Well friends here we are to wrap up our series on how to study the bible if you missed any of them be sure to check the blog site that is linked below.
Drawing Conclusions
Well now that we are rounding out our how to study the bible session the rest should be pretty easy. When drawing our conclusions like we did back in 1 John we saw that the Word of Life was there at creation and then in the Gospel of John we saw that indeed it was the key factor in creation and then we see there in John that indeed this Word of Life is Jesus. These were the conclusion we could draw from the first 2 verses of chapter 1. We concluded that the basic principle John was referring to was to establish a relationship with the Word which develops into fellowship with like minded believers as well as with the Father through Jesus Christ.
Not very hard huh? Remember you want to be looking for what you do understand and draw out from what you know the conclusions to what you do not know. Get down the specifics and follow it up with a good comb over of what can be found within the text, the book, the author's writings, and finally the entire bible. If you are stuck and having trouble try doing a word study with a program such as E-Sword. Type in the word or phrase and see how it is used and if it relates at all to what you are studying.
Confirm your Conclusions
Do your conclusions make biblical sense? A fine example is the often abused Romans 14:5 here it is talking about days and esteeming them in your own mind one above another. The greatest folly here is to ASSUME this is referring to Holy Days or Days of worship when the greater context of the chapter is about food and eating (as in when to and not to). The greater error does not fully understand the Author and the context historically of his background. Paul was a Pharisee, Pharisees fasted primarily on Tuesdays and Thursdays, he is discussing people eating or not eating to the Lord and both contextually are glorifying him (the Lord). Could it be that instead of this text being your proof text on why or why not you should worship on a certain day of the week does it make biblical sense that he is discussing fasting? Indeed it does go reread it you'll see it for sure. A NOTE OF CAUTION: you should always bounce new ideas or new found light/truth off your study partners or small group. Not because you are right or wrong but because a wise man seeketh wise counsel!
Apply
Assuming you prayed and asked for divine guidance throughout your study your application to your observation and interpretation should be easy and sound. How does the study apply to you, your church, prophetically, etc? The first and best thing to do is give an honest look at yourself and ask God how does this affect me. Perhaps there is a key verse that you should memorize or have specifically marked out in your bible as your call to attention text. Pray again for God to help you apply the conclusion you have come to in your own life before bombing it on others!
Final Recap on How to study the Bible
We learned over time that we needed to harness the Observe, Interpret, and Apply line of study which is often referred to as Inductive Bible Study. You can use bible highlighters or bible marking tools to help you in your study. It always helps to have a great study bible as you study I recommend the Remnant Study Bible. Again you want to always be looking for repeating words or phrases, lists and progression.
Here is a really good example from the book of Jude. Read the first 8 verse of this book and use the methods we have been talking about. What you should begin to notice is things like, who is he writing to (The called, Sanctified and kept) for what purpose is he writing, (for us to contend for the faith) what is he warning us against, (ungodly people spreading false doctrine about the gospel (grace of God) which is lawlessness and denies Jesus.
Let us stop there for a second because I want to point some things out that have REALLY hit home in this bible study. Turning the grace of God into lewdness/lasciviousness/lawlessness this is something that we need absolutely NEED to understand because it's the entire reason he is about to go off on his description of "these" people. What does this mean? Look up those words (Again you can even use an online bible program like Biblegateway), see how they are used and what they describe. I am sure you found its sin and we know that sin is the breaking of God's law 1 John 3:4 tells us that much hence the turning the grace of God into Lawlessness. So that means these people are telling you that because of the gospel/grace of God you can sin. Yes people believe this today this is not just a first century issue Jude was dealing with. People actually say that God's law was nailed to the cross and you do not have to follow it! They use Colossians 2:12-16 as a "proof text" or use Ephesians 2:8-10 and say that to keep the law of God is works and thus you deny Jesus that way!
THIS IS UTTER NON-SENSE, Jude is marking these people out so you know how to contend for the faith. OK so they take the gospel and make it a reason for you to break God's law or justify your sinning, but what does this have to do with denying Jesus? GOOD QUESTION! 1 John 1:7 tells us exactly what denying Jesus is all about and says it is the spirit of the Anti-Christ. He says denying Jesus came in the flesh, but what flesh? Romans 8:3 hold the answer (again this is just simple word study within the text of Jude in order to find the answers the bible gives you not my or your interpretation but a "what says the scripture!") In Romans we see that Jesus came in sinful flesh, but if this is true then you "could have" sinned MANY people freak out about this for a number of reasons but let us focus on one reason. If Jesus could have sinned and was as this text puts it Hebrews 2:18 for because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. And Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Do you see the big picture here? Because Jesus came in sinful flesh (like me and you), he suffered temptation like me and you which makes him an extremely effective high priest because he can sympathize with our weaknesses and in EVERY situation he was tempted as we are. Hence why we can draw near. Are you getting this stuff I know it might be new to you. Here is the bottom-line; Jesus did not sin even though he could have sinned which means texts like Galatians 2:20 are real, because if he can live his life in you then you can have victory over sin or as Romans 8:37 become more than a conqueror! But if he didn't come in sinful flesh (like those in Jude 4 are suggesting by preaching the grace of God as lawlessness), then he was different from you, perhaps wasn't tempted like you, and those accusations of you being able to continue in sin instead of overcoming sin would be warranted. You see the issue.
That's only on the first four verses! You see the beauty of the bible is it interprets itself. I am not giving you my ideas or convictions I am simply contextually showing you what the Word of God says. I hope this was beneficial next time we will embark on a Word Study God Bless.
This article hasn't been commented yet.
Plants are shaped by cultivation and men by education. .. We are born weak, we need strength; we are born totally unprovided, we need aid; we are born stupid, we need judgment. Everything we do not have at our birth and which we need when we are grown is given us by education.
(Jean Jacques Rousseau, Emile, On Philosophy of Education)
Write a comment
* = required field