BIBLE STUDY -- THE WHYS OF IT

BIBLE STUDY – THE WHYS OF IT        

Sunday, September 13, 2015

John [GW] chapter 5 [Jesus explained] … I can't do anything on my own. As I listen to the Father, I make my judgments. My judgments are right because I don't try to do what I want but what the one who sent me wants. "If I testify on my own behalf, what I say isn't true. Someone else testifies on my behalf, and I know that what he says about me is true. You sent people to John the Baptizer, and he testified to the truth. But I don't depend on human testimony. I'm telling you this to save you. John was a lamp that gave off brilliant light. For a time you enjoyed the pleasure of his light. But I have something that testifies more favorably on my behalf than John's testimony. The tasks that the Father gave me to carry out, these tasks which I perform, testify on my behalf. They prove that the Father has sent me. The Father who sent me testifies on my behalf. You have never heard his voice, and you have never seen his form. So you don't have the Father's message within you, because you don't believe in the person he has sent. You study the Scriptures in detail because you think you have the source of eternal life in them. These Scriptures testify on my behalf. Yet, you don't want to come to me to get eternal life.

2Timothy [GW] 3:14-17 [Paul explaining to young Timothy]  However, continue in what you have learned and found to be true. You know who your teachers were. From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures. They have the power to give you wisdom so that you can be saved through faith in Christ Jesus. Every Scripture passage is inspired by God. All of them are useful for teaching, pointing out errors, correcting people, and training them for a life that has God's approval. They equip God's servants so that they are completely prepared to do good things.

  The major reason to study God’s Word is to personally know of Him. It isn’t just He has the answers we need, He is The Answer. Without God’s salvation through Lord Jesus Christ as trusted Savior, studying and living by His Word merely makes for improved individual, but counts for naught eternally. (Jn.5:39; Heb.10:14-22) With blessed assurance “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith”.

2. To reverence; honor and glorify God: Ecc.12:13 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter. Fear God, and keep His commandments. For this is the whole duty of man.”

3. To grow spiritually: 1Pet.2:1-3 “Therefore laying aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisies and envyings, and all evil speakings, desire the sincere milk of the Word, as newborn babes, so that you may grow by it; if truly you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”

4. To gain superior guidance: Ps.119; Rom.8:14-15 “Through Your Commandments I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. Your Word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path. … For if you live according to the flesh, you shall die. But if you through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption by which we cry, Abba, Father!”

5. To gain blessings and courage: Rom.15:4 “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, so that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”

6. To gain defense: Eph.6:10-18 “Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the world's rulers, of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Therefore take to yourselves the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Therefore stand, having your loins girded about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, take the shield of faith, with which you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching to this very thing with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.” (Also note Mt.4:1-10)

7. To effectively answer, teach and counsel others: Col.3:16; 2Tim. 2:1-2; 1Pet.3:15 “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. … Therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit the same to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. … sanctify [consecrate, make sacred] the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to everyone who asks you a reason of the hope in you, with meekness and fear;”

8. To recognize and verify truth versus falsehoods: Acts 17:11 “And these [at Berea] were more noble than those of Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind and searched the Scriptures daily to see if those things were so.”

9. To stand approved and pleasing to our King: 2Tim.2:15-16 “Study earnestly to present yourself approved to God, a workman that does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. But shun profane, vain babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.” (Also note 2Pet.3:17-18)

10. And to discover what God has for you personally! 

EBB4