What is the relationship between reading the Bible and finding your identity in Christ?
Two weeks ago in Episode 142, I talked about how sometimes we need to close our Bibles and quit trying to learn more about God. This week I have a conversation with Keith Ferrin about discovering your identity in the Bible through a whole new way to experience the Bible’s message.
Keith is committed to helping people really love digging into the Bible
Me: How did you get so passionate about the Bible?
Keith:
The Bible is the one place where we know we’re reading what is true.
Even the best preaching is someone’s perspective. Reading the Bible is a way to connect with God relationally.
The world’s lies are really, really loud and part of why I read the Bible is to make sure that the truth is louder. It’s not about learning something new. It’s about being reminded what is true.
Me: On one of your YouTube videos you talk about the simplest way to study any Bible passage. Could you talk about that?
Keith:
The simplest way to read any passage in the Bible consists of four questions I like to ask about any Bible verse, passage or story:
- What does this passage tell me about who God is? Remember, God is the most important character in the Bible.
- What does it tell me about what God has done?
- What does it say about who I am? (in light of, or in relationship with who God is and what God has done)
- What is my response?
The clearer we are on who God is, what God has done, and who we are in Christ, the more that the living out of our faith is going to be natural. We will be more willing and even wanting to make the hard decisions because it lines up with who we know ourselves to be.
For example, the book of Ephesians is more quoted and studied than many books in the Bible because there is so much practical guidance on almost every topic. But the interesting thing is that 100 % of the practical advice in in Chapters 4, 5, and 6. There are none in chapters 1, 2, and 3. There are, however, over 30 identity messages.
As for number 4, I used to ask what am I going to do. I tried to find the true nugget of truth. But sometimes the response is to worship or sit in silence. So now I just ask how I am to respond.
Me: You say that when we live out from a place of identity, it gives us greater freedom. Could you elaborate that?
Keith:
Look at Ephesians 4:22-24 ESV
22 put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,
23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.Most people do verse 22 and 24, but they leave out verse 23. It’s easy to see what old habits we need to put off and what new Christly ways we need to put on, but we don’t always take the second step of being renewed in the spirit of our minds.
If we haven’t stop to be renewed in our mind, it will always lead to arrogance or defeat.
We need to grow in our awareness of having the mind of Christ
Chapters 4, 5, and 6 of Ephesians give lots of practical things we need to do, but Chapters 1, 2, and 3 are all about our spiritual identity. There’s not much we’re supposed to do in the first three chapters of Ephesians.
Keith says we have messed up individually and collectively as Christians because we try to live lives based on chapters 4, 5, 6 of Ephesians without first becoming how Chapters 1, 2, and 3 of Ephesians identifies us.
He recommends we read Ephesians 1, 2, and 3 out loud in front of a mirror every day until you believe it. Then move on to 4, 5, 6.
Keith takes issue with the popular saying “I am nothing more than a sinner saved by grace.”
He says:
The truest thing about you is not your sin. The truest thing about you is that in Christ, you are and are becoming the righteousness of God.
“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV
“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.” Ephesians 5:18 ESV
Another verse we talked about is
and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:19 ESV
The whole idea is that when we are aware of our relationship with Christ, we are living out the fullness of God in our lives.
Keith emphasized that we have the same power that raised Jesus from the dead dwelling in us.
I asked Keith how he made the shift from “should” to “want” when it comes to reading the Bible?
He knew that exact date: It happened on April 18, 1993.
Keith grew up in the church and always enjoyed the church life. He was a youth pastor during this time, but the Bible was something he felt he “should” study. One night he went to hear a man quote the entire book of Luke and sort of act it out.
He thought it would be boring, but it was captivating. The Word of God became a living reality not just a phrase.
It changed his life.
The man challenged him to soak in bigger chunks of Scriptures. Don’t just memorize a few verses.
He read Philippians every day during the summer. He realized he was actually reading it like a letter. Before he had read one chapter per day. But when he realized it was actually a letter, there’s no way he would only read one page of the letter from a good friend. You would read the whole thing.
He read it 30 or 35 times.
He hadn’t just memorized it, he internalized it. The goal is to know the Word, not just know the words.
Next he read the Gospel of John over and over until he got the overview by reading it 50-60 times. He actually performed the whole Gospel of John in a church.
He made it his own.
Me: How has this changed you?
Keith:
It has equipped me to live out his life so I am meditating on Scripture and reading the Bible relationally, i.e. have a relationship with God.
The Holy Spirit will remind me of a Scripture when I need guidance during the day.
A relationship with Christ is not just going to church and Sunday School once a week.
Me: What do you mean by studying the Bible “relationally?”
Keith:
It starts with seeing the difference between studying it informationally and relationally. Why do we read the Bible? The purpose of the Bible is to draw us into relationship with God. Not just to get more information about God.
It’s about having a relationship. God just wants to hang out sometimes. Somedays He just wants to play with us. It’s a multifaceted relationship with God.
Me: How has looking at the Bible relationally affected how you?
Keith:
Someone I know and love, posted something online that I completely disagreed with. Instead of being combative, he asked a question seeking to understand how his friend instead of prove he was wrong. It ended in them agreeing to have lunch together instead of an argument.
It strengthened the relationship, because he felt his relationship with God, he could be more gracious with his friend, even though his friend disagreed with him.
From a practice standpoint, read for the big picture first. When you go to see a movie, you watch the whole movie first, then you talk about the parts.
Too often we study the Bible as if we’re discussing the scenes of a movie we’ve never completely watched.
Reading Challenge
Read 2 Timothy out loud every day for the next 30 days. Let me know what you discover.
Keith Ferrin Contact info:
KeithFerrin.com
Keith’s YouTube Channel
Keith’s interview of me on YouTube: Developing the Mind of Christ
About Keith Ferrin
Keith is an author and speaker who has been speaking at conference, churches, universities, and banquets for 25+ years. His passion is helping people through live events, books, and online courses to empower individuals and families to not just read and study the Bible, but deeply enjoy it! He is also the founder of the BibleLife Community™, an online community where people read, study, and discuss the Bible together. He also has a very active YouTube channel with Bible teachings as well as interviews with a wide variety of folks talking about specific ideas in the Bible.
Keith and his wife have three kids and live outside of Seattle.
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If you have questions or comments please contact me. I’d love to hear from you..
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James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. He conducts Bible workshops online and in person. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life. Contact him here.
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Bible References:
Ephesians 4:22-24 ESV
22 put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,
23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV
21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Ephesians 5:18 ESV
18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.
Ephesians 3:19 ESV
19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
