Bible Study
I had someone ask me once, “What is the single best thing a person can do to grow in knowledge and maturity with God?”
It is a good question, perhaps the greatest question a Christian can possibly ask. There are many tools available for helping followers of Jesus grow. The most important thing anyone can do is to prayerfully read the Bible. There is no substitute for someone reading the Bible carefully, inquisitively, and humbly. Imagine if the God of all creation had some things that He wanted to tell you. That’s what the Bible is. Everything that Christianity does, believes, and teaches flows from this collection of books. If you’re going to be a follower of Jesus, then you need to live in Scripture.
Bible Study Methods
Here is a simple Bible study method anyone can use for any passage of Scripture:
What does this story tell me about other people or myself?
How will you obey this passage?
Who needs to hear this passage and how can you tell them?
Who can we invite to share this with?
Or for those of you who would like to be challenged deeper:
1. What does the text say?
a. Try to lose all the presuppositions that come preloaded into our language when you read. The worldview of the New Testament is one of the ancient Greco-Roman context. That worldview merges with ancient Near Eastern contexts of the Old Testament world to form the backdrop for the Bible. These two primary contexts form what we call "the context of Scripture." When you are reading Scripture, to the best of your ability, try to imagine how the original audience would have responded or thought about things.
2. What does the text mean?
a. Why did the Lord include this story, told in this particular way, in this context? What is the spiritual principle that we are supposed to walk away with? Sometimes the meaning is straightforward; at other times, it takes some time to uncover. This step may require some research. There are libraries of resources available to help someone searching to understand the text well, commentaries, topical books, and Bible dictionaries are a good place to start. www.studylight.org and https://bibleproject.com are good free online resources.
3. How are we supposed to obey this spiritual principle or command in our own lives?
a. This step is critical. Simply knowing the stories or having the information means nothing if it is not acted upon in real life.
***Remember that the Bible is not a textbook. It is the primary way God as a living being has chosen to reveal Himself and His plan of salvation. Treat it and your time in it with reverence.
Why should you discipline yourself to grow in Scripture?
Paul Washer answers this question well:
“If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” -John 8:31-32