The hard truth is that if we fail to take time to think deeply about the unsearchable, wonderful, endless depths of the Word of Godâeven the difficult passagesâitâs like turning off a tap or closing a door. We cut ourselves off from unique opportunities, robbing ourselves of rich possibilities including a deeper love for God, a more profound transformation of our hearts and minds, a more thorough shaping of our character, and a richer filling of our spirits. When Jude commands us to âbuild yourselves up in your most holy faith,â heâs talking about growing strong in our understandingâand this is impossible without faithful, consistent time in the Bible.
Building ourselves up in the faith, which means (at least in part) growing strong doctrinally, requires us to hold on to the Bible. The absence of a consistent devotional life is not necessarily a mark of a reprobate, but if youâre not engaging the Scriptures on a fairly consistent basis, you should take seriously the possibility that there is something fundamentally wrong with your walk.
Adapted from Contend: Defending the Faith in a Fallen World, pp. 73-74
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