Here at Knowledge Keepers, our focus is on the importance of owning printed books in a well-stocked home library. In the 21st century, it kind of feels like moving backward, but in a digital age, we must exercise caution.
Everything is digital. Books, music, movies, shopping, medical care…it’s almost mind blowing to think that in the span of 20-ish years, everything we do in our daily life has been digitized. I enjoy the convenience of ordering my groceries online, and since I live in a small town, shopping through apps has definitely saved me time and money. And while I do have a massive home library, I also listen to audiobooks every day.
But there’s one digital application that gives me a little concern: Bible apps. Don’t get me wrong; I love the instant access we all have to the scriptures. It’s very handy for looking up something on the spur of the moment, or reading (and listening) to the Bible away from home. I want to be clear: I do use my Bible app all the time!
My concern, though, is that an entire generation (or two!) of Christians depend on it as their sole Bible. For Christians, a printed volume of scripture is imperative, and I have two major reasons for this:
1. The printed Bible changed the world
When writers talk about the Protestant Reformation, they often use phrases such as “pivotal” and “lightning.” It was one of the most dramatic points in the history of the church after the apostolic age of the first century. The most important result of this movement was that the Word of God was translated and printed in the common tongues of the peoples of the western world.
We in the 21st century have a difficult time putting ourselves in the shoes of those medieval Christians: church services held in Latin by church authorities who had private copies of the scriptures, again, only in Latin. Latin was a language for only the well-educated in most countries; in a feudal culture, very few people were able to get an education or read at all. This practice meant that Christians were wholly dependent on the church for their knowledge of God, holiness, and salvation. As we know, the Roman Catholic Church was abusing this power over the people in many ways, but some of the most egregious included selling assurances of salvation and heaven.
Steve Lawson writes:
The church was greatly in need of reform. Spiritual darkness personified the Roman Catholic Church. The Bible was a closed book. Spiritual ignorance ruled the minds of the people. The gospel was perverted. Church tradition trumped divine truth. Personal holiness was abandoned. The rotten stench of manmade traditions covered pope and priest. The corruption of ungodliness contaminated both dogma and practice.
But something happened on October 31, 1517 that ignited a fire.
Martin Luther, a Catholic monk, was convicted through his reading and studying of the scriptures about the differences between what the Bible taught and what the Catholic church taught. He was troubled, and then angry, and finally took bold action. He made a list of his reasons, known as his Ninety-Five Theses. On the day before All Saints Day in the town of Wittenberg, Germany, he nailed this list to the church door, lighting the spark that would become the fire of reformation.
By defying the authority of the Roman Catholic Church, Reformers like Luther, Calvin, Tyndale, and others ushered in the age of freedom: freedom to read and know the Holy Scriptures, freedom to worship outside the dictates of the Roman church, and most importantly, freedom in Christ alone. These men risked (and some lost) their lives for this reformation.
We do not wish to abolish teaching and to make every man his own master, but if the curates will not teach the gospel, the layman must have the Scripture, and read it for himself, taking God for his teacher. (William Tyndale, later burned at the stake for daring to translate the scriptures into English.)
These men and their boldness produced a ripple effect. The invention of the printing press coupled with the zeal of the reformers created a new world in Christendom: the spread of the Holy Bible in the common tongue.
The best-selling book of all time is the Christian Bible. It is impossible to know exactly how many copies have been printed in the roughly 1500 years since its contents were standardized, but research conducted by the British and Foreign Bible Society in 2021 suggests that the total number probably lies between 5 and 7 billion copies. (Guinness World Records)
Christians should understand the structure of the scriptures
The Bible is a massive volume, made up of 66 books. There is a lot to unpack! It’s important for Christians to understand the different books, the chronology, and the many cross references. In my opinion, a good study Bible is a necessity.
Every member of your family should have a Bible
“A thorough knowledge of the Bible is the foundation of all clear views of religion. He that is well grounded in it will not generally waiver; he will not be carried about by every wind of new doctrine. Any system of training that does not make knowledge of Scripture its priority is unsafe and unsound. If you love your children, let the simple Bible be everything in the training of their souls and let all other books take second place.” (J.C. Ryle, The Duties of Parents)
My favorite for years has been the John MacArthur Study Bible (NKJV).
“Christian children mainly need to be taught the doctrines, precepts, and life of the gospel; they require divine truth to be put before them clearly and forcibly. Why should the higher doctrines, the doctrines of grace, be kept back from them? These doctrines are not merely structural bones; or if they are, they are full of marrow and covered with fatness. Our responsibility is to make doctrine simple; this is a main part of our work. Teach the little ones the whole truth and nothing but the truth, for instruction is the great desire of the child’s nature.” (Charles Spurgeon, Come Ye Children)
“You can rest assured that if a student is capable of learning trigonometry or biology then he or she is capable of learning ecclesiology (the doctrine of the Church), pneumatology (the doctrine of the Holy Spirit), or eschatology (the doctrine of the end times). And rather than viewing systematic theology as an esoteric subject meant only for pastors and seminarians, your kids will recognize that they are simply learning the deep truths of the Bible meant for believers of all ages to learn, ponder, and ultimately enjoy to the glory of God.” (Josh Niemi, Expository Parenting)
2. Digital products are not 100% reliable
That statement right there is why Knowledge Keepers exists.
Digital media is changeable and unreliable. While looking up verses in a pinch is a great use for a digital Bible, having a trustworthy printed Bible is valuable in so many ways.
Consider these digital media malfunctions:
Movies, eBooks, and songs that are purchased digitally have a wide variety of licenses, often making you a “renter” of digital products. Customers have build massive libraries of audiobooks, songs, and movies on digital platforms, only to have parts of these libraries disappear due to a change in ownership.
The YouVersion Bible App is currently the most popular Bible app, and for good reason. It features numerous translations, some references, audio capability, and a wide range of other study helps. It’s very handy, and I will admit that it encourages Bible reading for many who wouldn’t pick up a heavy printed Bible.
The problem is that it could change at any time.
Bible censorship is real
Americans are blessed to have unlimited access to this app and all other media. But even America has had its First Amendment tyranny. Just the past few years have shown us that a political party or even the White House can call the shots when it comes to what is allowed online.
The Bible is quite controversial, and the messages within have caused no small amount of trouble for Christians online. And it’s worse if you’re not in America. For Americans who travel internationally, certain apps and websites are not accessible in certain countries. And for those who live under communist regimes, the Bible is the #1 offender. (I mean, communism is anti-God, so what do you expect?)
As I write this blog post, we in America live under a freedom-loving administration. But that changes with each election, as we have seen recently. Any digital media is subject to scrutiny, revision, and even removal at any time.
Again: that’s why Knowledge Keepers exists.
So, while I’m not going to say that you should stop using Bible apps or online Bible sites, I will beg encourage you to own, know, and use a printed Bible.
Not to be dramatic or anything, but men literally died for that privilege.
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