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According to the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL) which was published by the National Center for Education Statistics, the definition of literacy is:  “using printed and written information to function in society, to achieve one’s goals, and to develop one’s knowledge and potential.”  In this report they compared the literacy across three categories between the year 1992 and the year 2003.  In two of the categories the scores in 2003 were lower than that of 1992.  In all three categories 12% or higher of the population tested fell in the "below basic" literacy level. This is quite alarming.   

If we were to add "Biblical" in front of "literacy" the definition would become "using God's Word, the Bible, to function within society, to achieve God's goals, and to develop one's knowledge and potential as a maturing child of God or Christian."  Biblical literacy is not so much if a person can read or not, it deals more with an individual having a "working" knowledge of His Word such that He is the basis for all of their attitudes and actions.  It is here that I must admit that I am woefully deficient.  The Psalmist says in Psalm 119:11 "Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You!" NKJV  

But, what does it mean to have God's word hidden in our hearts?   The Hebrew word that is translated "hidden" in the NKJV can also mean treasure as it is translated in the NASB version.  To have God's word hidden in our hearts means that God's word is treasured and stored due to its value. (TWOT)  

But why would the Psalmist want to treasure His Word?  We find the answer in the second part of the verse.  The answer is so that he would not sin against God.  Another way of saying this is that his life would be pleasing to God.  What I find interesting is that the focus is to honor and please God.  If we were to couple this with Deut. 6:5/Mark 12:29-30, we can safely say that the Psalmist treasures God's Word because he loves God.

If we were to look across the Christian landscape in America, my concern is that well over 12% of those professing to be Christians fall in the "below basic" Biblical literacy level.  This means that way too many individuals are not "using God's Word, the Bible, to function within society, to achieve God's goals, and to develop one's knowledge and potential as a maturing child of God or Christian."  Why would I say such a thing?  It is because I have seen too often, both in myself and other Christians, the holding of ideas or taking on of positions that are more steeped in secular wisdom rather than God's wisdom.  

If we are to grow in a true love for God, we need that love to be based on His truth or wisdom. We need to grow in our Biblical literacy as it relates to how we are to walk with Him and please Him in all respects.  But, how do we become Biblically literate?  More on that next time ....  

God Bless,

Pastor Steve