Taking every thought captive

What should I read? Top of the list is, as I said before, the Bible—the Book of books. And as I also said before, if you haven’t time to read it, then there’s no point getting recommendations for other books to read. If you find or make to to read them, you’ll still not have any time to read the Bible. So make reading the Bible your number one priority. Other books can be read only if you have more reading time.

Now, I can hear an objection to this one book suggestion. Am I seriously suggesting that reading only one book is all you need? Won’t it get a little boring reading the Bible all the time? OK, it’s God’s Word, so it couldn’t be boring, but it could become a bit monotonous—it’s all the same thing.

But that’s the beauty of the Bible, apart from being God’s Word which give it a supreme importance, the Bible is a book of great variation. I’m so thankful it’s not all like the opening chapters of 1 Chronicles—not that they’re boring, but I don’t imagine they’re too many people’s favourite chapters in the whole Bible. The Bible itself is a book of great variety because it is a collection of books. It contains a great deal of history, but note the dry academic kind of history written by some professors of history nowadays. It’s more biographical history, for usually it follows the ups and downs of one man or woman, or their family. It is history with a human face.

And then there’s wonderful poetry to suit all kinds of moods and circumstances. There are also lots of sermons, as you’d expect from a ‘religious’ book. Not just in the New Testament, either, where we hear Peter, Paul, and, of course, Jesus himself preach, but in the Old Testament where Isaiah, Jeremiah and all the other prophets preach. There are also books of more philosophical reflection like Ecclesiastes and Job (which at times almost seems like a play).

And running all through the Old and New Testaments is instruction. I’m never too happy with the term law because it doesn’t really capture the full nuances of the many Hebrew and Greek words used to describe this part of Scripture. There’s much more to it than a list of do’s and don’ts, A good deal of it aims to inculcate principles by which we may come to make our minds up about those ‘grey’ areas of life. And yes, the Bible isn’t all black and white. There is a good deal that is clear—murder is most definitely wrong, and so too is sexual behaviour outside the bound of monogamous marriage between a man and a woman. But what about drinking alcohol? There’s only one prohibition about that—don’t get drunk. But that’s not the same as saying don’t drink. The matter is largely left to individual conscience, though not entirely. There is a principle that is taught that we ought not to do thing s that may stumble others. So I ought not to drink alcohol in the presence of those who may be addicted to it, nor if those who may consider it improper, but by my example may drink to fit in and sin against their consciences.

Now, to return to the main point. The Bible is a book of different kinds of literature. It has a great variety with its covers, and this illustrates well how I should approach my extra-biblical reading—read a variety of types of literature. This is an important general guideline for any reading—read widely. The contents of the Bible itself demonstrate this important guideline.

Nor it is just something akin to the saying ‘variety is the spice of life’. It’s not merely variety for the sake of keeping interest, though, of course, variety does keep one’s interest from flagging. Reading widely is also reading wisely. There are certain lessons that are best taught in particular ways. Prohibition, rebuke and persuasion are entirely different ways of dealing with wrongdoing, depending on whether it has been contemplated or perpetrated and on the seriousness of the action, or the manner in which it is contemplated. Poetry conveys emotions and feeling that law is incapable of conveying.

So what should I read? Read a wide variety of different types of literature. Follow the pattern of the Master Author.

“What should I read?” is a good question any Christian can ask, and every Christian should ask. Having been asked recently to recommend some books to read I’ve been giving the question some serious thought. I do a lot of reading, but I haven’t really sat down and collected my thoughts on the subject before. Now seemed a good time to do it. I’m passionate about reading, and I’m saddened by the fact that fewer Christians than ever seem to be reading.

What should I read? It’s not always easy to answer the question, but it is possible to give an answer in two directions—some specific recommendations and some general guidelines. In my experience, the recommendations are usually what the questioner wants, and it’s certainly good to get a book recommendation from someone who’s read and profited from a book. But it’s all too easy to assume the latest good book you’ve read is a must read for everyone. Not it isn’t, though sometimes it is.

But guidelines are even more important for they help develop good reading habits, even when you don’t have specific recommendations. It’s a bit like the difference between the kind of aid that gives a starving person a fish and the kind that teaches that person to fish. Of the two, the latter is more important in the longer term, but the former isn’t wrong, it’s just not the best thing to do all the time.

So, what should a Christian read? The obvious place to start is the Bible. And yes, it is top of my list of must read books. Every Christian should read their Bible regularly and comprehensively. On Desert Island Discs (a British radio programme where famous people share their musical tastes) the Bible and Shakespeare are taken as given, so they are never discussed. And often Christians tackle the question of what to read in the same way. Well, of course, we must read the Bible. But just how much do we read it?

Let me make a bold suggestion. If you don’t read your Bible much then don’t even try to make time to read other books. Yes, I am serious. Make more time to read the Bible first.

Of course, the Bible is unlike any other book you will ever read. For one thing, it’s author is still alive (despite the greatly exaggerated claims to the contrary that still manage to be reported from time to time). And unlike other books whose authors are still alive, the Bible’s author will never die. But it’s not that fact by itself that make the book so unique, it’s the tremendous consequence of that—God is always available for clarification on everything he has written. I don’t sit down to read, say, Tom Sawyer and if I get stuck on some page ring up Mark Twain to ask him what he meant. But I can pray to God for help in understanding his Word, at any time.

Now, I’m not suggesting that God will answer audibly or immediately. But such a prayer is not a vain request. It is a very biblical request, and the psalmist prays, “Open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.” (Ps 119:18) And it is good practice to come to Scripture reading always with those words, if not on our lips, certainly in the back of our minds.

The Bible is not always an easy book to understand, but neither is it impenetrable. What will make it totally incomprehensible is to read it as one would any other human book. For it is unlike every other book in the world that ever has been, or ever will be written—it is the Word of God (cf 2Tm 3:16). Read it in humble dependence on God, and in his presence. It is an open book, and a powerful book, penetrating deep into the recesses of our minds (cf Heb 4:12).

It is, if you like, the ultimate interactive book. Read with care, for it will change your life. And if your life’s not changing then either you aren’t reading it, or you aren’t listening to what God is saying in it.

I’ve been busy on our church Web site, so I haven’t had any time to post anything here. But I have been thinking about reading quite a bit, not least because part of the resources on the site have been to accompany the book table we’ve had for a few weeks. I’m planning to share some thoughts on reading, particularly what a Christian might and should read. Hopefully I’ll be able to get something posted shortly.