--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We often read the Bible as if it were…" description: "\"We often read the Bible as if it were fundamentally about us: our improvement, our life, our triumph, our victory, our faith, our holiness, our godline..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fd/tullian-tchividjian-1105_bible_we-often-read-the-bible-as-if-it-were-fu_1463274.png" --- # We often read the Bible as if it were fundamentally about… ![“We often read the Bible as if it were fundamentally about us: our improvement, our life, our triumph, our victory, our faith, our holiness, our godliness.” quote by Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fd/tullian-tchividjian-1105_bible_we-often-read-the-bible-as-if-it-were-fu_1463274.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fd/tullian-tchividjian-1105_bible_we-often-read-the-bible-as-if-it-were-fu_1463274.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5fd/tullian-tchividjian-1105_bible_we-often-read-the-bible-as-if-it-were-fu_1463274.png) > “We often read the Bible as if it were fundamentally about us: our improvement, our life, our triumph, our victory, our faith, our holiness, our godliness.” [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Notes that many read the Bible as a self‑centered guide rather than a broader narrative. **In simple terms:** People often see the Bible as personal self‑help. Key Takeaway Read scripture with broader perspective. Themes faith interpretation humility Mood contemplative analytical Type theological educational When to use this quote - Bible study groups - personal devotions - ser sermons Key Concepts theology exegesis Questions to Reflect On - How does a self‑centered reading affect community? - What alternative lenses can deepen understanding? A Different Perspective Over‑emphasis on self can miss communal teachings. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bible/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Godliness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/godliness/) [Holiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holiness/) [Improvement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvement/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Triumph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/triumph/) [Victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victory/) ## Related quotes > [“By looking at the Bible as if it were fundamentally about us, we totally miss the Point–like the two on the road to Emmaus.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/by-looking-at-the-bible-as-if-it-were-fundamentally-about-us-we/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [“what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crossway/what-sort-of-people-ought-you-to-be-in-lives-of-holiness-and-godliness/) Crossway > [What God requires of us he himself works in us, or it is not done. He that commands faith, holiness, and love, creates them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/what-god-requires-of-us-he-himself-works-in-us-or-it-is-not-done-he/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [Let us never forget that, to be profited, that is, to be spiritually improved in knowledge, faith, holiness, joy and love, is the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-angell-james/let-us-never-forget-that-to-be-profited-that-is-to-be-spiritually/) [John Angell James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-angell-james/) > [My chief desire in all my writings, is to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ and make Him beautiful and glorious in the eyes of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-chief-desire-in-all-my-writings-is-to-exalt-the-lord-jesus-christ/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We fear extremes and shy away from too much ardor in religion as if it were possible to have too much love or too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/we-fear-extremes-and-shy-away-from-too-much-ardor-in-religion-as-if/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [Virtue is akin to holiness, an attribute of godliness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/virtue-is-akin-to-holiness-an-attribute-of-godliness/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [“For the glory of God, the good of others, and the satisfaction of our souls, the aim of the Christian life is our coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mathis/for-the-glory-of-god-the-good-of-others-and-the-satisfaction-of-our/) [David Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mathis/) > [“And we, too, being called by His will to Christ Jesus, are not justified by ourselves, nor by our own wisdom, or understanding or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-we-too-being-called-by-his-will-to-christ-jesus-are-not-justified/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If we read the Bible asking first, 'What would Jesus do?' instead of asking 'What has Jesus done?' we’ll miss the good news that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/if-we-read-the-bible-asking-first-what-would-jesus-do-instead-of/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [As Luke 24 shows, it's possible to read the Bible, study the Bible, and memorize large portions of the Bible, while missing the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/as-luke-24-shows-it-s-possible-to-read-the-bible-study-the-bible-and/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [“If you read the bible from cover to cover you will want to start it all over again. You find something new each time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-penland/if-you-read-the-bible-from-cover-to-cover-you-will-want-to-start-it/) [Amanda Penland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-penland/) > [Let us read the Bible without the ill-fitting colored spectacles of theology, just as we read other books, using our judgment and reason. . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luther-burbank/let-us-read-the-bible-without-the-ill-fitting-colored-spectacles-of/) [Luther Burbank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luther-burbank/) > [I read novels but I also read the Bible. And study it, you know? And the more I learn, the more excited I get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/i-read-novels-but-i-also-read-the-bible-and-study-it-you-know-and-the/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) ## More by Tullian Tchividjian > [Grace is upside-down, to-do-list wrecking, scandalous and way-too free. It's one-way love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/grace-is-upside-down-to-do-list-wrecking-scandalous-and-way-too-free/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [“There is but one good,” C. S. Lewis writes in The Great Divorce; “that is God. Everything else is good when it looks to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/there-is-but-one-good-c-s-lewis-writes-in-the-great-divorce-that-is/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [Once God saves us He doesn't move us beyond the gospel, but He moves us more deeply into the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/once-god-saves-us-he-doesn-t-move-us-beyond-the-gospel-but-he-moves/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [“An institution theoretically devoted to providing comfort to those in need (the church) is in trouble because it has embraced the same pressure cooker…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/an-institution-theoretically-devoted-to-providing-comfort-to-those-in/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [A preacher who doesn't believe he's that bad will attract people who don't think they're that bad. And that's bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/a-preacher-who-doesn-t-believe-he-s-that-bad-will-attract-people-who/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [Our assurance is anchored in the love and grace of God expressed in the glorious exchange: our sin for His righteousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/our-assurance-is-anchored-in-the-love-and-grace-of-god-expressed-in/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [I think for far too long the Church has concluded that Christians don't need the gospel, it's simple what non-Christian people need in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/i-think-for-far-too-long-the-church-has-concluded-that-christians-don/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [While our sin reaches far, God's grace reaches farther. God came after us not to strip away our freedom but to strip away our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/while-our-sin-reaches-far-god-s-grace-reaches-farther-god-came-after/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [Jesus has done everything for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/jesus-has-done-everything-for-you/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [If you have suffered the loss of a family member to chronic disease, if you suffer debilitating seasons of depression, if you have lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/if-you-have-suffered-the-loss-of-a-family-member-to-chronic-disease/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [Sanctification consists of the daily realization that in Christ we have died, and in Christ we have been raised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/sanctification-consists-of-the-daily-realization-that-in-christ-we/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [The ironic thing about legalism is that it not only doesn't make people work harder, it makes them give up. Moralism doesn't produce morality;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/the-ironic-thing-about-legalism-is-that-it-not-only-doesn-t-make/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [The good news of suffering is that it brings us to the end of ourselves - a purpose it has certainly served in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/the-good-news-of-suffering-is-that-it-brings-us-to-the-end-of/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [The Gospel is not ultimately a defense from pain, it is the message of God's rescue through pain. In fact, it allows us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/the-gospel-is-not-ultimately-a-defense-from-pain-it-is-the-message-of/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [God is inviting you today to appropriately grieve your pains and losses and to acknowledge the world is seriously broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/god-is-inviting-you-today-to-appropriately-grieve-your-pains-and/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) [Explore all 292 Tullian Tchividjian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) ## More Bible quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“The Devil can cite Scripture for his purpose, Sergeant,’ Anthony Payne replied. ‘That is from The Merchant of Venice, but it holds great truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arnold/the-devil-can-cite-scripture-for-his-purpose-sergeant-anthony-payne/) Michael Arnold > [When you put your hand on the Bible, you are saying something much stronger than just telling your peers that you're going to tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-greenwood/when-you-put-your-hand-on-the-bible-you-are-saying-something-much/) [Lee Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-greenwood/) > [“Scripture also teaches that human beings are morally responsible creatures”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-peterson/scripture-also-teaches-that-human-beings-are-morally-responsible/) Robert A. Peterson > [“The wife of a junior officer cooped up in a horrible canvas partition in steerage for five months wrote: "I had enjoyed much peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-taylor/the-wife-of-a-junior-officer-cooped-up-in-a-horrible-canvas-partition/) Stephen Taylor > [O Word of God incarnate . . . It is the golden casket Where gems of truth are stored; It is the heaven-drawn picture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walsham-how/o-word-of-god-incarnate-it-is-the-golden-casket-where-gems-of-truth/) Walsham How > [How can I trust that the Bible is reliable?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-horton/how-can-i-trust-that-the-bible-is-reliable/) [Michael Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-horton/) > [Every plant which my heavenly father has not planted with be uprooted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/every-plant-which-my-heavenly-father-has-not-planted-with-be-uprooted/) [Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/) > [Where I come from you're not raised to think on your own. It's not that you're pushed to read the Bible. The Bible is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abel-ferrara/where-i-come-from-you-re-not-raised-to-think-on-your-own-it-s-not/) [Abel Ferrara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abel-ferrara/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? Heaven is referred to in fifty-four of the Bible's sixty-six books, and the final two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/what-comes-to-mind-when-you-think-of-heaven-heaven-is-referred-to-in/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [“While it is in one sense a result of God’s presence within us, the New Testament also describes a process involved in our “putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/while-it-is-in-one-sense-a-result-of-god-s-presence-within-us-the-new/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [The definition of a Church is crystal clear in the New Testament. We see the picture of it. 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