Why Study the Past?

One of the textbooks I am reading for one of my classes is called, "Why Study the Past; the Quest for the Historical Church."

There are many things that stood out to me as I was reading, but I'm just going to share a couple of points from the text.

The Bible, in its original language, should be read as expressing what God does for us. For example, when we hear of the wisdom of God in the Bible, we think of how God's actions make us wise, and when we hear of God's justice we should think of that act by which He makes us just. God is free to do what He wills, and His freedom takes the form of acting so as to change us.

Lastly, William Tyndale poses this question, "What is it to recognize in the concrete circumstances of one's own prosperity or welfare the presence of divine action?"
Tyndale suggests that to recognize that the apparent static things that secure our prosperity are carriers of God's love. Therefore, they cannot sit still with us, they must not be prevented from being active signs of love. When we try to hold on to them, we make empty our claims to be dependent on God for our spiritual security, because we implicitly deny that God is active in all of His gifts.