Some people ask why anyone would study the bible, since the church they belong to knows what is important and they can rely on the church to tell them what they need to know. Due to that, a lot of people do not refer to the bible very often, leaving it up to their ministers to direct them in how to serve god. Is this wise?

Jehovah’s Witnesses do not agree with this approach to serving God. We believe that the bible has been preserved for us so that we can get to know Jehovah and what he wants for us and from us. We actively encourage everyone to investigate what the bible has to say about Jehovah and his son, Jesus Christ, and what he has planned for mankind. To do that we must read and understand what the bible says. That is why we continually offer a free bible study, so that everyone can get to know what our creator has told us.

In 1 Timothy, 2:3-4, it says, "This is fine and acceptable in the sight of our Savior, God, whose will is that all sorts of people should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth." Note that the Apostle Paul was telling us here that our salvation is linked to us having an accurate knowledge of the truths found in the bible. This accurate knowledge can only be gained by actively reading and understanding what the bible says. Paul was not the only one, of course, the Apostle Peter said something similar in 2 Peter, 1:2, "May undeserved kindness and peace be increased to you by an accurate knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, for his divine power has granted us all the things that contribute to life and godly devotion through the accurate knowledge of the One who called us by his own glory and virtue." Again, it is made clear that an accurate knowledge of God and Jesus Christ is necessary for those who seek God’s favour. Surely, it must be apparent that this means we need first hand knowledge of Jehovah and his son, rather than information filtered through another person or institution.

Our knowledge of God should come from the bible itself rather than from church doctrines and practices. That is the reason the articles on this site refer to the bible so often. It is to ensure that you can see for yourself that what you are reading here is truly from the Word of God. The bible, itself, encourages everyone to check that what is being said actually is from the scriptures. Acts, 17:10-11 tells us, "Immediately by night the brothers sent both Paul and Silas to Beroea. On arriving, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they accepted the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." The Beroeans are being praised because they carefully examined what they were being told, thoroughly checking it to ensure that it was from the scriptures, and therefore from God. They were determined to have an accurate knowledge of God, a first hand knowledge, rather than an unsupported opinion from someone else.

There is a second example in the book of Acts, found in chapter 8, verses 26-31, when an angel directed the Apostle Philip to explain to a

court official what the scriptures meant. "However, Jehovah’s angel spoke to Philip, saying: ′Get up and go to the south to the road that runs down from Jerusalem to Gaza′ (This is a desert road.) With that he got up and went, and look! an Ethiopian eunuch, a man who had authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, and who was in charge of all her treasure. He had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and he was returning and was sitting in his chariot, reading aloud the prophet Isaiah. So the spirit said to Philip: ′Go over and approach this chariot.′ Philip ran alongside and heard him reading aloud Isaiah the prophet, and he said: ′Do you actually know what you are reading?′ He said: ′Really, how could I ever do so unless someone guided me?′ So he urged Philip to get on and sit down with him."

The eunuch’s response in the final part of this quotation is interesting because it makes an important point: that guidance is needed when reading the bible, that simply reading it, although beneficial, may not lead to a complete understanding of what it contains. For that reason, this site offers a free bible study. I strongly urge you to request this, using whatever translation of the bible that you prefer. All bible translations contain the information that God wants us to know, they just express that information in different ways. For that reason we are very comfortable using any translation.

Is an accurate knowledge of God important? Most certainly! Romans, 3:20 states, "Therefore, no one will be declared righteous before him by works of law, for by law comes the accurate knowledge of sin." And, in Philippians 1:9 it says, "And this is what I continue praying, that your love may abound still more and more with accurate knowledge and full discernment." An accurate knowledge of Jehovah’s word is important, because how can we avoid offending Jehovah if we do not know and understand what it is that he wants us to avoid? Clearly, it is not possible. Similarly, how can we do the things that please Jehovah if we do not know and understand what they are? Again, clearly, it is not possible. An accurate knowledge of what he has told us in the bible is required to do both of those things.

Jesus understood this well. He said, in a prayer to his father, recorded in John, 17:3, "This means everlasting life, their coming to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ." Of course, Jesus, himself, followed this course, even though others did not. In verse 23 he says, "Righteous Father, the world has, indeed, not come to know you, but I know you, and these have come to know that you sent me. I have made your name known to them and will make it known, so that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in union with them." Jesus obviously believed that it was important for his followers to have an accurate knowledge of his father, Jehovah, and it is also clear that he considered it an important part of his ministry to make that happen.

If you have a question about this or any other bible subject, please ask it in an email.