Wrong Motivations to Study the Bible

This is from the Old Testament Survey EBI course that we are also studying whilst trying to read the Bible in a year. It is a video series from Bob Jones University. Here are Ken Cacillas's explanations on wrong motivations to study the Bible. Hope this does justice to his introductory message, Right and Wrong Motivations to Study the Bible.

1. To fulfil an obligation Quite often we read the Bible because we feel bad if we don't and we do it to appease our conscience. This is not a motivation to read the Bible that will go the distance as a long term motivation to read the Bible. This is also a natural legalistic tendency that as humans we tend towards - like wanting to earn our salvation we want to earn God's favour by reading the Bible. It is through God that we can have righteousness, sanctification and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30, Ephesians 2:8,9) We should rest in the reality of redemption.
   
2. To accumulate information While the Bible is an instruction manual for life, to say that is all it is brings down the value of the Bible. God intends that we have fellowship and enjoy getting to know God through reading the Bible. For example, while the Corinthian church was rich in knowledge but they were still sinful.
   
3. To find a "verse for the day" Sometimes when we lift a verse for the day, we take the verse out of context. We have to realise that the Bible is contextual and must be read in consistency with its immediate context, the book context, the literary context, the historical context, the writer's context, and which testamental context it comes from.