[The functions of the Bible are of two aspects: one aspect is to serve the Lord, and the other aspect is to serve us. On the one hand, it testifies of the Lord Jesus and, on the other hand, it causes us to receive grace and be built up. The first function of the Bible toward us is to make us wise unto salvation (2 Tim. 3:15); it reveals to us how God saves men in Christ, and how men may be saved by faith, so that we may know the way of salvation.]
[The first practical function of the Bible in us is to cause us to be regenerated (1 Pet. 1:23). The Bible is the Word of the living God, and it contains the life of the living God. When we receive the word of the Scriptures into us by faith, it comes into us like a seed of life, sowing God’s life into us; thus, we have God’s life and are regenerated.]
[When we first get saved, we do not have a strong enough comprehension concerning spiritual things. Some portions of the Scriptures are like milk that can nourish us and make us grow in our spiritual life (1 Pet. 2:2). Hence, a newly regenerated believer must long for the word of the Bible, like newborn babes longing for the guileless milk of the word. Otherwise, his spiritual life cannot grow, and he will continue to be one who is an infant in Christ (1 Cor. 3:1-2).]
[The word of the Scriptures is also our spiritual bread of life (Matt. 4:4). Just as our physical life needs nourishment, so also our spiritual life needs nourishment. The nourishment of our spiritual life can only be supplied by the word of the Bible. In order to be living and strong before God, we cannot depend on bread alone, but on every word, that is, the word of the Bible, that proceeds out through the mouth of God. We must take the word of God as food and eat it (Jer. 15:16), even regarding the word of the Bible as more important than our food (Job 23:12b). Otherwise, our spiritual life cannot grow. We must practice to have our faculties exercised in apprehending the word of the Bible so that we may be able to understand the words that are hard to interpret; that is, like those who are mature, we can eat the solid food (Heb. 5:13-14). Otherwise, our spiritual life cannot be strong.]
[The teachings of the Bible can give us endurance, encouragement, and hope (Rom. 15:4). Many Christians have fallen into tribulation and sickness. Being unable to bear it, they feel sorrowful and hopeless, but when they read a portion or a sentence of the Bible, they have the enduring strength in their hearts, or they receive unspeakable comfort, and thus obtain hope that is beyond their expectation. The Bible also records many things as warnings to us that we may be admonished, be on the alert, and not repeat the former mistakes (1 Cor. 10:11). Hence, after our regeneration, the Bible is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that we, the men of God, may be complete (2 Tim. 3:16-17).]
The two greatest gifts of God for our enjoyment are the Spirit inside of us and the Bible outside of us. The Spirit gives us life and the Bible gives us stability; we need both to be proper Christians and to grow in life. The Bible is composed of words; therefore we need our mind. The Bible embodies the Triune God; therefore we need to use our spirit to receive the Spirit and life. Reading the Bible requires a balance between the use of our mind and of our spirit. We need to use both our mind and our spirit in order to apprehend what is revealed and conveyed in the Bible. The Bible testifies concerning the Lord Jesus. It also makes us wise unto salvation, thus causing us to be regenerated. After we begin our Christian life through regeneration, the Bible becomes our spiritual milk and bread of life for us to grow in the Lord. Finally, we will be full grown, made complete, fully equipped for every good work of God. Praise the Lord for giving us both the Spirit and the Bible! We need to spend time every day in the Bible exercising our spirit to enjoy all of its benefits.