4. I can learn about God, (Father, Jesus, and Spirit), in the pages of Scripture.

(Before looking at the questions below, take a few minutes to think about this statement. Invite Jesus to speak to you about what He would like you to notice.) 

What are some of the key ideas you know about God that you have learned from the Bible?

What percentage of all that could be known about God do you think we can learn from Scripture?

How does your knowledge of God shape your relationship with Him?

Although the Bible may be God’s way of inviting us into a relationship with Him, it is also a record of God’s actions and His character. There is also much information in the Bible that helps us come to know who this Person is that is pursuing us. In any relationship, it is essential to know about the other person--what are they like, what they value, how they communicate, what  they think of us, what kind of a relationship  they seek, what they have done in the past, what kind of future are they seeking, whether they are safe, predictable, gracious, kind, and so much more. 

The Bible is a source of information that helps us know and understand who God is, how He acts, and what He desires. This can be very helpful, especially as we begin our relationship with God. It becomes a reservoir for us to draw from as we move from knowledge about God to actually knowing God. Knowledge about God is not the same as a relationship with Him, but used in the right way, it makes the relationship better. 

When we read the Bible, it will be helpful to have an idea of why we are reading it and what are we looking for. There are different ways to read the Bible and different purposes for reading it and it will be helpful to keep this in mind. The discipline of study refers to reading Scripture for the purpose of information. This is a good discipline and worth doing but we need to remember that there are other approaches we can take when we read the Bible.