are Christian yet not believe certain points of the faith described in the Bible. This happens in any religion, belief, or way of life.

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      Virtuous1posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      If a true Christian says they believe you can believe their fruit will show what we believe or what we don't believe...

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      lburmasterposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      The difficulty is understanding if they are a true Christian.

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   KySmithposted 12 years ago

   People always rank things in their life according to priority. Maybe that's why they don't set aside the time to read their bibles.
   
   I believe reading the bible is important. It cleanses us and teaches us. The bible contains God's words which have power and those words need to be in our hearts. Reading the bible everyday allows those words and that power to get into our spirit and strengthen us. The history in it is also very important.
   
   Reading the bible is something I strive to do daily but I'm not perfect. Sometimes I miss a day or two. We all have things we fall short of but it's the heart that really matters. When your heart is in the right place eventually everything will fall into place.
   
   @gagirl12, Just because people are in a church and they make decisions, it doesn't mean those where God's decisions. Maybe God allowed that to happen to you to show you that there is another church out there better for you. With people who actually care. With people who actually want to see people saved and watch them grow and blossom into wonderful people.
   
   I am really sorry that you have had that experience and I wish you the best. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive them and not let those people put you down. Please don't let a few people define everyone else. There are good Christians out there.
   
   Giving up is the worst thing anyone can do.

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   ignugent17posted 12 years ago

   If a person doesn't read the bible  and says that they are Christians, then something is wrong in there. How could a person follow the commands of Jesus if the person is not reading the bible.

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      Virtuous1posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I say the same thing like you my sister but it is happening everywhere..Remember the bible tells us that man will no longer listen to sound doctrine.

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   PlanksandNailsposted 12 years ago

   A "Christian" is a religious generic term that man pins on themselves for approval. If you precede "Christian" before any term, it somehow becomes sanctified.
   
   The problem is that what most people believe "Christian" to be have it backwards. Most believe the "Christian' religion is all being good and doing the right things.
   
   Jesus Christ was not, nor was He about being a "Christian". Jesus was a Jew who was perfect, who is God, and not in need of salvation from a sinful nature.
   
   If we throw out the term "Christian," and replace it with, a follower of Jesus Christ, it changes the definition of what we are called to be. We are not perfect and require grace for acceptance by God. "Christians" need acceptance from man. The followers of Jesus Christ are accepted by Him through Him.
   
   A follower of Jesus Christ is not *like* Christ, but is  *in* Christ; there is a distinct difference.
   
   The "Christian" tries to be like Christ, but is not in Christ; therefore, the cart is put before the horse.
   
   This leads to your question, "Why do so many people who call themselves Christians don't read their bibles?"
   
   The reason that "they" don't read their Bibles is because they are not rooted in what they think they believe in. The fruit does not come by itself before the tree; it comes after the tree does the work.
   
   If you are rooted in God's Word, the truth becomes revelation, not speculation.
   
   "Christians don't read their Bibles, but the followers of Jesus Christ do.

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   Judah's Daughterposted 12 years ago

   It becomes more evident that many who call themselves by His Name do NOT read their Bibles, when you DO read your Bible, right?  Considering the 'official Church' (that of Roman Catholicism) didn't ever let their congregants read the Bible for themselves and then martyred those who escaped with the text to get it out to the sheep; fact is, this put terror in the flock to read the Bible for themselves, choosing rather to accept whatever their church leaders taught them.  Considering the Reformers broke away from the Catholic Church and even they consider anyone outside of Catholicism or her off-shoots to be 'heretics', they took the many of the same practices/beliefs with them (i.e. infant baptism, Lucifer being the devil, baptism in the three-fold name, which the Catholic church admits adding to the holy scriptures, celebrating Christmas on Dec 25, Easter and St. Valentine's Day, etc.)  Oh that more sheep would read the Bible and let the living Word teach them, so they might "Come out of Her, My People"!

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      Larry Wallposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      That is a very old practice that is not taught and never was a rule. Many Cathholic put Bibles in the pew rack and I have a Catholic which is similar to KJ version except it has 4 additional books in the old Testament.

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   gracenotesposted 12 years ago

   For the same reasons that they don't have regular fellowship in the body of Christ, nor pray much.  They don't see it as important, nor take the time for it.  At least if they attended a church, they would be getting some of the scriptures by default, and might be encouraged to delve into the Word more.
   
   Also, some  people are not having their hearts stirred because of the type of church they attend.  If their pastor and leadership is all about "feel good" messages, instead of explicating the Word, then people will just go and soak up the messages for the emotional high it gives them.  They might then go and read a book from Joel Osteen rather than give any serious thought to study of the scriptures.
   
   I have to admit that for the past seven years, I've studied the Bible pretty intensely, but just reading it for the sake of it, I have not.  So I need to do more devotional reading.

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   Janellegemsposted 12 years ago

   reading the bible is definitely vital.  I think Christians don't read the bible because it depends on the individual's definition of  what a Christian is and do.  To the individual, Is a Christian someone who just go to church services, do works for the church, do they think they accepted the Lord and on their way to heaven and there is no need to read the Bible.  Also, another element to consider, maybe they just  don't how to read the Bible, where to start, how to apply the bible to their lives, why they should set aside time for the Word, if so, then some teaching and discipleship would be needed in this area.  Ministers should preach the many important reasons of reading the bible.

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      Virtuous1posted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Vital indeed it is and often times ppl give up reading it when they don't understand it that's why the bible says ask for wisdom and He will give it to us.

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    CJ Sledgehammerposted 12 years ago

    I think many "Christians" are lazy. It takes effort to read the Bible, but they don't need to because they are cruising down easy street. Prosperity preaching does not require Bible knowledge and this is what is filling our churches these days.
    
    People are just too busy with their careers and trivial pursuits to read God's word or do His will. They show up to church, but instead of exchanging blessings, they exchange business cards.
    
    It's all about priorities. The things that you make time for in your life are the things that you value most.

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       gabgirl12posted 12 years agoin reply to this

       I never read the Bible to get close to God. I read because I believed what was written. Why do Christians tell people they need to get closer to God when God is omnipresent. I stopped reading it because I don't believe in God.

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    Civil War Bobposted 12 years ago

    First option: They're not really Christians; which I would see as the most likely. 
    Second option: Spiritual warfare against them to keep them immature.
    Third: Lack of a more mature Christian to properly disciple the individual to show the importance of daily Bible reading.
    Fourth: Poor reading habits in general...or outright illiteracy...which is why Scripture on tape/cd exists in so many places.
    Good question Virtuous!  Grace and peace to you!

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       Virtuous1posted 12 years agoin reply to this

       Bob my brother you gave the most perfect answer and that word is Disciple...people must be discipled and when they are not they don't see the importance of reading their bibles...thank you

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    Larry Wallposted 12 years ago

    There is reading and there is reading. Some people read chapters each day. Some read a few verses. Some get buy with what is read in the Sunday services each week. Others, who read the Bible for years and years may cut back. If you get the basics, God created the world, Mary gave birth to Jesus. Jesus died on the cross for our salvation and to assure us a place in paradise, then you pretty well have it covered. The Bible, especially depending on which translation you are using can be very hard to read. I have known people who say they read it, but do not understand it. Understanding the Word of God is the most important thing. Reading the scriptures can certainly help in that understanding, but you might need someone to explain various parts to you.

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    Virtuous1posted 12 years ago

    thank you all for your comments and though I personally believe every person who calls themselves a Christian should read their bibles everyday. Regardless of what excuses they make..It's important...

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    Christinmeposted 12 years ago

    I believe that there is a massive difference between "religion" and following Christ. Many just have a religious soul and these people may study the bible and know all the verses , however it doesnt make them " in Christ". Going to church every sunday does not automattically make you a Christian the same as if I sit in a garage all weekend it will not make me a car.
    True spirit filled Christians  read their bible as spiritual food . The Holy spirit inside guides them through the scriptures and this talks to their inner being.
    The bible is an important part of my life , however I know that God is so much bigger than His book. I believe that prayer, meditation and being in Gods presence is equally as important. Many churches preach a watered down gospel that prevents people from maturing and grasping the true spiritual life God has for us .

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    Darrell Robertsposted 12 years ago

    I think this question could apply for any religious group Christian, Muslim, Hindu etc.  People want to claim to be a thing because it sound good.  They think they will get the respect that they are looking for in the world by associating themselves with a particular name.  I think that people do not read their scripture because they do not see the value in what they have.  I think that they are not willing to read because they think that they could find God at the end of their lives.  I know people like that.  I think that too many people do not understand the scripture of their tradition and are too impatient to take the time to learn more about the book.
    
    Best wishes.

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    brent7750posted 11 years ago

    I believe in being a walking bible in a sense. I can read a book a million times yet if I do not live, walk, and talk those words then have I learned nothing from those words? By this I do not mean go into the streets and preach to all, I mean walk the Earth as Jesus did, teaching, helping, loving and growing all while living our lives as individuals. Jesus doesn't want us to be him, for if we were all Jesus we would not be the unique and special individuals we all are. Some make their choices and that is what they must do and I support our uniqueness. I can honestly say that I have made many mistakes and continue to make mistakes despite my best efforts. In the end I do my best, live life with love and help whenever I can.

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    klw1157posted 10 years ago

    I agree that study of the scripture is imperative. We claim that we are such a busy people that we don't have time and yet we seem to find time to do anything else we want to. As for trusting God when things are bad, that requires faith and faith is built and strengthened by prayer and Bible Study!

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