“Visit many good books but live in the Bible.” Charles Spurgeon, the “Prince of Preachers,” has often been attributed as the source of this advice about how we should interact with literature outside of the Bible. It’s wonderful advice. Before considering three reasons to read books other than the Bible, let’s see why we must “live in the Bible,” and make our home in it, rather than in other literature.
Live in the Bible
Certain truths from the Bible and about the Bible provide grounds for why we, as followers of Jesus, ‘live’ in the Bible rather than just ‘visit’ it. Here are a few examples.
- God’s Word is sufficient to equip us for all of life (2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV)
- God’s Word is written for all to understand through God’s help (Deuteronomy 6:1-6 ESV)
- God’s Word sanctifies, or shapes our character to be more like Jesus (John 17:17 ESV)
- God’s Word works in believers as we read it, and moves us to live in ways that honor God (1 Thessalonians 2:13 ESV)
No book other than the Bible can accomplish these things in our lives, because no other book is written by the living God. No other book is the Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21)! No human author can transform our lives like the One who created us! This is why we choose to live in the Bible.
3 Reasons to Read Good Books Other Than the Bible
1. Read Books Other Than the Bible to Supplement Your Faith
Although we joyfully “live” in the Bible, we cannot ignore the reality that other books exist all around us, nor can we turn our noses up at these other books because they don’t contain the words of eternal life (John 6:68). Many books still contain truth, goodness, and beauty—all of which God wants us to celebrate (Philippians 4:8)!
We must acknowledge and commit ourselves to interacting with books other than the Bible, for, in places like 2 Peter 1:5-7, the Bible encourages us to seek goodness, truth, and beauty:
For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. (ESV, emphasis added)
We will be greatly enriched by often visiting books other than the Bible, because other literature can supplement our faith. If a book is excellent and shares the truth and values of a biblical worldview, it can serve to help us grow in knowledge and virtue, godliness, love and compassion for others, and steadfastness.
Visit excellent books other than the Bible to supplement your faith.
2. Read Books Other Than the Bible to Know God Better
More importantly, visiting good books may serve to help you know God better. You will often hear Christians say some iteration of the following, “I am not a theologian, but…” This reveals a misunderstanding about seeking and knowing God.
Theology is the knowledge of God, or as the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Corinthians, “thought and speech which issue from a knowledge of God” (1 Corinthians 1:5 ESV). Theology is not a study for the professor in his ivory tower alone but is a joyful endeavor for everyone. Everyone can know God, because God has revealed himself to us, both in his Word and in creation.
Those who have trusted in Jesus Christ for their salvation want to know him better! We want to know what the Bible teaches about him, what he says about us, and what he says about our world. Therefore, it’s important to read books that serve to help us grow in our knowledge of the Bible. Books that focus on biblical doctrine, soteriology (study of salvation), church history, apologetics (defense for the faith), and discipleship all help us learn to think biblically. These books are reflections and meditations on God’s truth that can deepen our knowledge of him. As Colossians 2:6-7 reminds us,
Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. (ESV, emphasis added)
Reading theology books or books on Christian living from authors who love the Lord and are steeped in his Word can serve to help you grow in your knowledge of Christ.
(If you’d like a few books that would expand your knowledge of biblical truth while also providing an overview of basic Christian belief, you could read Bruce Milne’s Know the Truth: A Handbook of Christian Belief or J.I. Packer’s Knowing God.)
3. Read Books Other Than the Bible to Love the Truth
Let’s consider one last reason for reading books other than the Bible.
Philippians 4:8 instructs us,
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (ESV)
God commands us to consider “whatever is true.” If we select books that tell the truth about human experience, then they are worthy of our time. For example, when we read a historical account of an event or a person, we are not just reading names and dates, but also, hopefully, taking away truths about the human condition and human experience.
Similarly, when we read a work of fiction, though engaging a higher degree of our imagination, we are taking away accurate visions of the human experience they portray. At some point within a story, we identify with characters because we too have felt their pain, suffering, happiness, and joy.
A book that reveals the truth is worth reading. Many books do this well, but one that comes to mind is John Steinbeck’s East of Eden. Coincidentally, East of Eden is in one sense the Cain and Abel story of Genesis 4 retold. The book paints a grueling, yet sobering picture of humanity’s sinfulness. It leaves a person begging for God’s redemption, just like the true story of Scripture tells us of our sinfulness and need for a Savior.
If you would like a recommendation for books that speak the truth about our human condition, consider reading Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov and Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo.
Visit the World of Books
Remember, at times, you need to visit other places that remind you of home to reinforce and deepen your understanding for the special place where you live. So we need to visit the world of books outside the Bible so that they will reinforce the truth we find therein.
Read books outside of Scripture to supplement your faith, to know God better, and to learn to love the truth.