Author and Bible Study 101

If you read the bible, you will run into 3 different schools of thought (in general).  To explain these schools of thought, I'll use Romans 10:9-10 as an example.

Romans 10:9-10
⁹ If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

First, that the literal interpretation of the bible is the only way to read it.  That means that when Paul says, "declare with your mouth" you better believe that's what he meant, and anyone who doesn't do exactly that is lost without hope.  Second, that the bible is largely left to interpretation - meaning that with verses like these, we basically use our best guess and have the freedom to interpret what Paul is saying.  For example, it would be like me saying, "Paul's point is to say that your heart has to be in it."  This statement is a vast generalization of the content of this scripture.  The third and final approach lies somewhere in the middle of the other 2 schools of thought.  This approach should mix the literal and interpretation with relationship with God and experience and knowledge of who He is. 

It takes a relationship with God, the leading and teaching of the Holy Spirit, and an open mind to be able to read scripture and come away with the truth.  There will always be more to know and deeper truth to uncover about who God is.  Your goal each time you read should not be to know Him fully yesterday.  Each session, try to read to gain understanding of who He is in one or a few aspects.  Some of these "shorter" term goals will have you searching scripture for weeks trying to come up with an answer that is the truth.  It is on those journeys for truth that you get to know God and your relationship with Him is solidified.


My school of thought about how to approach the bible lies somewhere in the middle of literal and interpretation.  Both schools of thought have merit, and I believe the truth of scripture is reckoned to our hearts by our relationship with God and our willingness to be open to the Holy Spirit's teaching.  I believe that the bible is the authoritative, inerrant word of God on pages.  It is "who Jesus is" spilled out on paper for our benefit as believers and to provide a tool to us to share the Gospel with those who do not know Jesus.  And yes, I believe that everything in the bible is an unveiling of who Jesus is; both Old and New Testaments.  Everything was created through Him and true life hinges on His life, sacrifice, death, and resurrection - the power of His blood to cover our sins.  Jesus is everything.  If you miss everything else I ever tell you - do not miss that Jesus is everything.  From our line of sight as people, we cannot see God unless we are looking through Christ.  If the Holy Spirit is working in you to know and understand God - it is doing so through the looking glass of Christ.  He is the narrow path to eternal life and He is our only hope of salvation from sins.  Praise and honor and glory and power are His and rightly so!


My prayer for you is that you build a solid foundation in Jesus Christ through any words that I write.  Be discerning (this means that you decide together with God) about the information you accept and believe about Him and the information you leave aside.  This world is filled with false teachers and prophets that will lead you astray - and that isn't going to change any time soon.  Be on your guard.  I pray that you would find men and women of God who have been entrusted with the Word and take the bible, Jesus, and your relationship with God seriously.  Your leaders, mentors, pastors, teachers will answer to Christ for how they shape your faith.  Knowing this they have charted their courses to get involved in your life.  Unfortunately, not all leaders are trustworthy; not near as many as should be.  Let your trust of others be born out of your trust in the Lord.  We are commanded to love others as ourselves and love the Lord our God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength.  Love others with a discerning heart always cultivating truth so that you may not be deceived.


Finally, Christ offers us His peace.  Life with Christ is a learning experience.  You will always be learning.  Terms you understand as one thing become something else entirely as you come to know the author and perfecter of our faith.  The peace of God will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus.

I thank God for every person who comes across these words and is encouraged, blessed, challenged, or pressed toward a saving knowledge and belief in Jesus Christ.  Be blessed as Christ leads you into true life!