By Danny Sims

So what is the point? I’d say it is to know God. The scriptures tell God’s story and introduce us to Him. Knowing Him is the whole point of life.

By "knowing Him" I do not mean to say the Bible is just information (like you would know your college history text) or casual (like you know the guy three cubicles down and read the e-mails he forwards around). Really "knowing" the God of the Bible means He will shape your very soul.

I’m grieved by the culture that’s developed where knowing the Bible is about being right, passing judgement, defending a position, memorizing data, supporting a political party, or one of many other imposter functions.

I recall seeing a national newscast where a guy stood in a line of protestors at an abortion clinic. He was yelling while holding a sign with a huge Bible on it along with the words, "You’re going to HELL, the Bible tells me so."

"Know the scriptures in order to know God and He will bless you" would have been a much better pro-life message. John says “These things are written that you may believe and that by believing you might have life…”

Jesus says, “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”

Micah says the LORD requires us to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with God.

If knowing the Bible doesn’t help you do that, what’s it for?