Then [Jesus] said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
Luke 24:44-45 (ESV)
Jesus Himself revealed to His disciples on the day of His resurrection that He is the focal point of Scripture in the sense that all of the Laws, Prophets, and Psalms point to Him. He is both the light that enlightens our minds as well as the key that opens our hearts to discern the truth of scripture.
When we read and interpret Scripture through a Christ-centred lens, the Spirit will open our eyes to the redemptive actions and provisions of God throughout human history, which culminate in the gospel of the finished work of Christ. What were foreshadowings and hopes of things to come in the Old Covenant are now our realities and experiences in Christ who is the substance of the New Covenant.
We don’t read the Bible for the benefit of God, but rather for our own benefit.
When we discover God’s self-revelation in the light of Scripture, we are drawn into greater intimacy, communion and oneness with Him. We will find purpose and meaning knowing our stories are intertwined with God’s story of salvation. We will encounter and enjoy a greater awareness of the depth of God’s perfect love. We will safely and securely rest ourselves in the embrace of God’s grace and forgiveness.
Despite our awe and reverence for the Bible as God's inerrant and authoritative word, we must guard against the threat of bibliolatry. Bibliolatry is when our pursuit of biblical knowledge supersedes a close and personal relationship with God. It is having an informed mind without a transformed heart. In other words, there are believers who have become so obsessed with Scripture that they forget the central character within it. They spend more time studying God’s word than focusing on their relationship with God.
God did not give us the Bible so that we could worship the Bible, but rather we could worship the God of the Bible. Learn to discover Jesus in the scriptures through the help of the Holy Spirit so that you can stay faithful and fruitful.