PG4Him
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Post by PG4Him on Jul 9, 2018 9:57:42 GMT -5
Here are some guidelines I would humbly offer to new believers on how to study Scripture...
1) The Bible is not a toy to be used for advancing our own opinions. It isn't there to validate our personal experiences. When we study the Bible just to find a way to prove ourselves right, the technical term for this is eisegesis. Heed the numerous warnings about deception. Those who manipulate God are rewarded with delusion (Romans 1:21-25).
2) The Bible is true and accurate. This may seem like common sense, and Christians claim to believe it, but I've witnessed many people hedge in how much they really believe. If you don't believe the Bible is true, there's no point in trying to study it. Make a decision that you will trust (in faith) the parts you don't understand. When you sincerely ask Him to make His word come alive, He will (1 Corinthians 2:13-14).
3) God's word is objective, practical truth not dependent on any human philosophy or experience (2 Peter 1:20). His word does not "become true" through the actuation of human life -- such is new age garbage theology. Scripture repeatedly tells us that God needs no validation from us, our world, or even our universe (Mark 13:31, Romans 3:4). If you don't believe the Bible's claims about its objective truth, please return to #2.
4) We study the Bible to find the person of God; to know Him and be known by Him. Jesus and Him crucified are the basis of reality. Healings, miracles, prophecies, all of these things exist to manifest the glory of Jesus. If anyone ever tells you to "move on" from Jesus because there is "so much more" to know, this is -- wait for it! -- new age garbage theology. John 1 tells us that Jesus is the architect of every real thing in this universe. Jesus and Him crucified are a deep, vast well of every mystery for us to discover. If you don't believe this, please return to #2.
5) The Bible contains its own answer key. It explains itself to teach us all things (Isaiah 28, 2 Timothy 3:16-17). Sermons and textbooks can help us make connections, but ultimately all good teaching will defer to proof in Scripture.
6) Wise counsel from Spirit-filled teachers can be a good thing to protect us from wacky theology. They don't replace Bible truth, but they can hold us accountable (please refer to #1). When we stubbornly hold to an irrational opinion after several wise Christians have shown us otherwise, we're on the path to delusion.
7) Greek and Hebrew dictionaries can definitely help God's word be more alive. It isn't a sin to be interested in Hebrew. But, please rest assured that many great saints before us have labored to put the Bible in English with all diligence (see #2). Greek and Hebrew may provide a more exquisite understanding of a verse, but they aren't going to change what it says in English.
8) Don't chase after more exquisite knowledge of a verse you barely understand in English. God's word comes alive through rigorous application in our behavior (James 1, Matthew 7), and those who make use of a little will be given more (Luke 16:10). If you aren't practicing basic moral decency in your daily life, don't waste your time on a Greek study of Revelation.
9) Pray before you study. Ask the Holy Spirit to read the Bible with you. Bring every thought captive unto Christ -- how much moreseo in Bible study! The Holy Spirit yearns to teach you the truth, but He can't do that if you don't invite Him to participate.
10) Don't study the Bible to find an exciting clue no one else noticed, or to make yourself special with proprietary knowledge, or to prove that you're just as spiritual as those preachers on TV. Study the Bible to actually learn it on a simple, basic level, no pretense, no competition, nothing to prove to others, and let the truth reveal itself in due time. People who study to prove their own cleverness are an example of #1.
11) It's okay to bring hard questions. God is not allergic to questioning. He doesn't appreciate being argued with, but He enjoys an honest pursuit.
12) Don't skim over a passage and try to settle for getting the gist of it. People who study that way are doomed to rely on teachers to do the thinking for them. Every word is there for a reason. Take your time, notice every word, chew on the statements, and dissect what they mean. The most common reason people don't benefit from study is because they're skimming, not studying.
13) Put your own opinions aside and objectively ask what the statement says. Think about the words -- not the alleged historical context you picked up from some dimestore curriculum, not the philosophical paradigm you think makes most sense -- but the actual, black-and-white words on the page. Read the words!! Receive what they say! Yes there is history in the Bible, but it was written for all generations!! The technical term for this practice is exegesis; letting the writers speak to you in their own words, and actually believing that they meant what they said.
14) Yes, there are patterns and connections in the Bible. Yes, it explains itself by bouncing around a bit. But, if you don't understand the words in a passage, you won't know how to go about connecting it elsewhere. Suppose you read a verse about strawberry pie. It reminds you of your grandmother's recipe. Then you try to connect it with other chapters about grandmothers. You've gone off track. The chapter was just about strawberry pie. Don't go building up a logical house of cards on statements you don't understand.
15) There is no such thing as a methodology to reveal spiritual mysteries. If you're looking for a quick formula to crack open God's hidden knowledge, you'll be deceived. Here's the only formula we have: read the Bible plainly, accept what it says, practice what it tells you, ask the Holy Spirit to make it real for you, stay humble, stay teachable, respect what other people know, and dare to pursue greater knowledge only after you've shown reverence for the little knowledge you were given first.
That's all I can think of for now. My fellow members are welcome to add their own thoughts.
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Post by John on Jul 9, 2018 12:41:37 GMT -5
I would advise reading the Bible through before getting into deep studies.
Beware of people who use your number #6 to say you are wrong because a handful of people in a clique at a message board claims they showed you that your interpretation is wrong, so you are not teachable. Those people can be wrong. I have experienced that at WCF.
Don't assume because someone has a web-site, or are on radio or tv, they know what they are talking about. Often times, they have an agenda. They aren't experts, and aren't about truth.
While I believe in divine revelations, they won't contradict the written Word. For example, if you feel God showed you Jesus didn't physically rise from the tomb, that is false. If you believe that God showed you cross-dressing, transgender and the gay lifestyle has God's blessings, and all seeming objections are cultural, that is not from God. It contradicts scripture.
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Post by tlsitd on Jul 9, 2018 12:47:43 GMT -5
Here are some guidelines I would humbly offer to new believers on how to study Scripture... 1) The Bible is not a toy to be used for advancing our own opinions. It isn't there to validate our personal experiences. When we study the Bible just to find a way to prove ourselves right, the technical term for this is eisegesis. Heed the numerous warnings about deception. Those who manipulate God are rewarded with delusion (Romans 1:21-25). 2) The Bible is true and accurate. This may seem like common sense, and Christians claim to believe it, but I've witnessed many people hedge in how much they really believe. If you don't believe the Bible is true, there's no point in trying to study it. Make a decision that you will trust (in faith) the parts you don't understand. When you sincerely ask Him to make His word come alive, He will (1 Corinthians 2:13-14). 3) God's word is objective, practical truth not dependent on any human philosophy or experience (2 Peter 1:20). His word does not "become true" through the actuation of human life -- such is new age garbage theology. Scripture repeatedly tells us that God needs no validation from us, our world, or even our universe (Mark 13:31, Romans 3:4). If you don't believe the Bible's claims about its objective truth, please return to #2. 4) We study the Bible to find the person of God; to know Him and be known by Him. Jesus and Him crucified are the basis of reality. Healings, miracles, prophecies, all of these things exist to manifest the glory of Jesus. If anyone ever tells you to "move on" from Jesus because there is "so much more" to know, this is -- wait for it! -- new age garbage theology. John 1 tells us that Jesus is the architect of every real thing in this universe. Jesus and Him crucified are a deep, vast well of every mystery for us to discover. If you don't believe this, please return to #2. 5) The Bible contains its own answer key. It explains itself to teach us all things (Isaiah 28, 2 Timothy 3:16-17). Sermons and textbooks can help us make connections, but ultimately all good teaching will defer to proof in Scripture. 6) Wise counsel from Spirit-filled teachers can be a good thing to protect us from wacky theology. They don't replace Bible truth, but they can hold us accountable (please refer to #1). When we stubbornly hold to an irrational opinion after several wise Christians have shown us otherwise, we're on the path to delusion. 7) Greek and Hebrew dictionaries can definitely help God's word be more alive. It isn't a sin to be interested in Hebrew. But, please rest assured that many great saints before us have labored to put the Bible in English with all diligence (see #2). Greek and Hebrew may provide a more exquisite understanding of a verse, but they aren't going to change what it says in English. 8) Don't chase after more exquisite knowledge of a verse you barely understand in English. God's word comes alive through rigorous application in our behavior (James 1, Matthew 7), and those who make use of a little will be given more (Luke 16:10). If you aren't practicing basic moral decency in your daily life, don't waste your time on a Greek study of Revelation. 9) Pray before you study. Ask the Holy Spirit to read the Bible with you. Bring every thought captive unto Christ -- how much moreseo in Bible study! The Holy Spirit yearns to teach you the truth, but He can't do that if you don't invite Him to participate. 10) Don't study the Bible to find an exciting clue no one else noticed, or to make yourself special with proprietary knowledge, or to prove that you're just as spiritual as those preachers on TV. Study the Bible to actually learn it on a simple, basic level, no pretense, no competition, nothing to prove to others, and let the truth reveal itself in due time. People who study to prove their own cleverness are an example of #1. 11) It's okay to bring hard questions. God is not allergic to questioning. He doesn't appreciate being argued with, but He enjoys an honest pursuit. 12) Don't skim over a passage and try to settle for getting the gist of it. People who study that way are doomed to rely on teachers to do the thinking for them. Every word is there for a reason. Take your time, notice every word, chew on the statements, and dissect what they mean. The most common reason people don't benefit from study is because they're skimming, not studying. 13) Put your own opinions aside and objectively ask what the statement says. Think about the words -- not the alleged historical context you picked up from some dimestore curriculum, not the philosophical paradigm you think makes most sense -- but the actual, black-and-white words on the page. Read the words!! Receive what they say! Yes there is history in the Bible, but it was written for all generations!! The technical term for this practice is exegesis; letting the writers speak to you in their own words, and actually believing that they meant what they said. 14) Yes, there are patterns and connections in the Bible. Yes, it explains itself by bouncing around a bit. But, if you don't understand the words in a passage, you won't know how to go about connecting it elsewhere. Suppose you read a verse about strawberry pie. It reminds you of your grandmother's recipe. Then you try to connect it with other chapters about grandmothers. You've gone off track. The chapter was just about strawberry pie. Don't go building up a logical house of cards on statements you don't understand. 15) There is no such thing as a methodology to reveal spiritual mysteries. If you're looking for a quick formula to crack open God's hidden knowledge, you'll be deceived. Here's the only formula we have: read the Bible plainly, accept what it says, practice what it tells you, ask the Holy Spirit to make it real for you, stay humble, stay teachable, respect what other people know, and dare to pursue greater knowledge only after you've shown reverence for the little knowledge you were given first. That's all I can think of for now. My fellow members are welcome to add their own thoughts. AMEN.
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PG4Him
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Post by PG4Him on Jul 9, 2018 12:59:50 GMT -5
Beware of people who use your number #6 to say you are wrong because a handful of people in a clique at a message board claims they showed you that your interpretation is wrong, so you are not teachable. Those people can be wrong. I have experienced that at WCF.
Wise counselors demonstrate wisdom. When people use petty little tactics — bullying, condescension, popularity contests, etc — to sell you on their teaching, they’re manipulating you. God’s truth doesn’t rely on hurtful bullying to change your mind.
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Post by frienduff on Jul 9, 2018 13:25:11 GMT -5
And here is the wisdom that just keeps on giving . NO matter what you read in the new testament . IF you understand something that one of the apostels said, YET the WAY you understand it , CONTRADICTS what JESUS SAID . YOU HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD . they do this with remarriage , they do this with money things . THEY take things paul said AND TWIST IT , to make remarriage JUSTIFIABLE . NOW YOU See someone doing that , YOU REBUKE them and you do it fast . THIS goes with anything we think we see in the bible . THEY will use old testament as well to justify things . Say defending or going to war . THEY Will say BUT OLD test people did eye for eye , tooth for tooth . YEAH , BUT WHAT DID JESUS SAY . THEY try and use things in GENSIS to justify REMARRIAGE TOO, I have seen them DO THIS . THEY did it to me . THEY said HEY GUY , JESUS GIVES GRACE GOD EVEN SAID ITS NOT GOOD for the man to be alone . YEAH , AND I SAY , BU JESUS SAID if one puts away his wife and marries another HE COMMITS Adultery save for the cause of fornication or death. WHEN satan came at me , and used those men to try and say HEY FRIENDUFF , it is written that it is not good for you to be alone . And that GODS understands and GOD GIVES grace . BY REAL GRACE I knew the answer . And the answer was GET THEE BEHIND ME , JESUS SAID he who puts away his wife and marries another COMMITS adultery and she who was put away IF she marries commits adulerty . AND GOD does GIVE GRACE ONLY HIS GRACE don't teach us TO DISOBEY JESUS . IT TEACHES US JESUS SAYINGS , IT TEACHES US to DENY ungodliness. SEE, satan is going to tempt us all, OUR FLESH will always be their to tempt us . SO the KEY TO KNOWING THE BIBLE THE KEY TO KNOWING GOD . WELL their is ONLY ONE WAY , IN THE SON . AND THE SON HAD MANY SAYINGS TOO >
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Post by 2fw8212a on Jul 9, 2018 13:44:59 GMT -5
God’s truth doesn’t rely on hurtful bullying to change your mind. False teaching and prophets."You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?" - Matthew 7:16
"...God is light and in Him is no darkness at all." - 1 John 1:5If you believe that God showed you cross-dressing, transgender and the gay lifestyle has God's blessings, and all seeming objections are cultural, that is not from God.
These kind of things require wisdom and discernment...
While new Christians are more susceptible to being deceived, they will never have a conclusion on God approving such things.
As a new Christian, ask immediately for wisdom and truth... Daily!
"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." - James 1:5
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." - Proverbs 9:10
God bless you in Jesus' name!
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PG4Him
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Post by PG4Him on Jul 9, 2018 13:45:31 GMT -5
And here is the wisdom that just keeps on giving . NO matter what you read in the new testament . IF you understand something that one of the apostels said, YET the WAY you understand it , CONTRADICTS what JESUS SAID . YOU HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD . Even Satan quoted Scripture (out of context) to try to confuse Jesus. People don’t know what they’re talking about just because they toss around a few random sentences.
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Post by John on Jul 9, 2018 13:47:02 GMT -5
Sister Candance addressed not misusing scripture to agree with you, and certainly not to justify your sins. I believe that was her first point. We need tp seek the correct meaning, not the expedient one.
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Post by tlsitd on Jul 9, 2018 13:48:24 GMT -5
The Bible is a practical book with a purpose: To instruct those who have the Spirit of God in them in how to live and be, and to help them to know God better, in order to do His will and choose the things that please Him and avoid what is not from Him or pleasing to Him, and to be conformed by God, by the faithful application of His word to our lives, to the image of His Son in our behavior and attitudes (Christ increasing, us decreasing).
It is also a tool for ministering to others to bring them to the knowledge of God to be saved, and after their conversion, to teach them to do the aforementioned things, and for exhorting, comforting, correcting and admonishing believers for their spiritual strengthening and improvement, consolation, guidance with wise counsel, and protection from spiritual snares and adversaries.
It is also a weapon for defending the faith from spiritual attacks on its doctrine (Ephesians 6:17), both for our own protection and the protection and benefit of others.
God also interprets Scriptural prophecy for us to makes us aware of and help us to prepare for what He is going to do. (2 Peter 1:19-21, 3:1,2)
(All of these things are PRACTICAL.)
As a bonus, what we learn from the Scriptures also helps us to appreciate the majesty and holiness of God, so that we may regard Him with the reverence and awe that is His due.
2 Timothy 3:14-17 gives a good explanation of the practical purpose of the study of the Scriptures:
But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
The Bible is not a toy to play with for our own vain intellectual amusement. It is also not a tool to be used to accomplish our own ends but God's. God obviously knows who is using His word for what, and He will thwart the discernment of those who use it for unrighteous purposes and with unrighteous motives. Anybody who thinks they can get around knowing and obeying the Author and Interpreter of the Bible by thinking and studying harder, or by consulting more translations, more concordances, more extra-Biblical sources, to understand the word of God, will be frustrated by Him. That is an invitation to deception and confusion.
The written word of God cannot be separated from the God who interprets His word: If you want to understand the Scriptures, you have to have God in you and be doing what pleases Him. (It's pride to believe otherwise; you're basically saying that you can do without God, or take His place as the Teacher and Interpreter of His word, and gain understanding from it with your own mind independent of Him. God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.)
But as His anointing teaches you about everything---and is true and is no lie, just as it has taught you---abide in Him. (1 John 2:27)
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PG4Him
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Post by PG4Him on Jul 9, 2018 13:51:37 GMT -5
Let me also say on the topic of wise counselors. It’s a good idea to sort of test or audition a so-called teacher before you trust him. See how he teaches on the simple things. See how passionate he is about Jesus. See if he is always keen to pivot away from the cross. Ask him a question you know how to answer, and see how he handles it.
If you start to get the feeling that he makes it up as he goes along, or he isn’t logically consistent, or he snaps when you ask a hard question, don’t put much trust in his teaching.
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Post by tlsitd on Jul 9, 2018 13:54:44 GMT -5
And here is the wisdom that just keeps on giving . NO matter what you read in the new testament . IF you understand something that one of the apostels said, YET the WAY you understand it , CONTRADICTS what JESUS SAID . YOU HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD . Even Satan quoted Scripture (out of context) to try to confuse Jesus. People don’t know what they’re talking about just because they toss around a few random sentences. Sadly, even the Bible can be a tool in the hand of the enemy if God is not the one working through the person using it.
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PG4Him
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Post by PG4Him on Jul 9, 2018 13:58:09 GMT -5
Just to pick up on Sister Light’s excellent post, we must remember that the word of God is living and active. That word means a lot to God. It is intimately tied to His character and His promises. When we abuse His word through deception or intellectual sloppiness, we are offending God. This is not to be taken lightly.
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Post by 2fw8212a on Jul 9, 2018 13:59:33 GMT -5
Sadly, even the Bible can be a tool in the hand of the enemy if God is not the one working through the person using it. "And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light." - 2 Corinthians 11:14
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." - 1 Peter 5:7-8
"Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for
“God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”" - 1 Peter 5:5
"And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!" - Mark 13:37
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Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2018 17:40:19 GMT -5
Just pasting this here from another thread, since it is in line with this topic. I changed the beginning a little bit for the sake of context here, hope it makes sense (keeping in mind it was written for another context). Just mentioning some of the different ways we look at scripture.
The Lord can use different things to help the penny drop in a person's understanding....if it is the Lord using something by His Spirit then it is profitable at that moment. But I don't believe we should try to bottle what He does and make a formula or method out of something He chooses to use occasionally in our life...if we do that we have stepped out of the realm of simplicity and made an idol that we are relying on instead of the Lord. There are biblical tools such as parables...similitudes/metaphors that helps us understand a biblical concept, just as Jesus did. Another thing is context...some verses can stand alone, but a lot of the time we do need to look at the whole context of the passage to ascertain what the Lord is wanting to get across to us with that verse. Another thing that is useful is comparing scripture with scripture. As well as looking at the whole counsel of God on a matter. And also checking definitions of words, as well as where that same word is used elsewhere in the bible, to try and catch the sense of the word, what God intended...I have sometimes found that to be useful as well. Meditating on the word is for sure another tool...when we have a lot of scripture tucked away in our mind and heart, the Lord can bring it to mind so that we can ponder it and make connections with other scripture and He opens our understanding to something that way.
So our reliance is on the Holy Spirit to open His word to our understanding....without Him we can't understand....but with Him, He can give wings to what we are looking at, the tools that we are employing or that He sovereignly uses, as we seek the understanding from Him. I consider that we do have a part to play in asking, seeking and knocking on the door, we are not entirely passive in the learning and growing process...I think mostly it's in the act of seeking itself that we open ourselves to the Lord, more than how we are seeking. Anyway, I hope that better clarifies what I was trying to say.
Above all we need to take up our cross and follow/obey Jesus....the source of everything we need is right there, through that cross, from Him. We learn as we grow and we grow as we learn.
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PG4Him
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Post by PG4Him on Jul 9, 2018 18:35:05 GMT -5
The Lord can use different things to help the penny drop in a person's understanding....if it is the Lord using something by His Spirit then it is profitable at that moment. I've seen God use some very unorthodox lessons to get His point across. He made a plant grow in the desert and then killed it with a worm to teach Jonah about compassion. We believe these things when we read them in Scripture, but we criticize people who say they had a similar strange experience now. We should never put God in a box by claiming He can only teach us in a certain way. I think we should all position ourselves to the best possible advantage. Read the Bible front to back, know what it says, meditate on it, and be prepared for God to move. He tends to move in ways we don't expect. If we miss the lesson because we weren't paying attention, it's another trip around the mulberry bush.
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