HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE (continued)
Repetition. The Holy Spirit is the Author of the Scriptures, which are divinely inspired. Therefore, there can be no non-essentials in the Word of God, no needless use of Words. To the uninitiated it appears that the Bible is full of unnecessary repetitions and superfluous writings.
When the Holy Spirit repeats anything it is for the purpose of emphasis and to remind us that this truth is of such unusual importance that it needs to be repeated.
Whole Revelation. The full truth of God's Word on any subject must not be gathered from an isolated passage but the collected revelation of all the Scriptures which bear on this one truth.
The Bible is a whole and we must not base our conclusions on one single passage until we have inquired and investigated what the rest of the Bible has to say in regard to the entire matter.
Organization. Before you can understand the Bible you must read it first to get the general idea of the content and then organize your knowledge on the basis of the full revelation of the entire Bible:
Read it through from beginning to end.
Learn to distinguish the various books of the Bible and their teaching.
Gather together the various Scriptures bearing on any one point or doctrine.
Read through from Genesis to Revelation systematically in the order the books appear. Read a few chapters a day and when you are through read it again from beginning to end. You will never know your Bible until you have read it well.
It may not mean much to you at the beginning; but you are at least getting acquainted with the Bible-'The entrance of God's Word gives Light'.
When you are fairly familiar with the whole Bible you can organize your knowledge by a study of the general content of each book. You will get out of it what you put into it and then having done this you are ready for the next step. You can then trace the various subjects throughout the Bible.
Practical Appropriation. Every truth of God revealed to us must be practiced, obeyed and put into operation or our knowledge will leave us with a theology as clear as ice but frozen.
To really know your Bible you must practice it. Every bit of added truth or light is an added responsibility and God will hold us accountable for it. It is better not have known the will of God than to have known it and not followed it-Hebrews 10:26. (to be continued)
Repetition. The Holy Spirit is the Author of the Scriptures, which are divinely inspired. Therefore, there can be no non-essentials in the Word of God, no needless use of Words. To the uninitiated it appears that the Bible is full of unnecessary repetitions and superfluous writings.
When the Holy Spirit repeats anything it is for the purpose of emphasis and to remind us that this truth is of such unusual importance that it needs to be repeated.
Whole Revelation. The full truth of God's Word on any subject must not be gathered from an isolated passage but the collected revelation of all the Scriptures which bear on this one truth.
The Bible is a whole and we must not base our conclusions on one single passage until we have inquired and investigated what the rest of the Bible has to say in regard to the entire matter.
Organization. Before you can understand the Bible you must read it first to get the general idea of the content and then organize your knowledge on the basis of the full revelation of the entire Bible:
Read it through from beginning to end.
Learn to distinguish the various books of the Bible and their teaching.
Gather together the various Scriptures bearing on any one point or doctrine.
Read through from Genesis to Revelation systematically in the order the books appear. Read a few chapters a day and when you are through read it again from beginning to end. You will never know your Bible until you have read it well.
It may not mean much to you at the beginning; but you are at least getting acquainted with the Bible-'The entrance of God's Word gives Light'.
When you are fairly familiar with the whole Bible you can organize your knowledge by a study of the general content of each book. You will get out of it what you put into it and then having done this you are ready for the next step. You can then trace the various subjects throughout the Bible.
Practical Appropriation. Every truth of God revealed to us must be practiced, obeyed and put into operation or our knowledge will leave us with a theology as clear as ice but frozen.
To really know your Bible you must practice it. Every bit of added truth or light is an added responsibility and God will hold us accountable for it. It is better not have known the will of God than to have known it and not followed it-Hebrews 10:26. (to be continued)
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