Not sure?

[Derek_Is_Me]

Okay, here's a question that I've been meaning to ask. Does not reading the bible make someone less of a christian than someone that does read the bible alot? But both christians believe in jesus as their savior. And they treat everyone the exact same way. With kindness and love towards everyone that they meet. Like I said does it make the first person less of a christian since they don't really read the bible? Just wondering. I hope everyone is having a great day. ^^

[Xeno]

I don't think it makes a person any less of a Christian, though I do think it can open doors to possible deceptions and false teachings to take hold. If one doesn't read the Word, then one won't know what it says. So if a preacher comes along as says "The Bible commands us to xyz!" you won't know if they're telling the truth or not unless you actually read the Bible for yourself.

Again, it doesn't make you less of a Christian, but reading your Bible certainly strengthens your faith and enables you to know what you do and don't believe.

[TopazRaven]

While I agree with Xeno to an extent, I also want to point out there are Christians in other countries who do not have and may not be able to get ahold of a bible due to various different reasons. They might not know everything they could from not having one, but it doesn't make them any less of a Christian then me, you or anyone else for that matter.

[Xeno]

@Topaz: Oh absolutely, and I wasn't trying to imply they are at fault for not trying to obtain one. What I was writing from the understanding of having one available.

[TopazRaven]

I know, I wasn't trying to imply that's what you where saying either. xD I probably could have phrased that a lot better, sorry. I was just putting that out there.

[ChristianKitsune]

As everyone else has been saying. They are still Christians and we'll be seeing them someday.

But I think that IF you have opportunities to READ God's word, then you should take them at every chance you get. (So guilty of NOT doing this) Actually, Topaz' first post made me think of this. XD We are so spoiled here in America, and elsewhere were reading God's word is LEGAL and AVAILABLE...I think we definitely take this for granted...

I guess, I've just been learning from a lot of stupid experiences. That reading (if available) and Praying to God is ESSENTIAL for growth and well, Joy.... I mean...when I don't read God's word for months at a time..(yep this has happened...) I get REALLY depressed, I like really fall into ruts that I feel like I can't get out of...and it usually takes something like going away to a retreat or something to get me out of it... (which is also silly xD)

I liken this to if God were someone I called a "Friend" but I never talked to them, or called them or hung out with them...there'd be something off with that relationship. IT's not something that can't be fixed by calling them up again of course. But communication is necessary.

So are you a Christian if you don't delve into knowing God more? Yes. But why wouldn't you want to know who God is better?

I guess that's my take...

[aliveinHim]

As everyone else has been saying. They are still Christians and we'll be seeing them someday.

But I think that IF you have opportunities to READ God's word, then you should take them at every chance you get. (So guilty of NOT doing this) Actually, Topaz' first post made me think of this. XD We are so spoiled here in America, and elsewhere were reading God's word is LEGAL and AVAILABLE...I think we definitely take this for granted...

I guess, I've just been learning from a lot of stupid experiences. That reading (if available) and Praying to God is ESSENTIAL for growth and well, Joy.... I mean...when I don't read God's word for months at a time..(yep this has happened...) I get REALLY depressed, I like really fall into ruts that I feel like I can't get out of...and it usually takes something like going away to a retreat or something to get me out of it... (which is also silly xD)

I liken this to if God were someone I called a "Friend" but I never talked to them, or called them or hung out with them...there'd be something off with that relationship. IT's not something that can't be fixed by calling them up again of course. But communication is necessary.

So are you a Christian if you don't delve into knowing God more? Yes. But why wouldn't you want to know who God is better?

I guess that's my take...

You basically said everything I wanted to say. When you're a believer, you will have a desire for the things of God.

[Kaori]

It's pretty much like CK said.

I don't think that not reading the Bible makes a person any less saved. But in order to bear spiritual fruit, including the ability to treat others with kindness and love, we need to stay connected to God, because we have no life apart from him:

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. (John 15:4)

A person who isn't spending time with God is cutting himself off from the source of spiritual nourishment. How can you know what pleases God without spending time with him and finding out what his commandments are? How can you know who God is and what his requirements are without reading his Word? God gave us a book that tells us everything we need to know about him; that is too wonderful of a gift to just ignore.

That said, we as Christians really can't judge other people's worth by whether or not they read the Bible and have no right to do so. Humanly speaking, if we look at a person who isn't reading their Bible, we only see them as they are in that moment ("Oh, that person isn't reading their Bible.") But what God sees is the whole path of their life--who they were before they were saved, who they are now, who they will be in the future. Growing closer to God is a continuous process; I've seen a lot of people go through changes over the course of years as God gradually drew them closer to him. So, the person who isn't reading his or her Bible might eventually develop a love for the Word and start reading it more and more faithfully later in life. Or maybe the opposite will happen; we have no way of knowing. What I'm trying to say is, we only see a snapshot, whereas God sees the whole trajectory of a person's life. So we have no right to judge a person by that little glimpse of them that we see, because we don't know what God is doing in their life and what they will become in the future.