THE PURPOSE OF THE BIBLE

All Scripture is God-breathed and is profitable

for teaching, rebuking, correction, and training in righteousness,

so that the man of God may be thoroughtly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3.16-17

The word of God is living and active.

Sharper than any double-edged sword,

it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow;

it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

Hebrews 4.12

One of the main purposes of the Bible is to teach us how the Holy Spirit leads us "to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."  Ephesians 4.22-24. 

We need the Word of God, the Truth from the Lord Jesus, because our hearts are "deceitful above all things and beyond cure."  It is the Scriptures that God uses to "search the heart and examine the mind...."  Jeremiah 17.9-10.

We need the searching, examining, rebuking, correction power of the Holy Spirit's use of Scripture because our hearts

"harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition...

(which) does not come down from heaven

but is earthly, unspiritual, and of the devil...

(and here we) find disorder and evcry evil practice." 

James 3.14-16.

We need this use of Scripture because we are purposely blind to.

"Though seeing, they do not see;

though hearing, they do not hear or understand."

Matt. 13.13-17

Jesus said it this way:

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye

and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?"

Matt. 7.3

Our solution is first, prayer:

"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence,

 so that we may receive mercy

and find grace to help us in our time of need."

Hebrews 4.16

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my anxious thoughts. 

See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting."

Psalm 139.23-24

Secondly, we must understand that the Scripture is the main tool of the Holy

Spirit to bring about sanctification, holiness, or cleansing from sin.  Most of Psalm 119 is devoted to the ways Scripture is used to give us insight into correction and redirection.

The importance of Scripture is a major topic of prophet and apostle with Christ being the chief authority.

Jesus tells us we are to be cleansed by the word which He has spoken--John 15.3;

which is the word of the Father--John 17.17.

The Psalms tell us that meditation on Scripture ("the Law") will free us from the "strongholds" of our heart--Psalm 1.1-2; 19.7-13.