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As a professor, one of my least favorite questions is “will this be on the test?” I certainly understand my students’ desires to have insight as to what an exam will cover, but the reason I dislike the question is because of the frequent impetus behind it. Too often students want to know if something is going to be on the test because the answer to that question determines whether they will spend time studying that concept. My goal is often to remind them that even if the subject doesn’t show up on the exam, it likely will show up sometime in life. Therefore, whether there is a test question or not shouldn’t be the determinant of whether they invest time in understanding the lesson; what should matter is whether knowing the subject better will make them more prepared for their future profession. 

Unfortunately, many of us often approach studying God’s Word in much the same way. We want to know “what will be on the test?” to determine whether we will invest time and effort into learning it better. We might wonder how much God expects us to know of His Word, and hope that He is evaluating us based on a curve (“as long as I know more than someone else, I will be alright,” we may be tempted to reason.) Conversely, we may hope that our pastor or Bible study leader gives us a study guide of sort. If we know what they expect us to know, we can focus on just those things. 

However, as I have written before, Joshua 1:8 helps us realize that the purpose of knowing God’s Word is not so that we can pass a real or contrived exam; the purpose of knowing God’s Word is to help us obey more. We study, meditate on, and cherish the Scriptures that God has given us because as we do so, we know and love Him better. Our increased knowledge of Him helps us to do increasingly do the things He desires us to do; our further understanding of Him increasingly conforms us into the image of His Son. Pursuing Him and the Scriptures He has given us should not be viewed merely as a duty (although as His children it is our duty to know more of Him); it should be viewed as an opportunity to prepare our hearts, our minds, and our very selves to be used by Him for His Kingdom’s purposes. 

When we are tempted to wonder whether we have “enough” Bible knowledge and therefore we can stop investing so much time in studying Scripture, we should know that the answer this side of Heaven is always “no.” A lifetime invested in studying God’s Word will mean a lifetime of increasingly knowing and serving Him well. It will mean a lifetime of increased obedience and alignment with His Word. And that should be the desire of every child of God. 

In Wayne Grudem’s Systematic Theology, the author writes, “We [Christians} are continually to build up patterns and habits of holiness….” (p. 1809). In this section of the book, Grudem is writing about the process of sanctification, and through referencing Hebrews 5:14 he makes the point that no Christian should presume that becoming more Christ-like won’t require effort. Instead, those who follow God will have to actively and intentionally pattern their lives after Him. This is not a one-time endeavor, but a regularly commitment to walk in the way that He did. 

The phrase “habits of holiness” may sound strange to some because many people think that being “holy” is reserved for the truly exceptional Christians. Yet I Peter is clear that every child of God is called to be holy (I Peter 1:15). Christians are to become more like the One that they follow. However, like any type of endeavor worth pursuing, becoming more like Jesus does not happen without effort. Maturity in Christ is built upon the practices and the disciplines that are in keeping with His instructions; our sanctification is hastened by the habits of holiness. 

Let us not be confused; becoming more like Christ is not what is required for us to be a Christian. Repenting from our sin and placing our trust in Jesus’ work accomplished on the cross and through His resurrection are what is necessary for salvation (Rom 10:9-10). However, those who are saved will want to be more like their Savior; those who are redeemed by Jesus will want to do that which pleases Him.  And doing that which pleases Him requires discipline and commitment. It requires a daily turning from what we want to do to what He desires.  It requires putting into practice habits of holiness – of reading our Bible, praying, listening to and applying the teaching of God’s Word, engaging in regular fellowship with believers, and more – so that the lives of God’s kids more readily resemble the character of our Heavenly Father. 

Precious saints – let us not grow weary in this endeavor. Let us not think that our regular, intentional, and daily disciplines are not making a difference. Instead, let us recognize that God is using what may seem like inconsequential efforts to us to slowly and progressively conform us into the image of His Son. May we grow to treasure the habits of holiness for this reason. May we embrace the fact that it is through the obedience in the “small things” that God grows men and women to be great in His Kingdom.