HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE
A subject of much controversy and confusion in the Church.
Why do so many believers blindly follow any teaching thrust upon
them or so many leaders lack a clear understanding of spiritual
truths? Questions that need real, clear answers in the Church.
The idea that we can study the Bible as we please is wrong.
Unless we observe certain (unwritten) rules we shall end in error
and confusion. The first to point out such rules was Origen, a
prolific Christian writer of 2nd/3rd century A.D.
Some of these rules are:
The Rule of Spiritual Rebirth.
If you want to know the Bible you must first of all get to know the Author. This means  that you must be Born from Above-John 3:1-12.
If you are not saved by Faith in Christ and have not been spiritually awakened, Bible study is not for you. You first need to receive Christ as your Saviour and God for the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to spiritual truth, to which you are totally blind. The person who is not spiritually awakened cannot receive truth from the Word of God-1 Cor.2:14. He may admire the teaching of the Bible and the life of Christ but he cannot understand spiritual things until the Holy Spirit opens
his understanding-1 Cor.1:18,25.
Literal Interpretation.
Read your Bible literally, in the same way that you would read any other book. Believe what God says. The Church means the Church, a star means a star, a stone means a stone.... unless the 
content clearly shows that it is a symbol or a figure and is not to be taken literally.
Common sense will tell us whether it is to be taken literally or symbolically.
(to be continued)