Scripture was written to point you to Christ
And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life. “I do not accept glory from human beings, but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. John 5:37-43
In Jesus’ day, the Pharisees were trying to impress Jesus by their knowledge of God’s Word. They thought just by simply being conversant and knowledgeable with the Old Testament, they would please God. They manifested their ability to memorize and quote long, complicated passages of Scripture. They engaged in discussions and debates concerning the laws found in the Bible. Yet Jesus expressed His disappointment with them because in spite of the fact that they knew the Scriptures, they did not know God. They were full of pride because of their knowledge, but missed on knowing God and His purpose in coming to this earth. They failed to respond to God’s invitation to know Jesus and place their faith in Him. You could memorize the entire Bible, be able to discuss detailed issues of biblical scholarship and yet missed on experiencing the revelation about God through Jesus Christ. The Bible will tell you your spiritual condition and the punishment appropriated but it is only through the intervention of the Author of the Bible that you will experience forgiveness. This is why there are those that claim they have read the Bible but were not affected by its teachings because they failed to recognize the Author. As John declared, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us” (John 1:12). God is seeking a relationship with you by having faith in Him as you continue to discover who He is through His Word. What good it will do to you if you know about His promises in His word and yet will not surrender your life to His lordship? So do not be satisfied with just having an enormous amount of knowledge about His word and yet failed to realize that His goal for you is for you to place your life in His hand. You will gain more appreciation of His word if you know and have a relationship with the Author Himself. “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ” (Romans 10:17).
Blessings.
