how helpful is bible study really?

[TheyCallMeDavid]

wasn't talking about personal bible study

No problem.

 

[exitstageright]

To me, bible study is about exploring God's word together with other believers in hopes that growth in our understanding and knowledge in God's word occurs.

What I find troubling recently, is some people's view of how the scripture is to be interpreted can be questionable. Whether that be on TV or in church, on the internet, or in bible study, it can make it hard to understand and much harder than it needs to be IMO.

Whether we are going thru how the language translates, and/or how some previously interpreted it there really is no concrete way of "knowing" your interpretation is always correct.

I, personally, believe that prayer is a big part of understanding and wisdom regarding the bible. I love getting together to study with other believers except the last study I was in. What I found was that the leader was of the opinion that he was the only one that had the correct interpretation and didn't really like it when the women in the group spoke up unless it was his wife or his close friend.

When I hear someone say something about the bible that I disagree with, I usually go to the scriptures and re-read the passages and pray that God would give me His wisdom to understand His word.
But I do think it's beneficial to study with others because everyone has a different perspective and that can be helpful. It can also be a hindrance.

What do YOU think?

What I found helpful is understanding the Greek language, since the New testament was wriiten in Greek. Yes, bible study is essential. Some people think that the saying ,"God helps those who help themselves. ";is in the bible. That is not scripture. There was a survey taken one day. Many Christians thought that the Sermon on the Mount was given by Billy Graham.

 

[redblue22]

When I tried to read Purpose Driven Life and tried to verify the scriptures he was using to make his points and when I read the scripture references in my bible they did not say anything close to what he said in his book that they said.



I agree somewhat. I think the book is OK. I don't think it's evil. I think it has some good ideas but why would an author need to use so many translations? And I do think our life has purpose but it's not tangible and it changes so it's not like something we can study for and pass the test.
Thanks for the link, I have not seen this one. I have listened to him speak and maybe he is not intentionally trying to mislead anyone, but something stirs in my spirit and I just can't shake it.
BTW side note...my uncle goes to his church

I'm not disagreeing, but sometimes authors pick different versions because it can be clearer. And sometimes people jump around to avoid copyright laws. You can't just write a book and cite NIV all the time without running into some trouble. But I doubt the second was his purpose.

 

[iambren]

Sounds like you do not have a true small group;rather one that is controlled by one person. Not healthy.

Just like in college I study better alone rather in a group. However,a small group of believers has the Holy Spirit in the room that can spiritually apply truth to me in the shared warmth of community.

 

[dayhiker]

I often check out the Greek when I study a scripture and comment on the Greek quite often when I preach. There are 5,624 different Greek words in the NT but in English the estimate was that there are a millions words in 2012. This means that we have many more words and so we have nuances with the meaning of words that the Greeks didn't have. This also allows the Bible translators to pick many different English words to translate the same single Greek word. Thus we have so many translations.

 

[blackribbon]

Many Christians are under the impression that the Bible is ambiguous and that there are many ways to interpret a given passage ; this is an error to believe so. Precious few passages are ambiguous .

I agree with this statement and it is why I get so frustrated when your interpretation of so many verses is often "common sense says" (whose common sense?). This also is why "popular belief" is not an answer. And you can't stop at the English language definition of every word.

However, the meat of a verse can be so much deeper than what it appears on a milk level.

I mean something as John 11:35 Jesus wept. can just be brushed off as a statement that Jesus felt all the emotions that were human including sadness....or you search for meaning on the "why" he wept....was it sadness that Lazarus died...or could it have been sadness that He knew he was about to pull Lazarus from Paradise to only dump him back on earth with all its tribulations.

If you want to test the later theory...go to Don Pipers book "90 Minutes in Heaven" and take note how long Piper (a Godly man) was mad at God for making him come back here...even though he loved his wife and daughters.

It is dangerous to assume that you have ever figured out any verse in the Bible completely because it says that you have figured out God and can think like God. There is always room to grow in every single verse and story in the Bible.

I like Bible studies because they present the stories in ways I never have thought about them before because I am limited to my very singular view point.

 

[blackribbon]

I'm not disagreeing, but sometimes authors pick different versions because it can be clearer. And sometimes people jump around to avoid copyright laws. You can't just write a book and cite NIV all the time without running into some trouble. But I doubt the second was his purpose.

Are you sure about this? Using a copywrited version can be used
"within a reasonable limit". So as long as an author isn't quoting the whole thing or going through verse by verse doing his own personal commentary, I would think it would be fine to quote away as long as you are documenting the original source.

 

[memoriesbymichelle]

Sounds like you do not have a true small group;rather one that is controlled by one person. Not healthy.

Just like in college I study better alone rather in a group. However,a small group of believers has the Holy Spirit in the room that can spiritually apply truth to me in the shared warmth of community.

it was my old small group. I am no longer in that group because of that very reason and a number of other situations that showed me how judgemental the people that were leading it were even though they tried to act like they weren't.

 

[memoriesbymichelle]

I agree with this statement and it is why I get so frustrated when your interpretation of so many verses is often "common sense says" (whose common sense?). This also is why "popular belief" is not an answer. And you can't stop at the English language definition of every word.

However, the meat of a verse can be so much deeper than what it appears on a milk level.

I mean something as John 11:35 Jesus wept. can just be brushed off as a statement that Jesus felt all the emotions that were human including sadness....or you search for meaning on the "why" he wept....was it sadness that Lazarus died...or could it have been sadness that He knew he was about to pull Lazarus from Paradise to only dump him back on earth with all its tribulations.

If you want to test the later theory...go to Don Pipers book "90 Minutes in Heaven" and take note how long Piper (a Godly man) was mad at God for making him come back here...even though he loved his wife and daughters.

It is dangerous to assume that you have ever figured out any verse in the Bible completely because it says that you have figured out God and can think like God. There is always room to grow in every single verse and story in the Bible.

I like Bible studies because they present the stories in ways I never have thought about them before because I am limited to my very singular view point.

I agree with you blackribbon. That's why it's called the living Word. You can read a verse one way one day, and the next day it could have a whole different meaning to you.
I also agree that I like studying with other people (and yes David I still study alone too ) because they can give a different perspective and it can be enlightening. The Holy Spirit can guide us to the truth that God wants for us specifically in a group.
When we lived in Moreno Valley CA we attended Morningstar Christian church. We eventually had a bible study at our house. Our Pastor frequently attended our bible study because he said he could feel the Holy Spirit and he wanted more! He did not believe in speaking in tongues or actually praying and believing God would answer your prayers. IOW praying in faith. Once we prayed for a gal, at the women's bible study, that desparately wanted to have a child. She would cry every month when she got her menstrual cycle because she wanted to be pregnant. The Pastor's wife attended the women's group. She told us "be careful what you pray for, it might not be God's will". A couple of us ladies were pretty upset about that and that night the Pastor came to my house to kind of scold us a little and "explain" what his wife "really" meant. I almost left that church over it. BUT he could sense that at our bible study the Holy Spirit was present and he wanted to experience that with us.

 

[Doctor Strangelove]

There is enough unclear in the Bible so there are many denominations. For example, is baptism a symbolic act or a sacrament? Is the exact method of baptism important? Is the Lord's Supper just a memorial observance? Does Christ atone for everyone, at least potentially, or just the elect? What is the role in free will in this? Is the creation story an accurate historical/scientific account or does it have another meaning? How much of prophecy (the meaning of 666, the Beast, etc.) has to do with the Roman Empire at the time of the apostles and how much describes future events? There are some interpretations I disagree with that I almost groan when I hear people say them because I think they are on the wrong track, yet I might see how they got to that conclusion. On the other hand, I have been told I must not be saved because I don't agree with someone's reading of Genesis. I am not an authority or a freelance Christian - just a student. I have had to change denominations because I changed my mind over some things. Some questions are not that simple even after you have wrestled with them.

 

[memoriesbymichelle]

I totally agree with you Dr. I guess that's why I prefer Non-denominational churches but any human can get the bible wrong. I just think the religions add in extra rules and that's what sets them apart from each other. It will be interesting to get to eternity and spend the rest of it learning still and finding out what was right and what was not.

Interesting too is the fact that with the Bible, people, especially christians always want to disect each word and "unpack" it as alot of preachers describe it and yet we don't do that with any other book.
Think of a book club. You read the book and discuss, but do you pick out each word and disect why the author used that particular word and what does it all mean?

 

[dayhiker]

Good post Doc. When someone says there is only one interpretation they usually mean there is one application. I'd agree there is only one thought that the author had when the Bible was written. But there are many applications and that's what I find people confuse over and over again.

 

[Sophrosyne]

I think the Bible is dynamic in that it can mean many things to many people and God allows for it that is why it is sometimes confusing. We have scriptures that are interconnected into many aspects of Christianity within them like a scripture can equate something actually happening, it can tie into a prophecy given in the past, it can be part of a ceremony that is ongoing at the time (the cross) and it can be connected into the future (eternal life) If one is focusing on any one of these and not all at once they can miss the other aspects. I think also some things are more important than others in the Bible and at times some things are more important for one person than the other. A person having issues with sins of the flesh would read a scripture equating such from that position while one who is having problems with sins in the spirit (mind) would read it differently. As we change in life and our situation changes we view the Bible from our perspective (who and where we are in life) and see it differently from youth to old age from joy to sorrow.
I think it is important to know enough about the Bible so you are not ignorant of the main doctrine that groups use to persuade you either into joining their group or doing what they say is right to do.
You find some people saying you must do this and that or you are forfeiting your salvation and knowledge of the Bible will have you saying.... no to these people instead of completely changing your lifestyle and following in step with them even joining a cult perhaps.

 

[memoriesbymichelle]

I think the Bible is dynamic in that it can mean many things to many people and God allows for it that is why it is sometimes confusing. We have scriptures that are interconnected into many aspects of Christianity within them like a scripture can equate something actually happening, it can tie into a prophecy given in the past, it can be part of a ceremony that is ongoing at the time (the cross) and it can be connected into the future (eternal life) If one is focusing on any one of these and not all at once they can miss the other aspects. I think also some things are more important than others in the Bible and at times some things are more important for one person than the other. A person having issues with sins of the flesh would read a scripture equating such from that position while one who is having problems with sins in the spirit (mind) would read it differently. As we change in life and our situation changes we view the Bible from our perspective (who and where we are in life) and see it differently from youth to old age from joy to sorrow.
I think it is important to know enough about the Bible so you are not ignorant of the main doctrine that groups use to persuade you either into joining their group or doing what they say is right to do.
You find some people saying you must do this and that or you are forfeiting your salvation and knowledge of the Bible will have you saying.... no to these people instead of completely changing your lifestyle and following in step with them even joining a cult perhaps.

Well put!

 

[memoriesbymichelle]

I think it's helpful for people that don't read or understand the bible as well to be in a group study because we can get things wrong sometimes (hence religious cults) so having different perspectives can be important to keeping us on the narrow path IMO.

But IMO, I still think, if we are to consider a different view of something in the bible than what we have believed previously we should be in prayer about it because the Holy Spirit will never lead us astray but people will, whether intentionally or not.

 

[dayhiker]

I just read this on a congregations board. Thought it was pretty good.

Intimacy with God does not come through bible study, either, else the Pharisees would have been the FIRST to recognize Who He was. If bible studies and sermons gave us what He wanted us to have, then He'd have chosen Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes as his disciples, right? But even though there were literally THOUSANDS of those people walking around Palestine in His day, he didn't choose even ONE of them!

 

[memoriesbymichelle]

dayhiker I like your verbage "applications" because that is the truth

 

[dcalling]

I think Bible study is very important. Likely because I come from atheist background, and atheists don't pray and have little knowledge of the bible (and like to bring up how stupid/primitive the Christians are).

All the bible studies I went to when I was an atheist are young people, who don't know the Bible well either, and have different perspectives too, the best part of it are the discussions, because most persons are logical, and when we talk about some issue, the discussions tend to excite our brain cells (or maybe the holy spirit starts working) and create great results.

The same feeling is still here today, on Sunday church if the pastor is good, he gets you thinking and get closer to God, but in Bible study, the discussions are so lively that it really get you thinking. I have been a worldly Christian for some time, and only come to follow Christ closely after a decibel group training, the training material itself was forgotten soon, but one of the discussions went through and hit my soul.

Bible study should not be too big, it needs to be a good size so everyone can talk, and if people talk about something that you don't agree or you think is against the scripture, don't shut him/her down, instead, make it an open discussion, and the spirit of God will lead the way.

 

[dcalling]

Crap, didn't notice it is singles only, sorry I am out.

 

[blackribbon]

dcalling....you are always welcome...we just like to talk here and will probably talk to most anyone...you are clearly identified as married...