If you could eat only one meal a week, what would it include?
If that was the only meal you could eat how healthy do you think you would be? Obviously, it is important for us to eat a balanced diet of foods if we want to have healthy bodies. The same is true of our spiritual lives.
Bible study provides the spiritual nourishment necessary to grow as a Christian. It is through digesting the truths of the Word of God that you can understand all God desires you to be and do. The Bible is the way God chose to speak to us. It helps us to know who we are and how we are to be.
What the Bible Is
The Bible is the revelation of God to man, through man.
In the New Testament Paul declared:
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. -- 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Being "God-breathed" points to the fact that the Holy Spirit worked through the human spirit of the writers, guiding the process.
As you look at the passage above, circle the things for which Scripture is useful and underline the end result. If you and I want to be equipped for every good work, we must learn what the Bible says and put its truth into practice in every area of our lives.
The Purpose of the Bible
One purpose of the Bible is that persons might believe. Through Scripture, we come to understand our need for a Savior and forgive-ness and how God has provided this forgiveness through His Son.
“...these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.” --John 20:31
A second purpose is that believers might grow. The Bible is our main source for Christian growth.
“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow in your salvation.” --1 Peter 2:2
When we become a Christian we are just like a new born child. We must rely on others to help us get the spiritual nourishment we need. Eventually, as we mature spiritually, we take the responsibility of feeding ourselves. The next stage of spiritual maturity is when we begin to feed others and share the truths of Scripture with others. This maturing process takes time and effort.
In your Bible, read Hebrews 5:12-6:1
How would you summarize these verses?
How Should One Study the Bible?
The process of Bible study involves discovering the truth of what the original writer meant and what it means to us. A person who wishes to study the Bible will need a good study Bible in an understandable translation. One might also want a commentary of the Bible which would give you the historical background necessary for understanding each book. A Bible commentary presents ideas and understandings about specific parts of the Bible that may be helpful. A Bible dictionary would also be helpful as you locate grammar and words that are difficult to understand.
As you begin your study you will want to find a resource that guides you through the study process. One such resource is the Bible study guide used in your Sunday School class. This resource will enable you to concentrate on subject areas and themes that are crucial in understanding the Bible. Before each week's Sunday School lesson, you will want to spend some time reading the selected Bible passages and the comments in the Bible study guide. This will help you be prepared to discuss the Bible passages and get answers to your questions.
In time, you will want to dig deeper in your Bible study. You may want to study just one section of Scripture, one book, or a theme. Resources are available for doing this at your local Christian book store. You may want to ask your Sunday School teacher or a minister to assist you in finding a resource to help you do this.
Interesting Bible Tidbits
God used 40 different men over 1600 years to write the Old and New Testaments.
It was written in three languages: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.
The first English Bible was translated in AD 1388.
There are 66 books of the Bible, 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament.
The entire Bible is made up of 1189 chapters.
The shortest chapter is Psalm 117 and the longest is Psalm 119.
The shortest verse in the Bible is John 11:35 and the longest verse is Esther 8:9.
Ask God to give you a love for the Bible as you seek to study and put into practice the things you discover in it.
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