Why Christian Believers Should Study God
Scriptural Basis
Holy Scripture consistently calls God’s people not merely to believe in Him, but to know Him. The Lord speaks through the prophet Jeremiah:
“Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom… but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me” (Jeremiah 9:23–24).
The Hebrew verbs here are significant. Haskēl (“understands”) implies insight gained through careful reflection, while yādaʿ (“knows”) conveys relational, experiential knowledge, not abstract information alone. God desires a people who know Him truly, in mind and heart.
Likewise, the wisdom tradition teaches:
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Book of Proverbs 1:7).
The phrase yirʾat YHWH (“fear of the LORD”) refers not to terror, but reverent awe that leads to teachability. Knowledge of God is the foundation upon which all true wisdom rests.
In the New Testament, Jesus defines eternal life itself as knowledge of God:
“And this is eternal life, that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3).
Here the Greek verb ginōskō again emphasizes relational knowing: growing understanding through lived communion.
Practical Implications
To study God is not an academic luxury for a few, but a sacred calling for every person. Because God has revealed Himself in Scripture, studying Him is an act of obedience, worship, and love.
First, studying God guards us from false ideas about Him. The human heart naturally fashions idols or mental images of God shaped by culture, emotion, or personal preference. Careful study of Scripture corrects these distortions and allows God to define Himself on His own terms. As the Apostle Paul warns, zeal without knowledge can lead us astray (Romans 10:2).
Second, studying God deepens worship. We cannot genuinely adore what we do not know. As our understanding of God’s holiness, mercy, sovereignty, and faithfulness grows, so too does our reverence and gratitude. Theology, rightly practiced, fuels doxology (i.e., praise).
Third, studying God transforms the believer. Paul writes that believers are “being transformed into the same image from glory to glory” as they behold the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:18). Knowing God reshapes our loves, priorities, and character. The mind renewed by truth becomes the soil in which obedience and holiness flourish.
Finally, studying God equips us to love others rightly. A clearer vision of God’s grace produces humility, patience, and compassion. As Augustine famously prayed, “Let me know You, O Lord, who know me.” Knowledge of God and love of neighbor are inseparably linked.
Other Views
Some Christian traditions emphasize primarily experiential or devotional knowledge of God, cautioning against excessive intellectualism. Mystical writers such as Bernard of Clairvaux warned that study without love can lead to pride. Knowledge must always serve love (1 Corinthians 8:1), but this does not mean we discard knowledge or study.
Others, particularly within the Reformed tradition, have strongly emphasized doctrinal study, seeing theology as essential for preserving the truth of the gospel. John Calvin described theology as “the knowledge of God and of ourselves,” insisting that one cannot exist without the other.
A balanced, historic Christian view affirms both: study of God must engage the mind and the heart. Scripture never separates loving God with the heart from loving Him with the mind (Matthew 22:37).
Closing Thought
To study God is ultimately to respond to His gracious self-disclosure. He has spoken so that He may be known, loved, and trusted. While faithful Christians may differ in emphasis or method, all are called to grow in the knowledge of the Lord.
May our study always be marked by humility, prayer, and dependence on the Holy Spirit, so that knowing God more deeply leads us to worship Him more faithfully and to live more fully for His glory.