truth on Bible study
The truth on Bible study doesn't have to be hard to discover. Yet, many believe it's too difficult. Unfortunately, their apprehension is spurred on by a litany of other books and a chorus of false teachers. Church leaders boast about their extensive libraries and their theological degrees. The implication is that Bible study is only for the "professionals".
featured scripture-block
A great Psalm (119) dedicated to the merit and beauty of God’s word.
the bible truth on Bible study
Understanding the Bible requires nothing more than the Bible itself1,3,6,9 and a diligent, open, seeking heart2,6,8,10. With our prayer to God for understanding4,7, He has promised that we will find (or, know) Him8,9,10. It is, in fact, the only way we can know His will for us.1,7,9
Of course, the word may travel by way of a teacher/preacher6. There are some portions or topics that are difficult5, but Scripture’s promise3,10 is that we can grow in the truth9 with careful, diligent study2,6.
The Bible is the complete revelation of God1,2,6,7,9,10,11,12,13. While there was a time God spoke to man through prophets5,8, that time was replaced by the gospel revelation through His son, Jesus Christ and His time on earth5,9,10 and His appointed apostles9,10,11,13.
As of the first century, God’s word had been proclaimed throughout the whole world4,6,8. If the word was sufficiently complete in the first century to save individuals1,3,4,6,8,9,10,11,12, how is it any less complete now and why would it be necessary for God to reveal more? The foundation9,12 would not still be being laid some 2,000 years later.
We should have full confidence in Scripture interpreting Scripture since all Scripture is divine and perfect (from God)1,6. Its entirety forms a complete picture2,8,9,10,12,13. The very idea that God is the sole author1,6 forces the conclusion that Scripture cannot contradict itself5 and must also interpret itself since God cannot lie. Of course, we still must draw conclusions and/or teach/explain as needed7,9,14. Jesus required the lawyer to form a conclusion after reading it10 (and only it). Scripture is the sole source for morality and obedience…it was this way for those under the Law3,4,7,8,10 (“Scripture” for that time) as well as for those (like Timothy1 and us) under the Gospel9,11,13,14.
We can only interpret prophecy to the extent that God, through another inspired writer2,4,6, has revealed what it means1. For example, we have cases where we would never even think to make application on our own, and yet the inspired writer does5. In fact, interpreting Bible prophecy and how we handle it in general is the ultimate example of how Scripture interprets Scripture, or literally, God interprets God1.
There is no precedent in Scripture for “Scripture Weighting.” Quite the contrary. All Scripture is divine and perfect1,7; they are His words5. God is the sole author1,5. Further, it is only when taken in its entirety that we get a complete picture2,7. It is consistently put forward as equal weight since “all” is always the standard for understanding — Old4,6 and New1,3. Never has God said, “Read it all, but you really only need to focus here.”
May we never scripture weight – whether by authorship, testament, or presupposition. Instead, seek to gather all that Scripture has to say on the matter and only then make careful conclusions.
The effect of God’s word is to sanctify believers5, bringing them into a peace with God17 and ulimately saving them4,10,11,14. It is never failing3,4. However, the effect of God’s word can also be destructive2,9, causing division7,8,11, animosity12,13,16, physical death for those that speak it14,15, and ultimately spiritual death6,8,9,11 to those that refuse it.
getting to the truth on Bible study is pretty important
don’t you agree?
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Did Jude quote from the book of Enoch?
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Is the Bible the complete revelation of God?
Whether or not the Bible is the complete revelation of God has profound implications on Christianity today. If the Bible isn't the complete revelation of God, then the door remains open to "other" revelation. "Other" could be other scriptural authority such as the Quran or the Book of Mormon. [more]
What is Scripture weighting?
Scripture weighting is not a term you will find in Scripture. However, it's a practice you may recognize when coming to conclusions about Scripture. Fundamentally, it's the practice of ignoring Scripture. That might sound egregious -- but it's fairly rampant in the world of Bible study and theology. A [more]
Does it matter where we worship God?
Where we worship God has often been debated through the years. Some hold to the idea that worship must occur in a cathedral -- an often ornate structure dedicated to the worship of God. Others don't take much stock in the structure at all, whether an official worship building [more]
How were false prophets identified?
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Is the Bible the word of God?
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Should ‘Scripture interprets Scripture’ be our standard?
Scripture interprets Scripture is built on the belief that all Scripture is from God. Essentially, if all of the Bible is from an unchanging God then it must also be inerrant and without contradiction. It's from one, divine author. Therefore, the goal should be to let Scripture interpret Scripture. We [more]
Should you follow your heart?
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Does God’s character change?
Has the God of the universe changed over time? Is God's character subject to "evolving" the same way that you and I would develop over time? God's character not changing is sometimes described as the immutability of God (defined by Dictionary.com as "not mutable; unchangeable; changeless"). However, some struggle [more]
Are Jesus’ words (Red Letter Bible) more important than other Scripture?
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