Yesterday I participated in a Tristate Trauma Network event that granted attendees 6 Continuing Education Units (CEU). With these CEU’s I receive a discount on my annual Professional Liability Insurance and maintain my Counseling License. Attending these sessions is hard work — yet, it is necessary. Those in the people helping profession are like emotional vacuum cleaners that take in everyone’s emotional trauma. However, at least once a year we clean out and process all the trauma that has been taken in.

Christians are also instructed to gain spiritual CEU’s. “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim.2:15). We are also commanded to “Let the word of Christ dwell richly” in us by admonishing and teaching one another through song (Col.3:16).

Unfortunately, many lazy or ignorant Christians believe that the hard work related to studying the bible is best left to their “clergy” who have been called to that role. They foolishly believe that their spiritual leaders will never lead them astray.

Friend, the truth is that every book of the New Testament, except Philemon, warns us against doing this. The first Christians were not stupid enough to do this even with an Apostle (Acts 17:11). I have often thought that the solution to the world’s religious division would be solved if God removed all the religious leaders and gave the Bible back to the people. But wait, He did!

1 Timothy 2:5 (ESV) — 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

Are you studying the word of God? Do you know how to rightly divide the Word of Truth? Can you give an answer of the hope that lies within you? Do you know enough of the Bible to lead the lost to Christ (using just scriptures)? Or have you placed someone between yourself and God?