HOW TO STUDY THE BIBLE
The Bible is the best selling book in the world. The most translated book into different languages. It is the most read, as well as the possibly the most controversial...however one thing remains certain... It is the most life changing book in History
To start with...
Get a Bible!
Get one, if possible, that is in your common language. No matter where you live in the world, nowadays you can be almost sure that you can get hold of a Bible some where!
There are various different translations in many languages. In English for example, there are many that I know of personally.
Here is a list that is most popular:
King James Version
New King James
American Standard Bible
New American Standard Bible
New International Version
The Living Bible
Revised Standard Version
The Message
The Amplified Bible
Etc Etc...
Thank God, there are many good translations in English and I am sure that the same is true with other languages.
P.S: A Bible I do not recommend is the New World Translation. This has been changed and altered in ways that changes main stream Christian Orthodox doctrines. This is what the Jehovah’s Witnesses normally use,...only after they have gotten you far enough involved in their sect or system of beliefs.
Protestant and Catholic Bibles are generally good and reliable. Normally, however not always, in some Bibles you will find included the seven (7) books of the apocrypha. By serious Catholic and Protestant and all other Christian denominations`students these books are regarded as good historic books and a good source of information but not equally important as the canonized Inspired Books of the Bible. All together there are 68 compiled books. 40 in the Old Testament and 28 in the New Testament.
I was brought up in a culture with strong traditions where I was made to believe that if I read the Bible I get confused and it will make me crazy!
Well, I later discovered it was true!..
First, I discovered how crazy I was not to have ever read it and that I believed such a foolish and subtle lie of satan that kept me ignorant from the love of my God.
God said in the Scripture, “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge..."NIVHos 4:6
Second, I became crazy just as my religious leaders of my youth used to tell me! The only difference is that I became crazy for Jesus and grew such a hunger in my heart that till this day I cannot have enough of Him as I daily meet Him in the Word of God and He speaks to me by the Holy Spirit through the Holy Scriptures! Praise the Lord!
NB: *A.” All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work". NIV 2 Tim 3:16-17
*B."Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:20-21 NIV
*I want you to note something here very important.
The Bible is not understood by the mind or especially the wisdom of men! Even though I am not against going to Bible Schools or Seminaries yet I would encourage you to take note that in the world today there are many so called seminaries which are nothing better than cemeteries filled with men’s pride and many that have come out of them have proved to become nothing more than a bunch of fools.
Watch out!!! To avoid from falling into a false doctrinal-pit of some kind make sure you follow these few simple and very basic steps.
1. Avoid reading the Bible with already pre-concieved ideas! Avoid reading the Bible with already a set of mixed ideas or already formed beliefs.
2. Avoid reading the Bible from your cultural background understanding! Avoid reading the Bible as Maltese, English, American, Italian, Spanish, Mexican, Chinese, African etc etc...Though it is somewhat ok, however when you start reading certain things in the word of God they may not make sense to you unless you try to conciously put your self in the same mind set of the people that God used to write the Bible! Those people that God inspired to record the story of God and His dealings with mankind are of Jewish back ground.
3. Avoid trying to read the Bible with a Baptist, Lutheran, Orthodox, Catholic mind set! The Bible is neither one of the above! The most you can do is read the Bible as a Christian but better yet, try to read it with a Jewish mindset or understanding! Christianity is not a Roman Catholic faith, or an American faith. Christianity is a purely Jewish faith and it`s founder is a Jew! A Jew who fulfilled all the Messianic propeshies that were fortold about Jesus hundreds and thousands years before His first coming!
4. Avoid (really hard) reading or trying to read into the Bible things which are not there, and instead without realizing, you may end up creating a false understanding or teaching! ( 1 Timothy 4:1-4)
Eg: Many have been wrongy taught about Purgatory without realizing that it is never mentioned or even insinuated in the Bible! It is a tradition that was taught many centuries after the Bible and the Church were established! It is also a big slap in the face of Jesus. It portrays that what Jesus did on Calvary on the Cross, His shed blood and His suffering, death and victorious resurrection over sin, satan and the grave...is not enough to save a soul! (Ephesians 2:8-9, Colossians 1:21-22, Hebrews 9-10)
7. Just read it for what it is while asking the Spirit of Truth, The Holy Spirit to open your eyes to things of the Spirit. (1 John:20-27) After all the Bible is a Spiritual book. Studying is good and encouraged however try not to be biast in your readings! (2Timothy 2:15)
8. Avoid adding or taking away from what the Bible teaches since it is God`s Word and it never becomes out dated!(Revelations 22:18-19)
9. Avoid lifting up the opinion of man than The Eternal Word of God! What do I mean by this? Many 'so-called' - 'learned men', insisit that we need to take heed to the teachings of the "Church-Fathers". I understand that it is important to learn from Christians that have gone on to be with the Lord and have served Jesus before us!!! We can surely learn greatly from them and gain great insight, BUT let us be careful that we never lift their ideals before God`s Word still! I don`t mind to learn from the "church-fathers" but the Father that I must be most concearned pleasing is The Heavenly Father!(Luke 11:27-28)
“Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools…” ASV Rom 1:22
“Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men”. 1 Corinthians 1:25 ASV
“Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become foolish that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, "He is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness"; 20 and again, "The Lord knows the reasoning of the wise, that they are useless.” 1 Corinthians 3:18-20 NAS
However there are now a days all over the world Bible Collages that are training a mighty army of God going to pierce darkness with the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit!
Listen to the Word of the Lord for your self!
“Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.” Mark 16:20 NIV
“I have won them by my message and by the good way I have lived before them and by the miracles done through me as signs from God-all by the Holy Spirit's power. In this way I have preached the full Gospel of Christ all the way from Jerusalem clear over into Illyricum.” TLB Romans 15:19
“My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power”. 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 NIV
God did not send Jesus in this world so that we can have nice theories to teach the world.
God did not send Jesus Christ to shed His blood on the cross so that I can deliver sermons!
However God did send Jesus so that in His matchless name I can deliver people...from the power of the enemy the devil!
I have met so many of these well meaning religious people! I have met them almost in any Christian denomination you can come up with or mention!
I will be bold enough to say that this is a major reason why many have lost interest in Christianity, because all that people are getting when they go to a 'church' building or sanctuary is a bunch of secularism mixed with humanism and tradition with a good mixture of paganism!
Unfortunately my own home country of Malta is filled with such religious leaders that all they know what to do is make you go to sleep with their heaped up sermonettes filled with a lot of knowledge based upon on a lot of NOTHING!
Let those who have ears to hear, hear what the Lord is saying at this hour by the Holy Spirit to the world!
*So my beloved friend, I want to encourage you to read the Bible however you cannot leave The Holy Spirit out of the equation! The Holy Spirit is the one who will turn your information into revelation and it will become to your heart IMPARTATION and will transform your heart!
Take these Simple steps as you read the Bible and you will be able to understand what the Holy Bible is talking about more quickly and accurately!
No.1 Find out who is talking? I.e.: Is it Jesus, Moses, Elijah, Saint Peter, Saint Paul etc...
1a.Check also as an important notification if it is in the Old or New Testament!
1b. Is it addressed under the law of Moses or the Law of Christ and Love? Ref: (Read Galatians and Romans especially) (Romans 13:8-10 and Romans 8:2)
No.2 Find out to whom is it addressed?
2a. Is it addressed to the Jewish people(Jews), to the World known also as the heathens or Greeks in the Bible or is it addressed to the Church of God-all those who have put their faith in the Messiah and Savior Jesus,Son of God!
“Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God…”NAS 1Corinthians 10:31-33
This scripture shows clearly that in the Bible there are three distinct people groups addressed. Some times they are addressed two at a time,eg: Jews and Christians or Jews and the World(Greeks) etc..
NB. If either a Jew or a gentile (Greek or heathen) receives Jesus Christ no longer is he or she in the original category. For example after I gave my life to Jesus I became a part of the Church of God which is composed of all those who have put their trust in the Lord Jesus!
No.3 Find out what is the subject!
Ex: When Jesus says "I am the gate" in John 10, the subject is not the gate, it is Jesus Himself!
When Jesus asked 'who did people say that He was' in Matthew 16, the answer that came through Peter by revelation of The Father had nothing to do with Peter. The subject was still about, who was Jesus!?
Now my beloved friend let no one stop you now that you have the chance to be taught the wonderful treasures that are ready to be discovered by all those that diligently seek the wisdom in God’s Word!
Let the Living Word speak to you directly!
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. John 1:1-2 NIV
But He answered and said, "It is written, "MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'" NASU Matt 4:4
"I rejoice at Your word, As one who finds great spoil". NASU Psalm 119:162
"O how I love Your law!
It is my meditation all the day.
Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies,
For they are ever mine.
I have more insight than all my teachers,
For Your testimonies are my meditation.
I understand more than the aged,
Because I have observed Your precepts".
NASU Ps 119:97-100
Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.
NASU Psalm 19:105
"The unfolding of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple".NASU Ps 119:130
"I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death." NIV John 8:51
"Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful". Josh 1:8 NIV
"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers".
NIV Ps 1:1-3
"For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel". NIV Ezra 7:10
"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth". 2 Tim 2:15 KJV
To start with...
Get a Bible!
Get one, if possible, that is in your common language. No matter where you live in the world, nowadays you can be almost sure that you can get hold of a Bible some where!
There are various different translations in many languages. In English for example, there are many that I know of personally.
Here is a list that is most popular:
King James Version
New King James
American Standard Bible
New American Standard Bible
New International Version
The Living Bible
Revised Standard Version
The Message
The Amplified Bible
Etc Etc...
Thank God, there are many good translations in English and I am sure that the same is true with other languages.
P.S: A Bible I do not recommend is the New World Translation. This has been changed and altered in ways that changes main stream Christian Orthodox doctrines. This is what the Jehovah’s Witnesses normally use,...only after they have gotten you far enough involved in their sect or system of beliefs.
Protestant and Catholic Bibles are generally good and reliable. Normally, however not always, in some Bibles you will find included the seven (7) books of the apocrypha. By serious Catholic and Protestant and all other Christian denominations`students these books are regarded as good historic books and a good source of information but not equally important as the canonized Inspired Books of the Bible. All together there are 68 compiled books. 40 in the Old Testament and 28 in the New Testament.
I was brought up in a culture with strong traditions where I was made to believe that if I read the Bible I get confused and it will make me crazy!
Well, I later discovered it was true!..
First, I discovered how crazy I was not to have ever read it and that I believed such a foolish and subtle lie of satan that kept me ignorant from the love of my God.
God said in the Scripture, “My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge..."NIVHos 4:6
Second, I became crazy just as my religious leaders of my youth used to tell me! The only difference is that I became crazy for Jesus and grew such a hunger in my heart that till this day I cannot have enough of Him as I daily meet Him in the Word of God and He speaks to me by the Holy Spirit through the Holy Scriptures! Praise the Lord!
NB: *A.” All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work". NIV 2 Tim 3:16-17
*B."Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:20-21 NIV
*I want you to note something here very important.
The Bible is not understood by the mind or especially the wisdom of men! Even though I am not against going to Bible Schools or Seminaries yet I would encourage you to take note that in the world today there are many so called seminaries which are nothing better than cemeteries filled with men’s pride and many that have come out of them have proved to become nothing more than a bunch of fools.
Watch out!!! To avoid from falling into a false doctrinal-pit of some kind make sure you follow these few simple and very basic steps.
1. Avoid reading the Bible with already pre-concieved ideas! Avoid reading the Bible with already a set of mixed ideas or already formed beliefs.
2. Avoid reading the Bible from your cultural background understanding! Avoid reading the Bible as Maltese, English, American, Italian, Spanish, Mexican, Chinese, African etc etc...Though it is somewhat ok, however when you start reading certain things in the word of God they may not make sense to you unless you try to conciously put your self in the same mind set of the people that God used to write the Bible! Those people that God inspired to record the story of God and His dealings with mankind are of Jewish back ground.
3. Avoid trying to read the Bible with a Baptist, Lutheran, Orthodox, Catholic mind set! The Bible is neither one of the above! The most you can do is read the Bible as a Christian but better yet, try to read it with a Jewish mindset or understanding! Christianity is not a Roman Catholic faith, or an American faith. Christianity is a purely Jewish faith and it`s founder is a Jew! A Jew who fulfilled all the Messianic propeshies that were fortold about Jesus hundreds and thousands years before His first coming!
4. Avoid (really hard) reading or trying to read into the Bible things which are not there, and instead without realizing, you may end up creating a false understanding or teaching! ( 1 Timothy 4:1-4)
Eg: Many have been wrongy taught about Purgatory without realizing that it is never mentioned or even insinuated in the Bible! It is a tradition that was taught many centuries after the Bible and the Church were established! It is also a big slap in the face of Jesus. It portrays that what Jesus did on Calvary on the Cross, His shed blood and His suffering, death and victorious resurrection over sin, satan and the grave...is not enough to save a soul! (Ephesians 2:8-9, Colossians 1:21-22, Hebrews 9-10)
7. Just read it for what it is while asking the Spirit of Truth, The Holy Spirit to open your eyes to things of the Spirit. (1 John:20-27) After all the Bible is a Spiritual book. Studying is good and encouraged however try not to be biast in your readings! (2Timothy 2:15)
8. Avoid adding or taking away from what the Bible teaches since it is God`s Word and it never becomes out dated!(Revelations 22:18-19)
9. Avoid lifting up the opinion of man than The Eternal Word of God! What do I mean by this? Many 'so-called' - 'learned men', insisit that we need to take heed to the teachings of the "Church-Fathers". I understand that it is important to learn from Christians that have gone on to be with the Lord and have served Jesus before us!!! We can surely learn greatly from them and gain great insight, BUT let us be careful that we never lift their ideals before God`s Word still! I don`t mind to learn from the "church-fathers" but the Father that I must be most concearned pleasing is The Heavenly Father!(Luke 11:27-28)
“Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools…” ASV Rom 1:22
“Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men”. 1 Corinthians 1:25 ASV
“Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become foolish that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, "He is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness"; 20 and again, "The Lord knows the reasoning of the wise, that they are useless.” 1 Corinthians 3:18-20 NAS
However there are now a days all over the world Bible Collages that are training a mighty army of God going to pierce darkness with the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit!
Listen to the Word of the Lord for your self!
“Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.” Mark 16:20 NIV
“I have won them by my message and by the good way I have lived before them and by the miracles done through me as signs from God-all by the Holy Spirit's power. In this way I have preached the full Gospel of Christ all the way from Jerusalem clear over into Illyricum.” TLB Romans 15:19
“My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power”. 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 NIV
God did not send Jesus in this world so that we can have nice theories to teach the world.
God did not send Jesus Christ to shed His blood on the cross so that I can deliver sermons!
However God did send Jesus so that in His matchless name I can deliver people...from the power of the enemy the devil!
I have met so many of these well meaning religious people! I have met them almost in any Christian denomination you can come up with or mention!
I will be bold enough to say that this is a major reason why many have lost interest in Christianity, because all that people are getting when they go to a 'church' building or sanctuary is a bunch of secularism mixed with humanism and tradition with a good mixture of paganism!
Unfortunately my own home country of Malta is filled with such religious leaders that all they know what to do is make you go to sleep with their heaped up sermonettes filled with a lot of knowledge based upon on a lot of NOTHING!
Let those who have ears to hear, hear what the Lord is saying at this hour by the Holy Spirit to the world!
*So my beloved friend, I want to encourage you to read the Bible however you cannot leave The Holy Spirit out of the equation! The Holy Spirit is the one who will turn your information into revelation and it will become to your heart IMPARTATION and will transform your heart!
Take these Simple steps as you read the Bible and you will be able to understand what the Holy Bible is talking about more quickly and accurately!
No.1 Find out who is talking? I.e.: Is it Jesus, Moses, Elijah, Saint Peter, Saint Paul etc...
1a.Check also as an important notification if it is in the Old or New Testament!
1b. Is it addressed under the law of Moses or the Law of Christ and Love? Ref: (Read Galatians and Romans especially) (Romans 13:8-10 and Romans 8:2)
No.2 Find out to whom is it addressed?
2a. Is it addressed to the Jewish people(Jews), to the World known also as the heathens or Greeks in the Bible or is it addressed to the Church of God-all those who have put their faith in the Messiah and Savior Jesus,Son of God!
“Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God…”NAS 1Corinthians 10:31-33
This scripture shows clearly that in the Bible there are three distinct people groups addressed. Some times they are addressed two at a time,eg: Jews and Christians or Jews and the World(Greeks) etc..
NB. If either a Jew or a gentile (Greek or heathen) receives Jesus Christ no longer is he or she in the original category. For example after I gave my life to Jesus I became a part of the Church of God which is composed of all those who have put their trust in the Lord Jesus!
No.3 Find out what is the subject!
Ex: When Jesus says "I am the gate" in John 10, the subject is not the gate, it is Jesus Himself!
When Jesus asked 'who did people say that He was' in Matthew 16, the answer that came through Peter by revelation of The Father had nothing to do with Peter. The subject was still about, who was Jesus!?
Now my beloved friend let no one stop you now that you have the chance to be taught the wonderful treasures that are ready to be discovered by all those that diligently seek the wisdom in God’s Word!
Let the Living Word speak to you directly!
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. John 1:1-2 NIV
But He answered and said, "It is written, "MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'" NASU Matt 4:4
"I rejoice at Your word, As one who finds great spoil". NASU Psalm 119:162
"O how I love Your law!
It is my meditation all the day.
Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies,
For they are ever mine.
I have more insight than all my teachers,
For Your testimonies are my meditation.
I understand more than the aged,
Because I have observed Your precepts".
NASU Ps 119:97-100
Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.
NASU Psalm 19:105
"The unfolding of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple".NASU Ps 119:130
"I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death." NIV John 8:51
"Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful". Josh 1:8 NIV
"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers".
NIV Ps 1:1-3
"For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel". NIV Ezra 7:10
"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth". 2 Tim 2:15 KJV
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