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My father and mother used to carry a Bible to church with them every Sunday. My brothers and sisters and I, when we were old enough to read, were given a Bible so we could do the same. We didn’t leave the house without our Bible because my father would surely tell us to go back and get it.
Many people, however, have stopped carrying their Bibles to worship and Bible study. This is a mistake because it is impossible to study the Bible without one!
While it was a long, long time ago, I remember that in school the best students always took their books home and studied their lessons. The ones that didn’t care never did homework and never took their books home. You could see them throwing their books into the locker at the end of the school day.
As a preacher, I have been curious as to why someone coming to Bible study would enter the building without carrying a Bible. It seemed to me to be a bit strange. When I asked about it, one person said, “I guess I just didn’t think to pick it up.”
Now, I don’t know if this is the most common reason why many folks leave their Bibles at home, but I expect it may be. If so, it is a terrible reason. Why? It is terrible for several reasons.
• Leaving the Bible at home means we will not know if preachers and teachers are telling us the truth. How could we know if we are being told the truth when we don’t have a Bible to see if what they’re saying is the truth ourselves?
• How could anyone claim to be a student of the Bible if we leave the most important book ever written at home?
• Could it be that many people just don’t care anything about the Bible? There has been a trend over the last few years of people attending worship and skipping Bible study. Those who do so usually don’t carry a Bible to worship. If they don’t care to study the Bible on Sunday and Wednesday night, isn’t that indicative of a person that lacks the proper care to “study to show thyself approved unto God? (1 Timothy 2:15 KJV).
• It may be the case that many people have a disjointed idea about the Bible having anything do to with worship or Bible study. If that is true, then how could that be? Who would have told them the Bible should never be read or studied?
• Is it just carelessness? Perhaps it is carelessness linked to habitual behavior. We leave the Bible home and go to church and before we know it, we’re constantly, habitually leaving it at home and going to church.
What do these possible reasons say about those who leave their Bibles at home when they attend worship and/or Bible study? Well, it doesn’t say anything good, does it?
This Sunday, don’t forget to take your Bible to church with you.
John Henson
Dibrell church of Christ
McMinnville, TN