I.        INTRODUCTION

A.      The Bible is the greatest source of knowledge that man has ever known.

                                                             1.      Paul wrote to Timothy, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2Tim. 3:16-17).

                                                             2.      The greatness of the Bible is not in the volume of knowledge it contains, but in the nature of that knowledge.  It is the only source that man needs to prepare his mind for every good spiritual work.

B.      To acquire the Bible’s knowledge and use it correctly requires diligent study.

                                                             1.      The Bible assures us that if we read it, we may understand God’s will (Eph. 3:4; 5:17).  To grasp that understanding, it will require more than just a casual reading.

                                                             2.      Therefore, we must give diligent effort to understand the Scriptures and use them effectively – “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth” (2Tim. 2:15).

a.       The word of God is an effective tool that God has given to us, for it is God’s power for salvation (Rom. 1:16).  In the hands of one who is trained to use it, it can have wonderful results.

b.       However, if it is mishandled, the results can be devastating.  Those who are “untaught and unstable” may twist the Scriptures “to their own destruction” (2Pet. 3:16).

C.      Presently, let us consider how we may learn to accurately handle the word of truth that we may not be ashamed, but that we may present ourselves approved to God.

II.      HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE

A.      One key to understanding any passage of Scripture is to understand its context.

                                                             1.      Context is the part of a text or statement that surrounds a particular word or passage and determines its meaning.  It tells us what, where, when, who, why, and how.  Contextual understanding is essential to almost any communication.

                                                             2.      Probably the most common misapplication of Scripture is when passages are taken out of context.  To demonstrate how this can affect the apparent meaning of a passage, consider these verses out of their contexts:

a.       “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” (1Cor. 15:32; Isa. 32:13)

b.       “Take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” (Luke 12:19)

c.        “All things are lawful for me.” (1Cor. 6:12)

d.       Taken out of context, these verses appear to endorse a lifestyle of wanton pleasure, but in their proper contexts, they have much different meanings.  No one is advocating these extreme examples, but it is very common for men to teach false doctrines based upon passages similarly taken out of context.

B.      Another key to understanding the Bible is the principle of the harmony of the Scriptures.

                                                             1.      All Scriptures are in perfect harmony with one another, for they have all come from the mind of God.  Therefore, any interpretation that puts two passages in conflict with one another must be a false interpretation.

                                                             2.      Consider one common example of violating the harmony of the Scriptures.  It is the doctrine of salvation by faith only (by which is meant belief in Christ only).

a.       Those who teach this doctrine point to Galatians 3:6-9 and Ephesians 2:8-9 as justification.  However, to interpret these passages as teaching salvation by faith only without works is to put them in plain contradiction to James 2:14-26.

b.       The harmonious interpretation of these passages is that we are saved by grace through faith, and faith is belief in Christ that leads us to perform works of faith (Heb. 11).  Our faith cannot save us without works, and our works cannot save us without faith.

C.      To properly understand any Bible topic, one should study all that is written in the Bible about that topic.

                                                             1.      Forming an opinion of a topic based on one passage is not wise if there are other passages that also address the topic.  Sometimes a certain point is emphasized about a topic in a given context, but that one point may not be all there is to know about the topic.

                                                             2.      For example, consider all the individual statements made about salvation in the Scriptures.  If we base our understanding on just one of them, then we do not truly understand salvation.

a.       “…for ‘WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED.’” (Rom. 10:13)

b.       “By grace you have been saved.” (Eph. 2:5)

c.        “For by grace you have been saved through faith.” (Eph. 2:8)

d.       “…with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” (Rom. 10:10)

e.        “…baptism now saves you.” (1Pet. 3:21)

D.      To get a full understanding of the Bible, one should study it “up close” and “from a distance.”

                                                             1.      By “up close,” it is meant that we should study the Bible verse by verse and word by word.

a.       Individual word studies and verses should be considered at times in the original language.

b.       Intense studies of passages such as 2Peter 1:5-7 (“Christian graces”) and Matthew 5:1-12 (“beatitudes”) are very useful to build our understanding.

                                                             2.      By “from a distance,” it is meant that we should step back and read the Bible in sections, chapters, and whole books in single sittings.

a.       While it is good to study single words and verses, we must be careful that we do not miss the big picture or “the forest for the trees.”

b.       Remember that many of the New Testament books are letters.  Read them like any other letter to get the full sense of their meaning.

E.       The only way to properly understand the Bible in our own language is to have a good translation.

                                                             1.      Be sure to use a true translation and not a paraphrased version of the Bible.  Some versions of the Bible are more like commentaries by men than translations of the original words.

                                                             2.      Use multiple translations to make comparisons and get the true meaning of a passage.  For example, consider two significantly different translations of Romans 13:14:

a.       But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. (NASV)

b.       Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (NIV)

F.       One should always be careful when interpreting any passage that contains figurative language.

                                                             1.      Figurative language is a message given in figures or signs that represent something else.  The words of figurative language are not to be interpreted literally.

                                                             2.      Any interpretation of a figurative passage that conflicts with a plain, literal passage is a false interpretation.  For example, when Premillennialists interpret Revelation 20:1-10 literally, they conflict with the plain teaching of 1Thessalonians 4:13-18.  Therefore, their interpretation must be rejected.

G.      As with figurative language, any interpretation of prophecy must also be considered carefully.

                                                             1.      Prophecy is sometimes written in figures or in words foretelling future events.  Prophecies must always be interpreted according to principles that we have stated above (context, harmony, etc.).

                                                             2.      In many cases, the Scripture will interpret its own prophecies.  Consider these examples:

a.       Joel 2:28-32 is explained in Acts 2:14-21.

b.       Psalm 16:8-11 is explained in Acts 2:24-32.  There is no need to speculate about the meaning.

H.      One trait a person always needs when studying the Bible is objectivity.

                                                             1.      Study the Bible without preconceived, external ideas of what the truth is.  Allow the Bible to speak to you without bias.

                                                             2.      Do not enter a Bible study with the intention of seeking justification for a belief or practice.  This will only lead to twisting the Scripture to fit your own agenda.

                                                             3.      Do not allow others’ false teachings color your understanding of the Scriptures.  Sometimes in seeking to disprove error, you can miss the truth yourself.

I.        Finally, one of the best ways to gain knowledge from the Scriptures is to study with others.

                                                             1.      In this way, if you encounter something you do not know or understand, you may ask someone else.  Take advantage of others’ knowledge and experience.

                                                             2.      Remember that no one has all of the answers (except for the Lord).  Your brother may know something you do not know, and you may know something he does not know.  Share your understanding together, and be edified in the word of truth.