Some help is shown in a paper here on how to study and understand God's Word.
A Bible Overview
The Holy Bible is a name given to that holy collection of books recording the Word Of Truth. It is one continuous testimony, or unfolding of truth to man by God from the beginning to the end (with the divisions therein properly discerned). Let us pray for the leading by the Holy Spirit to teach us and keep us in the truth. - R. L. DeWitt, '05; rev. 12/07: from biblecounsel.homestead.com.
A. A Way To Study The Bible
In the first place, if we don't study we will likely end up following after many voices to our confusion. A good way to study the Bible is to have a system. For the non-Christian, one should begin by reading in the Gospels and John, chapters 1; 3; 14; and then pray for God’s leading and teaching.
1. Cultivate a desire to hear God speaking to you, and desire to know His message for your life. This comes from "all the counsel of God" (Acts 20:27), not just interpretations of one verse. There are no contradictions. One needs to see the harmony of scripture, and the Holy Spirit will apply the truth of it. Do you really want to know what God thinks? Begin by earnest prayer.
2. Set a time daily or weekly; otherwise study won't happen.
3. Decide on the method and course, and prepare. Without a sound method, one will wander and misapply scripture.
a) A study of the foundation truths for the Christian life---e.g. deity; the trinity; creation; the Person, birth, & work of Christ; redemption; church truth; spiritual life; the end times (prophecy); judgment; blessing; and eternal destiny. This is a good beginning as an overview.
b) A study of topics or subjects that are essential to the believer's pathway---e.g. holiness, worship, devotion, service, trials, marriage & practical choices, etc. Choose a subject of special interest and learn about it, rather than just reason over it. Good ministry is available from the sources below.
c) A study of each Book and chapter in a progressive way through the Bible. One can read a chapter, pray over it, and then read some sound ministry on it from a reliable source. Some suggest a chapter a day, but a chapter per week with outside reading may be better. One has said: We ought to do as a cow -- "eat, then pause and chew on it awhile". It is important to see that there are no contradictions in the Word of God, and verses ought to be understood first in their context.
4. Have a concordance available, and a good Bible dictionary. The CONCISE BIBLE DICTIONARY is an excellent aide; also, have paper to take notes for questions and further inquiry.
A good source of sound ministry is found at BTP: www.bibletruthpublishers.com; and one can contact sound Bible teachers through BTPmail@ca.com.
B. What Is Bible Truth?
Bible truth is more than just reading the Word of God and trying to follow it. I believe it is two things: "all the counsel of God" (Acts 20:27); and "rightly dividing the Word of truth" (II Tim.2:15). It is important to know who is speaking, to whom is he speaking, what is he speaking, where is he speaking, when is he speaking, why is he speaking (who, what, where, when, why). This will greatly help in understanding the truth of what we are reading.
There is essential truth (that which the church must not compromise), and there is non-essential truth, which is important for spiritual growth, understandings, and in faithfulness to God, but not binding on one; and there is conscience, which speaks of personal understandings not proven or disproved in the Word---which should not be pressed on others.
One should understand there are three major groups of people in the Bible: Israelites (called Jews today, since the tribes are scattered); Gentiles (non-Israelites--the gender of mankind); and the church of God (the redeemed bride of Christ). The ancient worthies of Adam, Noah, Abraham, etc., who pre-dated Israel, are Gentiles (in the strict sense, yet were a people of God). The O.T. saints and the nation of Israel had a different relationship with God than does the church (the bride of Christ) in the N.T.
There is instruction in the Bible for Israel, and instruction for the church today, and there is a difference. Christians don't take their instruction (essential truth) from the Old Testament, but can find much information about the ways and mind of God there, and principles for the Christian life today.
We should not expect to find a verse in the Bible for every question we have, but there are principles for our learning. One might make a spiritual application of what they read for their own life, but should know if that application is consistent with all of the Word.
A Bible study might be a progressive reading of each book of the Bible for factual knowledge of people, activities, and historical events; and it might be a subject study: e.g. worship, and all verses bearing on it; but these might well be supplemented by ministry of principles to apply all of the Word, to see the purposes of God and what is pleasing to Him by precepts. A principle is a collection of verses that displays truth, rather than one or two verses which might be misapplied. This is something of what we mean by a Bible truth study.
C. Bible Study Beginning
See the note at the top of this page about help to begin.
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A Bible Overview
UNDERSTANDING BIBLE TRUTH
["Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth" - II Tim.2:15 (KJV); "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My Words shall not pass away" - Matt.24:35 (KJV); "The Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" - Heb. 4:12 (KJV).]The Holy Bible is a name given to that holy collection of books recording the Word Of Truth. It is one continuous testimony, or unfolding of truth to man by God from the beginning to the end (with the divisions therein properly discerned). Let us pray for the leading by the Holy Spirit to teach us and keep us in the truth. - R. L. DeWitt, '05; rev. 12/07: from biblecounsel.homestead.com.
A. A Way To Study The Bible
In the first place, if we don't study we will likely end up following after many voices to our confusion. A good way to study the Bible is to have a system. For the non-Christian, one should begin by reading in the Gospels and John, chapters 1; 3; 14; and then pray for God’s leading and teaching.
1. Cultivate a desire to hear God speaking to you, and desire to know His message for your life. This comes from "all the counsel of God" (Acts 20:27), not just interpretations of one verse. There are no contradictions. One needs to see the harmony of scripture, and the Holy Spirit will apply the truth of it. Do you really want to know what God thinks? Begin by earnest prayer.
2. Set a time daily or weekly; otherwise study won't happen.
3. Decide on the method and course, and prepare. Without a sound method, one will wander and misapply scripture.
a) A study of the foundation truths for the Christian life---e.g. deity; the trinity; creation; the Person, birth, & work of Christ; redemption; church truth; spiritual life; the end times (prophecy); judgment; blessing; and eternal destiny. This is a good beginning as an overview.
b) A study of topics or subjects that are essential to the believer's pathway---e.g. holiness, worship, devotion, service, trials, marriage & practical choices, etc. Choose a subject of special interest and learn about it, rather than just reason over it. Good ministry is available from the sources below.
c) A study of each Book and chapter in a progressive way through the Bible. One can read a chapter, pray over it, and then read some sound ministry on it from a reliable source. Some suggest a chapter a day, but a chapter per week with outside reading may be better. One has said: We ought to do as a cow -- "eat, then pause and chew on it awhile". It is important to see that there are no contradictions in the Word of God, and verses ought to be understood first in their context.
4. Have a concordance available, and a good Bible dictionary. The CONCISE BIBLE DICTIONARY is an excellent aide; also, have paper to take notes for questions and further inquiry.
A good source of sound ministry is found at BTP: www.bibletruthpublishers.com; and one can contact sound Bible teachers through BTPmail@ca.com.
B. What Is Bible Truth?
Bible truth is more than just reading the Word of God and trying to follow it. I believe it is two things: "all the counsel of God" (Acts 20:27); and "rightly dividing the Word of truth" (II Tim.2:15). It is important to know who is speaking, to whom is he speaking, what is he speaking, where is he speaking, when is he speaking, why is he speaking (who, what, where, when, why). This will greatly help in understanding the truth of what we are reading.
There is essential truth (that which the church must not compromise), and there is non-essential truth, which is important for spiritual growth, understandings, and in faithfulness to God, but not binding on one; and there is conscience, which speaks of personal understandings not proven or disproved in the Word---which should not be pressed on others.
One should understand there are three major groups of people in the Bible: Israelites (called Jews today, since the tribes are scattered); Gentiles (non-Israelites--the gender of mankind); and the church of God (the redeemed bride of Christ). The ancient worthies of Adam, Noah, Abraham, etc., who pre-dated Israel, are Gentiles (in the strict sense, yet were a people of God). The O.T. saints and the nation of Israel had a different relationship with God than does the church (the bride of Christ) in the N.T.
There is instruction in the Bible for Israel, and instruction for the church today, and there is a difference. Christians don't take their instruction (essential truth) from the Old Testament, but can find much information about the ways and mind of God there, and principles for the Christian life today.
We should not expect to find a verse in the Bible for every question we have, but there are principles for our learning. One might make a spiritual application of what they read for their own life, but should know if that application is consistent with all of the Word.
A Bible study might be a progressive reading of each book of the Bible for factual knowledge of people, activities, and historical events; and it might be a subject study: e.g. worship, and all verses bearing on it; but these might well be supplemented by ministry of principles to apply all of the Word, to see the purposes of God and what is pleasing to Him by precepts. A principle is a collection of verses that displays truth, rather than one or two verses which might be misapplied. This is something of what we mean by a Bible truth study.
C. Bible Study Beginning
See the note at the top of this page about help to begin.
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