If you want your faith to grow, read the Bible.

Earlier this Spring, in a discussion on sanctification, John Piper explains, “The only way faith grows is by God speaking to you. ‘Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God’ [Romans 10:17] — and not just when you got saved, but everyday of your life.”

God speaks to us when we read his word. There is where we encounter his truth — his promises, his warnings, his commands — of which we are called to trust and obey. And his truth is where the Spirit builds our faith. In fact, as John Calvin teaches us, this is the great work of the word and Spirit.

Faith is the singular gift of God, both in that the mind of man is purged so as to be able to taste the truth of God and in that his heart is established therein. For the Spirit is not only the initiator of faith, but increases it by degrees, until by it he leads us to the Kingdom of Heaven. (Institutes, III.II.33, emphases added)

Let this amazing reality breathe some life back into your Bible reading this August.

And check out Part 1 and Part 2 of John Piper’s seminar on his book, Future Grace, and the aforementioned discussion on sanctification: