I cannot say I am a fan of "life verses". This general un-fan-ness can also be applied to life chapters. That is, chapters or passages of the Bible that people take and apply as the be-all and end-all of what one ought to do in order to be a good Christian, whether as a pastor, husband, wife, child, or anything else. People label themselves according to a particular chapter or passage.

Now, I do not intend for my dislike to mean I believe the practice is utterly wrong. I would not condemn anyone who has a life verse, nor would I tell people to give up on being a "Proverbs 31 woman", for instance. In fact, I like Proverbs 31.

But I hope my life will be ordered by the whole of Scripture, not one passage. God's Word in its entirety is meant for our instruction, that we may be competent, thoroughly equipped for every good work. If I structure the whole of my life around just one passage, I wonder, what will I miss?

Considering Proverbs 31, I have a lot of different questions concerning what is written there. Here are a few: Why does she work hard for her family? Why does she give to the needy? What is wisdom? Why does she teach with kindness? What does she teach? What does it mean to fear the Lord?

To find the answers to these things, I would have to search the rest of Scripture. Scripture answers itself. Progressive revelation shows more and more of what God has spoken to us. We can look ahead, look back, look around and through and upside down to find the answers to our questions. The whole of Scripture is meant to give us competence, not one chapter or passage. We ought to read and study and apply the whole thing, not split it up into fractured lists of what applies to one, and what to another.

Consider also Titus 2, which is an excellent instruction:

Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.

(Titus 2:3-5 ESV)

However, my questions spring up again: how can an older woman teach a younger woman about these things without going into the theological reasons behind them? How can they go into the theological reasons without knowing the Bible through-and-through? Why ought a woman to be reverent in behaviour? What is "good"? Why ought a young woman to love her husband and children? Why ought she to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to her own husband? What does it mean to revile the Word of God?


I am not advocating the idea that all believers ought to be certified theologians before talking about the Bible. If I were, I would have to close this blog down right now. However, I do believe that we ought all to search the Scriptures daily, to be familiar with the whole counsel of God. We shouldn't settle on a single verse or passage, even though every single verse is the soul's thirst-quenching need. Look at the whole of God's Word. Look at the entirety of what God has spoken to us. It is a blessing. It is life.

Give me understanding, that I may keep your law

and observe it with my whole heart.

Lead me in the path of your commandments,

for I delight in it.

Incline my heart to your testimonies,

and not to selfish gain!

Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;

and give me life in your ways.

Confirm to your servant your promise,

that you may be feared.

Turn away the reproach that I dread,

for your rules are good.

Behold, I long for your precepts;

in your righteousness give me life!

(Psalm 119:34-40 ESV)