I fell into the snare into which so many young believers fall - the reading of religious books in preference to the Scriptures. I could no longer read French and German novels, as I had formerly done, to feed my carnal mind, but still I did not replace those books with the best of all books. I read tracts, missionary papers, sermons and biographies of godly persons. This last kind of book I found more profitable than others, and had they been well selected, or had I not read too much of these writings, or had any of them tended particularly to endear the Scriptures to me, they might have done me much good.
I never had been at any time in my life in the habit of reading the Holy Scriptures. When under fifteen years of age, I occasionally read a little of them at school; afterward God's precious Book was entirely laid aside, so that I never read one single chapter of it, as far as I remember, until it pleased God to begin a work of grace in my heart.
Now the scriptural way of reasoning would have been: God Himself has condescended to become an author, and I am ignorant about His precious book, which His Holy Spirit has caused to be written though the instrumentality of His servants. It contains what I ought to know, and the knowledge which will lead me to true happiness; therefore, I ought to read again and again this most precious Book, this Book of books, most earnestly, most prayerfully, and with much meditation. In this practice I ought to continue all the days of my life.
I was aware, though I had read the Bible but little, that I knew scarcely anything of it. But instead of acting thus, and being led by my ignorance of the Word of God to study it more, my difficulty in understanding it and the little enjoyment I had in it made me careless in reading it (for much prayerful reading of the Word not merely gives more knowledge, but also increases the delight we have in reading it); and thus, like many believers, I practically preferred, for the first four years of my new life in Christ, the works of uninspired men to the oracles of the living God.
The consequence was that I remained a babe, both in knowledge and in grace. I say in knowledge because all true knowledge must be derived by the Spirit, from the Word. And since I neglected the Word, I was for nearly four years so ignorant that I did not clearly know even the fundamental points of of our holy faith.
This lack of knowledge most sadly kept me back from walking steadily in the ways of God. For it is the truth that makes us free (John 8:32), by delivering us from the slavery of "all that is in the world; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life" (1 John 2:16). The Word proves it; the experience of the saints proves it; and my own experience also most decidedly proves it. For when it pleased the Lord in August 1829 to bring me to the Scriptures, my life and walk became very different. And though even since that time I have very much fallen short of what I might and ought to be (see Romans 3:23), yet, by the grace of God, I have been enabled to live much nearer to Him than before.
If any believers read these words who prefer other books to the Holy Scriptures, and who enjoy the writings of men much more than the Word of God, may they be warned by my loss. I will consider this book to have been the means of doing much good, if it pleases the Lord through its instrumentality to lead some of His people no longer to neglect the Holy Scriptures, but to give them that preference that they have hitherto given to the writings of men.
My dislike of increasing the number of books available to readers would have been sufficient to deter me from writing these pages if I had not been convinced that this is the only way in which others may be benefited from my mistakes and errors. I was influence by hope that, in answer to my prayers, the reading of my experience may be the means of leading them to value the Scriptures more highly and to make them the standard and guide of all their actions.
If anyone should ask me how he may read the Scriptures profitably, I would advise Him that above all he should seek to have it settled in his own mind that God alone, by His Spirit, can teach him. Also, since he will be asking God for blessings, it is a beneficial idea to seek God's blessing before reading the Word, as well as during the reading of Scripture.
Moreover, he should have settled in his mind that, although the Holy Spirit is the best and sufficient teacher, this Teacher does not always teach immediately when we desire it, and that, therefore, we may have to ask Him again and again for the explanation of certain passages. But He will surely teach us at last, if indeed we are seeking for light prayerfully, patiently, and with a view to the glory of God.
Also, it is of immense importance for the understanding of the Word of God to read it systematically, so that every day we may read a portion of the Old and a portion of the New Testament, going on where we previously left off. The reasons to read the Bible in a systematic way are as follows:
This method is important because it throws light upon the connection between the Old and the New Testaments; a different method, where one habitually selects favorite chapters, will make it utterly impossible ever to understand much of the Scriptures.
Second, while we are in the body, we need a change, even in spiritual things; and this change the Lord has graciously provided in the great variety that is to be found in His Word.
Third, an orderly reading of the Word honors the glory of God. The leaving out of some chapters here and there is practically saying that certain portions are better than others, or that there are certain parts of revealed truth that are unprofitable or unnecessary.
Next, it may keep us, by the blessing of God, from erroneous views, since in reading regularly through the Scriptures we are led to see the meaning of the whole. We are also kept from placing too much stress upon certain favorite views.
Fifth, the Scriptures contain the whole revealed will of God; therefore, we ought to seek to read from time to time though the whole of that revealed will. I fear that many believers in our day have no read even once through the whole Scriptures; yet in a few months, by reading only a few chapters every day, they might accomplish it.
It is also of the greatest importance to meditate on what we read, so that perhaps a small portion, or, if we have time, the whole, may be meditated upon in the course of the day. Or a single portion of the book, or an epistle, or a gospel, through which we go regularly for meditation., may be considered every day, without causing one to be brought into bondage by this plan.
I have found scholarly commentaries to store the head with many notions and often also with the truth of God; but when the Spirit teaches, through the instrumentality of prayer and meditation, the heart is affected. The former kind of knowledge generally puffs up (1 Cor 8:1), and is often renounced when another commentary gives a different opinion. It is often also found good for nothing, when it is to be carried out in practice. The latter kind of knowledge generally humbles, gives joy, leads us nearer to God, and is not easily reasoned away. Having been obtained from God, and thus having entered into our hearts, it becomes our own and is also generally carried out.
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I am guilty of loving Christian biography and preferring it to Scripture. I am guilty of loving head-knowledge (sermons, teachings) and preferring them to Scripture.
I believe I have my own life evidence that attests to the truth of Mueller's words (and the truth of Scripture). During grade twelve I read my bible voraciously, reading the New Testament every morning and the Old Testament each night. I can barely even remember what it was like to have such stamina. My commitment to reading Scripture since then has been abysmal. Yet I believe that year spent deeply soaking in the Word of God was orchestrated and used by God to give me an everlasting acquaintance with His Spirit. Being taught directly by His Spirit was what invited me to truly know Him and that foundational time of truly knowing Him is what makes it possible for me to know Him now.
I sincerely hope that He will once again draw me, by faith, into deep reading of His Word. Please pray for a commitment to God's Word such as George Mueller described - for myself, for yourselves, and for all who truly desire to know and love Jesus Christ.
... all this is not to say that you shouldn't read Christian biographies. Read them (Brothers, Read Christian Biography)! Just be watchful that your primary attention is to God's Word.
... all this is not to say that you shouldn't read Christian biographies. Read them (Brothers, Read Christian Biography)! Just be watchful that your primary attention is to God's Word.
