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Lesson 1 - How to Understand the BibleIntroduction: Some people think that the Bible is so difficult to understand that they are afraid even to try. Others wonder why, if the Bible really can be understood, there are so many different churches, all claiming to believe the Bible and yet teaching different things. The reason for so many different beliefs is that, although many people claim to believe the Bible, they have not studied it the way God has told them to. God has told us how to understand the Bible. If we will just follow the method He has outlined, we can know exactly what it means. We can know truth! We can have eternal life! In this lesson we will learn how God tells us to study the Bible. 1. What claim does the Bible make about itself? 2 Tim. 3:16 (2 Timothy 3:16 NKJV) "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness," [Note: Faith in the Bible as the inspired Word of God is developed by studying it. In these lessons we will witness how the Bible accurately reveals future events, and we will experience how it meets the needs of every human being. The Further-study verse is 2 Peter 1:20, 21] 2. Why were God's people in ancient times destroyed? Hosea 4:6 [Isa. 5:13] (Hosea 4:6 NKJV) "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children." 3. What portion of God's Word is needed for real spiritual life? Matt. 4:4 [Deut. 8:3] (Matthew 4:4 NKJV) "But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'"" 4. What did Jesus say was the basic theme of the Scriptures? John 5:39 (John 5:39 NKJV) ""You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me." [Note: The only part of the Bible written at this time was the Old Testament. Luke 24:44] 5. What did Jesus call those who do not believe all that the Bible says? Luke 24:25 [Matt. 22:29] (Luke 24:25 NKJV) "Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!" 6. Why did Paul commend the Bereans? Acts 17:10, 11 [2 Tim. 2:15; 2 Chron. 20:20] (Acts 17:10-11 NKJV) "Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. {11} These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." Thus, as we have just seen, if we are going to understand the Bible we must recognize that all of it is important and none of it is to be neglected. If we will study the whole Bible exactly as God tells us to, we will find the truth. Even children and those who are poorly educated can understand it. God gives us six rules for studying the Bible correctly. Let us look at these six principles. 7. What is one condition that God sets forth for understanding the Bible? Matt. 11:25 (Matthew 11:25 NKJV) "At that time Jesus answered and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes." [Ans: We must be humble and teachable. 1 Cor. 1:21, 26-31] 8. What is a second condition that God gives for understanding the Bible? Isa. 28:9, 10 (Isaiah 28:9-10 NKJV) ""Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts? {10} For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little."" [Ans: We must let the Bible interpret itself by comparing Scripture with Scripture. We should study everything the Bible says on a subject to make sure we are not misinterpreting a given passage. 1 Cor. 2:13; Luke 24:27, 44] 9. What is a third condition for understanding the Bible? 1 Cor. 2:7, 10-14 (1 Corinthians 2:7 NKJV) "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory," (1 Corinthians 2:10-14 NKJV) "But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. {11} For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. {12} Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. {13} These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. {14} But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." [Ans: We must ask that the Holy Spirit guide us. John 16:13] 10. What is a fourth condition God sets forth for understanding the Bible? 2 Thess. 2:9-12 (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 NKJV) "The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, {10} and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. {11} And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, {12} that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness." [Ans: We must really want to know truth. Some people are looking for excuses not to believe the truth. If they look hard enough, God will let them be deceived, but they will still be lost! Heb. 4:12; Rom. 1:28] 11. What is a fifth condition God gives for understanding the Bible? Jer. 29:13 (Jeremiah 29:13 NKJV) "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." [Ans: We must really search for truth. Even if we have all the true principles for studying the Bible, if we do not spend sufficient time studying, we still will not find God's truth for today. Matt. 13:45, 46; Isa. 44:3; Matt. 5:6] 12. What is a sixth condition for understanding the Bible? John 8:31, 32 (John 8:31-32 NKJV) "Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. {32} "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."" [Ans: We must follow what we already know to be truth. Why should God reveal more truth to us if we are not following what He has already revealed to us? John 7:17; Matt. 13:12; 7:24-27] Commitment: Is it your desire to let Jesus teach you truth through His Word? Will you endeavor to study His Word every day in the way God has told us to study it?
Further Study VersesQuestion 1 - Further Study (2 Peter 1:20-21 NKJV) "knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, {21} for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." -->Back to Study Question 2 - Further Study (Isaiah 5:13 NKJV) "Therefore my people have gone into captivity, Because they have no knowledge; Their honorable men are famished, And their multitude dried up with thirst." -->Back to Study Question 3 - Further Study (Deuteronomy 8:3 NKJV) ""So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD." -->Back to Study Question 4 - Further Study (Luke 24:44 NKJV) "Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me."" -->Back to Study Question 5 - Further Study (Matthew 22:29 NKJV) "Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God." -->Back to Study Question 6 - Further Study (2 Timothy 2:15 NKJV) "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Chronicles 20:20 NKJV) "So they rose early in the morning and went out into the Wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper."" -->Back to Study Question 7 - Further Study (1 Corinthians 1:21 NKJV) "For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe." (1 Corinthians 1:26-31 NKJV) "For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. {27} But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; {28} and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, {29} that no flesh should glory in His presence. {30} But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God; and righteousness and sanctification and redemption; {31} that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD."" -->Back to Study Question 8 - Further Study (1 Corinthians 2:13 NKJV) "These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual." (Luke 24:27 NKJV) "And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself." (Luke 24:44 NKJV) "Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me."" -->Back to Study Question 9 - Further Study (John 16:13 NKJV) ""However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come." -->Back to Study Question 10 - Further Study (Hebrews 4:12 NKJV) "For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Romans 1:28 NKJV) "And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting;" -->Back to Study Question 11 - Further Study (Matthew 13:45-46 NKJV) ""Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, {46} "who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it." (Isaiah 44:3 NKJV) "For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring;" (Matthew 5:6 NKJV) "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled." -->Back to Study Question 12 - Further Study (John 7:17 NKJV) ""If anyone wants to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority." (Matthew 13:12 NKJV) ""For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him." (Matthew 7:24-27 NKJV) ""Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: {25} "and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. {26} "But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: {27} "and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."" -->Back to Study
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