Studying the Bible

All those who love truth will accept the Bible as the inspired Word of God,  they will take the Word of God as it says in simplicity accept and read it asking God to help them in discerning his truth. Turning away from every sinful practice, will enter the presence of God with a heart softened and subdued, ready to listen to what God says. 

We should not carry our doctrine to the Bible, or read the Scriptures in the light of that doctrine. If you find that your opinions are against the plain "Thus says the Lord, we should be honest to ourselves and give heed to the Word of God rather than to the sayings of men. Let every controversy or dispute be settled by "It is written."

 

The mistake made by many is that they read the Bible in the light of their pastors or leaders of their church.  It should not be about what the pastors or leaders say but what the Bible says. We are to read the Bible as the word of God to us; and the God of truth will enable us to distinguish between truth and errors.

Let the heart be submissive by the spirit as you pray before the Bible is read. Truth will triumph; ask the Lord to impress your minds with the truth. Your search of the Scriptures will then be profitable. Your greatest teacher who is God will not leave you to walk in darkness.

The Bible does not need anyone to interpret it for it is its own interpreter. As you put line upon line upon line; precept upon precept upon precept here a little and there a little; with beautiful simplicity, one portion connects itself with the truth of another portion, until the whole Bible is blended into one, as the truth of the word flashes forth from one text to clarify portions of scripture you never understood.

Those who with humility of heart search the Scriptures with a sincere desire to know and obey the truth will not be left to walk in darkness. Jesus says I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  

 We have to be very careful that when we study we stick to some very necessary principles: - the SUBJECT, the CONTEXT, and the “TIME FACTOR”. That way we cannot be accused of using the scripture wrongly to our own advantage.

Luke 21:7 “And they asked HIM, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? And what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass”? “They asked HIM”, let THE BIBLE interpret itself.

Matt 24:3 “And as HE sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto Him privately, saying; tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming and of the end of the world”? Here we are reading about the same event. We call this “CONTEXT”.

Can we find out from Scripture who were the disciples mentioned in Luke 21:7? Yes.

 In Mark 13:3-4 we see the answer. The “ Time” factor linking these two passages:- 

Mk13:3,4 “And as He sat upon the Mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked Him privately, tell us, When shall these things be? And what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled”? We’re at the same place, the Mount of Olives, because the same or similar questions are asked; only now we have the names of the disciples who constituted the vague, “they” of our first verse. It was Peter, James, John and Andrew. We haven’t made a guess, one writer in The Bible adds to what another one has written, clarifying the text and making it clearer hence painting a more accurate picture.

All who claim to believe the Word of God must bring that Word, which is spirit and life, into their daily, practical life. It is God’s love letter to us.