That is one of the many sayings that I remember my mother saying to me as I grew up. It is so true.

Through out my walk in the Lord I have been shaken to the core by the lack of reverential fear in handling the Word of God. The Bible, the written word of God, is nothing to trifle with.

I have attended Bible studies that were treated more like “book of the month clubs”. I was shocked as I saw people sipping coffee and eating desert as they expounded on their ideas of what they felt a scripture passage meant; cross referenced or equated a book from the Bible with a book that wasn’t even written by a Christian or worse yet, a person who claimed to be a Christian, but whose book was clearly unbiblical. I have attended Bible Studies that would start without praying and asking God to open our minds as Jesus opened the minds of His disciples so they could understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:45) or praying that Holy Spirit would give us understanding. I have attended Bible Studies where a person and/or people would dominate the Bible Study with an attitude that they knew more than everyone else including the teacher. I have even attended Bible Studies that were nothing more than a debate club or a place to throw out theories (in order to “challenge” the people attending the Bible Study).

Read the following scriptures: 1) The teacher will be judged more strictly. James3:1; 2Timothy 2:15. 2) God’s Word is Trustworthy and True. Revelation 19:9; 21:5; 22:6; 2Peter 1:12-21; 1Corinthians 3:18-23. 3) Jesus is our foundation. 1Corinthians 3:10,11; 1Timothy 1:3-7. 4) Do not quarrel about words/avoid godless chatter. 2Timothy 2:14-19; 1Timothy 6:3-6.

I have also attended Bible Studies where the teachers were humble and had reverential fear (respect, love and awe of God and His written Word); who were more interested in what God said in His Word than man’s opinion about His Word; who understood that they only knew in part and asked the group to not take their word for anything but to prayerfully read the Bible for themselves and if they had questions or found what they said to be in error to come to them and share respectfully. 1Corinthians 13:8-12. In those Bible Studies, I felt safe and I grew. Not only that, I continue to grow because these teachers do not just impart knowledge of God’s Word, but a love of God’s Word and a hunger to know more of Him. 1Peter 1:3-5; Romans 12:3; 2 Peter1:16-21; 2Timothy 3:16,17.

Many of the letters written to the churches in the New Testament dealt with false teachers. I just want to share a few passages from 1 John 1:5-7; 2:22-25; 4:1-6.

Philippians 3:1: “Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.”