As we look at the storyline of the Bible, it is crucial to read it through the lens of a sovereign God. In other words, Jesus was not an after-thought. Jesus was always the plan from the beginning.
The Word of God demands a responsibility as disciples to think and discern. We see this all throughout Scripture. The balance in reference then is, when is it appropriate to passively learn and when is it necessary to actively learn?
I desired a workbook that balanced my desires to understand the text but critically think on my own. Most of the tools that I had utilized in the past either scratched the surface or did the work for me. Where was the middle? And did it exist?
Luckily, God is in charge of renewing our mind. He’s provided us the very word of hope that has the power to sanctify our sinful nature. But the posture in which we approach the word demands more than just academia – for the Word is renewing not in knowledge, but in full, transformation of our heart.
God didn’t have to communicate with us. He could have chosen to be silent. He could have left His creation alone. He could have chosen not to create at all. But He did. And He chose the medium of written word for a reason. That alone should compel us to be a student of His word.