BIBLE STUDY & MEDITATIONS
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
Hello friends! The value of these studies and meditations is intended to be about Christian life as God shows in these major areas of study: Bible General; Redemption Way; Church Truth; Spiritual Life. If one keeps these four areas clear in their mind they will be able to better understand what God is showing mankind, I believe. It is hoped we can keep focused on learning more of God's mind for us with the Bible as our only authority. The writer here prefers the venerable KJV Bible and appreciates the NKJV somewhat; so possible difficulty could arise from other Bible renderings of wordings by readers.
Sometimes Bible verses are scrambled by readers and they find it then hard to know what a verse is about. Keeping them in the context God has given will make the counsel clearer, I have found. It is my desire to share what I have learned over many years of Bible study, and see if readers find it helpful, and/or they know some variation on the subjects that can help all of us in our further understandings.
Feel free to comment in a helpful way on posts here ---agreeing or disagreeing, but let us be considerate and not argue or divert to other issues beyond what is the original subject.
One is welcome to also write me at my Profile on CF under Conversations or at my e-mail if they wish to discuss matters in private. I don't claim to be a scholar, but after 60+ years of Bible study I think I have some understanding of ways and intent of God. - 1watchman.
-- First January Subject: Bible General & Overview --
As a sincere seeker of Christianity one should not begin with reasonings about various verses, I see, but seeking to understand something of the basics of the Bible in an Overview:
1) first learn the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament of the Bible and how they apply to us; and this writer holds to the venerable KJV with some comparisons with the NKJV and the JND New Translation ---and consults the Concise Bible Dictionary and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, and others.
2) understand salvation of our soul today (note John 3:16) as different from the eternal hope of blessing in the Israelite religion of old --read and pray about John 1; John 3; John 14 for a good foundation!
3) then, begin reading through the four Gospels, and the Acts and Epistles daily; and perhaps once a week read in Genesis and on in the OT to compare with the NT.
One should remember there are NO contradictions in God's immutable Word, I have found, though it might seem that way at times. I believe any thought otherwise usually means one has misapplied one or more verses. Is that also your understanding? Share any thoughts in brief stating if you agree or showing why you disagree, or have other understandings of A or B here.
A. Essentially, the OT is about beginnings and shows the Creator-God, His creative work, His dealings with His creation and mankind; His desire to have children and not just more created angels, His covenant of promise with faithful souls who will receive Him and follow Him, His dealing with them in their sojourn in the world to teach them; and His plan of the ages (shown by the Prophets to Israel) to bless the whole world by redemption and reconciliation from their sin, weakness and failures, through His gift of His Son to come in the future time ---Israel's Lord as well as for the Gentiles. Much more can be shown about the OT as one reads the various Books there.
B. The NT is a new dispensation or age of God's plan, when He sent down His own holy Son --Jesus, the Christ of God, to accomplish the perfect work of reconciliation which man could never achieve by himself; showing Jesus as the fulfillment of all the promises and types of redemption by the blood sacrifices of olden times; also, He showed us His Father (manifested in Himself), and revealed the Trinity of God, beside setting forth godliness as contrary to religious ideologies; and ordained Apostles to establish the Church before offering Himself as the true blood sacrifice, and overcoming death and the grave; etc. God made saints of God by the indwelling and sealing of His Spirit in the faithful ones, to be a "Bride" for Christ ---a heavenly people. Most of the NT after the Gospels speaks of the establishment of the universal Church with assemblies in various places. Revelation concludes God's testimony showing how all things will fall into place as planned from the very beginning.
More on Bible Overview can be added later.
Since many papers posted here are from the site: www.biblecounsel.net readers are invited to visit there to seek further ministry and see some of what God intends for His testimony in the world, which this writer believes is sound. Welcome to the study and meditations here.!
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