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REMEMBER: studying the Bible
this way is a learning process that DOES NOT happen over night.
It DOES NOT just happen as you get older either. It happens ONLY
by doing- doing over and over and over again, until the doing becomes
almost habit, and a wonderful one at that.
“Why study the Bible?” “This is boring
stuff.” “I don’t get it.” “This is
to much like English Class.” These are common quotes from
people on studying the Bible. I believe that is a bunch of crap!
Studying the Bible is one of the most exciting things that a person
can do. Why? Because this is the only way I know of that can really
put a person into a place to be able to really know what God is
saying. Is there anything more exciting than to be able to spend
time with the Creator of the Universe and the Savior of the World?
The following is an easy guide to follow in simple
steps what was taught in class. However, DO NOT confuse the easy
guide and simple steps with no work and no thought.
1. PRAY- always pray. Apart from the work of the
Holy Spirit, this method is just another way to read another book.
The Bible is not just a book. It is the Word of God, and it will
change your life.
2. IDENTIFY THE CONTEXT- context always rules interpretation.
For example: if I were to talk to you about a trunk, you would need
to know the context, or the big picture. It could be an elephant
trunk, a swimming trunk, a car trunk, the trunk of your body, a
storage trunk. If you don’t know the whole story, which kind
of trunk I am talking about, than you are lost in the conversation.
The same is true when reading the Bible. If you are not sure of
the whole story, then you will take it out of context. If you take
it out of context, you will not make a correct application of the
verse you are reading.
3. OBSERVE THE OBVIOUS- Don’t make it more
confusing that it already is. Begin by looking for things that are
easy to see. Facts about people, places, and events. Look for repeated
words and ideas. They will show you the context (big picture) of
the book, chapter, passage, or verse you are studying.
4. DEAL WITH THE BIBLE OBJECTIVELY- This means
that when you figure out the truth God is telling you, adjust your
life and beliefs accordingly. Don’t just be looking for some
“magical blessing” where you open the Bible up and hope
that you blindly find a passage that speaks to you. The Bible is
not a magic 8 ball.
5. READ WITH A PURPOSE- ask a lot
of questions. Ask the five W’s and an H. (Who, what, where,
when, why, and how) You will not always find the 5 W’s and
an H every time you question a passage. Just find all the ones you
can.
A key to reading with a purpose is marking key words. Why mark up
your Bible? Why find key words? KEY WORDS are vital to your understanding
of the Bible. KEY WORDS are words the author uses repeatedly from
the text without leaving it devoid of meaning. A key word might
be a noun, a descriptive word, or an action word that plays a vital
part in conveying the message.
~ EVERY KEY WORD IS A WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY OR HOW WORD
~ ALL REFERENCES TO GOD THE FATHER, THE SON, OR THE HOLY SPIRIT
ARE KEY WORDS
The value of marking and evaluating the references to God, Jesus,
and the Holy Spirit is that you begin to build a firm foundation
in your understanding of the Trinity.
6. LIST WHAT YOU LEARNED ABOUT EACH WORD- make
a list of every fact given about a particular word, subject, person,
place, or event in a single chapter. These facts are the answers
to the 5 W’s and an H.
7. LET SCRIPTURE INTERPRET SCRIPTURE- a cross reference
is a connection to another Scripture that supports the one you are
actually studying. In other words, you are comparing Scripture with
Scripture.
Questions
on Bible Study
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