Why is the Bible ignored and denigrated by many while being the best book ever written?
Why would someone decide to invest the time and energy in reading a book? People typically pick up a book to read because they believe it will be interesting or helpful to them. The majority of Christians learn that the Bible tells the tale of God’s rescuing love. They see great significance in the story for their own lives. The majority of non-Christians have different, and occasionally less positive, views about the nature and importance of the Bible.
What does the Bible say about the reasons behind people’s divergent perspectives on it?
It makes no sense to them
It could be that the majority of people despise the Bible because they find it to be confusing or nonsensical. Paul argues in 1 Corinthians 1:12–14 why it would be difficult for someone who isn’t seeking God to comprehend and accept what the Bible says. In these and other passages, Paul emphasizes the distinction between the wisdom of God and the wisdom of the world. To non-Christians, it could appear ridiculous.
The notion that God having authority over them might not sit well with others. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction,” according to Proverbs 1:7. Within this context, “fear of the Lord” refers exclusively to written revelation from God. A “fool” is someone who, notwithstanding biblical revelation or the wisdom of the wise, is incapable of learning because he places such a high value on his own opinion. Because they believe that their own views are the ideal for living, some individuals will therefore be uninterested in the Bible or even despise it.
Men’s thoughts about God
Some may believe the Bible is just a collection of men’s thoughts about God. Others may believe that the stories in the Bible were intentionally designed to deceive. Peter explains the source of the Bible in 2 Peter 1:16, where he states that: “we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty“. Revelation did not come from men – it came to men. Paul says something similar in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, where he makes it clear that the words he shared were from God, not from men. The Gospel author, Luke, also seemed eager to keep people from this negative view when he chose to write a careful historical account of Jesus’ ministry “that you might know the exact truth about the things … taught” (Luke 1:4).
Christians neglecting the Bible
And “Why do Christians sometimes neglect the Bible?” is a question that may come up. Even though a Christian has put their faith in God, they might not yet understand how important it is for them to grow in faith and develop their character to adhere to God’s words found in the Bible (2 Timothy 3:16). As a gift, God gives us His written word to teach and lead us (Proverbs 32:8). This does not always come naturally, though.
It’s possible that a Christian won’t always desire to follow God’s instructions and apply discipline (Psalm 32:9; 50:17). They have to put in the time and effort to study the Bible and discover what God has to say. They develop in this way into the individuals He desires them to be (Psalm 119:9–11; Romans 12:1-2; 2 Timothy 3:17).
