{"id":1386,"date":"2019-01-16T08:45:46","date_gmt":"2019-01-16T16:45:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cbcwla.org\/home\/en\/?p=1386"},"modified":"2020-04-25T16:54:14","modified_gmt":"2020-04-25T23:54:14","slug":"13-how-to-study-the-bible-part-1-of-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cbcwla.org\/home\/en\/blog\/13-how-to-study-the-bible-part-1-of-2\/","title":{"rendered":"#13 How to Study the Bible (Part 1 of 2)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Good morning, brothers and sisters, may the grace and peace of our Lord be with you!<\/p>\n

Why do we still study the Bible?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Many churches today do not study the Bible much anymore.\u00a0 Most fellowship meetings consist of sharing, seminars, outings, social activities, etc.\u00a0 Even if there are Bible studies, these are mostly sparsely interspersed between other activities.\u00a0 Why do we at CBCWLA place such importance on Bible study, so that it is the main event at every fellowship meeting?<\/p>\n

The reason why Bible studies are disappearing is because churches do not know how to study the Bible.\u00a0 The Bible study leaders don\u2019t know how to lead, and the Bible students don\u2019t know how to study.\u00a0 After a while, people start to lose interest.\u00a0 When faced with these challenges, churches aren\u2019t able to provide effective remedies, and so Bible studies become an abandoned practice.\u00a0 It is God\u2019s grace that has enabled us to stay the course and persevere in our Bible study endeavors.\u00a0 As a result, we are seeing the fruit of this long-term effort.\u00a0 At the core is the belief that the church is the people of God, and God\u2019s people obey God\u2019s word.\u00a0 We believe that \u201cthe word of the Lord endures forever\u201d (1 Pet 1:25, Is 40:8), eternal yet still very relevant and practical for us in the twenty-first century.\u00a0 Since the church must obey God\u2019s word, how can we obey if we do not know what God\u2019s word says?\u00a0 So we must continue to study the Bible.<\/p>\n

Shared Life Together (koinonia<\/em>)–\u00a0 Eating God\u2019s word Together<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Koinonia<\/em>\u00a0is our shared life together in Christ, and those who share life together must share meals together.\u00a0 Our food is the word of God, and we must eat His word together.\u00a0 His word is sweet as honey, a joy and delight to our hearts, and enables us to grow spiritually fit and strong.<\/p>\n

Your words were found,\u00a0and I ate them, and\u00a0your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart<\/u>, for I am called by your name, O\u00a0Lord, God of hosts. (Jer 15:16)
\n<\/em>And he said to me,\u00a0\u201cSon of man, eat whatever you find here.\u00a0Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.\u201d\u00a0So I opened my mouth, and he gave me this scroll to eat.\u00a0And he said to me, \u201cSon of man, feed your belly with this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it.\u201d\u00a0Then I ate it, and\u00a0it was in my mouth\u00a0as sweet as honey<\/u>. (Ez 3:1-3)
\n<\/em>Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual\u00a0milk,\u00a0that by it you may grow up into salvation<\/u>. (1 Pet 2:2)
\n<\/em>But solid food is for\u00a0the mature<\/u><\/em>, for those who have their powers\u00a0of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. (Heb 5:14)<\/em><\/p>\n

The spiritual lives of some Christians are frail and weak, because they do not feed upon God\u2019s word.\u00a0 This is true of the church as well.\u00a0 A church that is rooted in God\u2019s word thrives spiritually and is a strong witness for the Lord.\u00a0 People are continually coming to Christ and getting baptized.\u00a0 Brothers and sisters live together in harmony, and the sounds of joy and praise can be heard constantly.\u00a0 A church without God\u2019s word is spiritually sluggish and cannot be a witness for the Lord.\u00a0 Very few people trust in Christ and get baptized.\u00a0 Internal disagreements abound, and the pastor is so busy putting out these fires that his energy is spent and his mind cannot be focused on preparing for his sermons.<\/p>\n

When God\u2019s people love His word and the pastor is faithful to God\u2019s word, the church is blessed.\u00a0 The Bible talks about two ways to receive God\u2019s word.\u00a0 The first is to hear God\u2019s word, and the second is to study the Scriptures.\u00a0 To use an analogy, hearing God\u2019s word is like eating a feast prepared by the minister, and studying the Scriptures is like a family gathering together to wrap dumplings, chatting and eating at the same time.\u00a0 The center of both meals is God\u2019s word, but the way of eating is different.\u00a0 The most direct method, which also appears in the Bible the most often, is to hear God\u2019s word.\u00a0 However, hearing God\u2019s word only allows for the receiving of the word, and does not provide opportunities for discussion.\u00a0 Such discussion can happen during Bible studies and will allow God\u2019s word to sink in deeper and be more applicable to daily life.\u00a0 With regular Bible study supporting the primary activity of hearing God\u2019s word, the church will become healthier day by day, and the believers will grow spiritually strong as they experience this\u00a0koinonia<\/em>\u00a0together.<\/p>\n

Putting Knowledge into Action<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The purpose of receiving God\u2019s word is twofold.\u00a0 First, to understand His word.\u00a0 Second, to do His word.\u00a0 The purpose of listening to God\u2019s word is to do what it says.\u00a0 The purpose of studying Scriptures is to practice what it says.\u00a0 Through the hearing of God\u2019s word and the studying of Scriptures, we have knowledge of what God says to us.\u00a0 The purpose of knowing His word is to \u201cabide in His word\u201d, and to keep His commandments and do what He says.\u00a0 God told the Israelites, \u201cKeep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the peoples.\u201d\u00a0 Jesus said, \u201cIf you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.\u201d\u00a0 The fellowship groups and believers who obey God\u2019s word are wise indeed, and are approved by God.<\/p>\n

See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the\u00a0Lord\u00a0my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it.\u00a0Keep them and do them, for\u00a0that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples<\/u>, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, \u2018Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.\u2019 (Dt 4:5-6)
\n<\/em>So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him,\u00a0\u201cIf you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,<\/u>\u00a0\u00a0<\/sup><\/strong>and you will\u00a0know the truth, and the truth\u00a0will set you free.\u201d (Jn 8:31-32)
\n<\/em>Whoever has my commandments and\u00a0keeps them, he it is who loves me<\/u><\/em>. And\u00a0he who loves me\u00a0will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and\u00a0manifest myself to him.\u201d (Jn 14:21)<\/em><\/p>\n

The basis of\u00a0koinonia<\/em>\u00a0is fellowship with God, and the ultimate expression of such fellowship is to love God.\u00a0 According to Jesus\u2019 teaching, to love God is not a feeling, but an action.\u00a0 \u201cWhoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me\u201d!\u00a0 Why do we study the Bible?\u00a0 Because there are believers who hunger for God\u2019s word and are eager to understand it.\u00a0 The purpose of studying the Bible is to put God\u2019s word into action in our daily lives.\u00a0 To these people who study the truth to put it into practice, God says, \u201cthis will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples\u201d.<\/p>\n

A Heartfelt Moment in History<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The Old Testament book of Nehemiah tells the story of the Israelite exiles who returned to Jerusalem and rebuilt their homeland and their city walls.\u00a0 The temple had already been destroyed for quite some time, leaving the people without opportunity to hear God\u2019s word for a long period of time.\u00a0 The governor Nehemiah asked Ezra the scribe to teach God\u2019s word to the people.\u00a0 The people were filled with thankfulness and awe, and when Ezra opened the book of the law, the people all stood up (Neh 8:5).\u00a0\u00a0 Both men and women were at the square in front of the Water Gate from early morning until midday, giving full attention to the book of the law (Neh 8:3).\u00a0 When they heard the word of God, they all wept (Neh 8:9).<\/p>\n

They read from the book, from the Law of God, clearly,\u00a0<\/sup>and they gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading<\/u><\/em>.\u00a0 And Nehemiah, who was\u00a0the governor, and Ezra\u00a0the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people,\u00a0\u201cThis day is holy to the\u00a0Lord\u00a0your God;\u00a0do not mourn or weep.\u201d\u00a0For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law<\/u>.
\n<\/em>Then he said to them, \u201cGo your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and\u00a0send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the\u00a0Lord\u00a0is your strength.\u201d\u00a0So the Levites calmed all the people, saying, \u201cBe quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.\u201d\u00a0And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because\u00a0they had understood the words that were declared to them<\/u>. (Neh 8:8-12)<\/em><\/p>\n

In this passage, we see a group of people who did not have access to hear God\u2019s word, but their hearts hungered after His word.\u00a0 Once they heard and understood God\u2019s word, they were filled with emotions and unspeakable joy.\u00a0 This story touches my heart and encourages me and makes me treasure God\u2019s word even more.\u00a0 I am very thankful to God that I live in a place where I can hear God\u2019s word and study the Bible any time.\u00a0 I thank Him for giving me the grace to preach His word, that I may enjoy the\u00a0koinonia<\/em>\u00a0of God\u2019s word with a group of Jesus\u2019 disciples who have become my brothers and sisters.\u00a0 Together, we can serve God.\u00a0 Praise the Lord!<\/p>\n

Unhealthy Practices in Bible Study<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Before I talk about how to study the Bible, let me point out some frequently observed unhealthy practices that must be avoided:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Gathering to gossip<\/u>:\u00a0 The Bible study becomes a sharing circle and devolves into useless drivel and gossip.\u00a0 There are those who complain, those who love to talk, and those who pretend to know a lot.\u00a0 In the end, most of what is shared is unrelated to the Bible.<\/li>\n
  2. Sharing personal enlightenment<\/u>:\u00a0 Instead of studying the Bible, the participants are invited to share their personal enlightenment regarding the passage.\u00a0 Some of these \u201cinsights\u201d are absurd, with no basis and no purpose.\u00a0 Some steal words from others to use as their own, some pretend to be wise, some try to act spiritual.\u00a0 If nobody shares, then they move on to the next passage.\u00a0 This is an irresponsible way to lead a Bible study, and it shows that the leader is not prepared.\u00a0 In a Bible study, we must first seek to understand the original intent of the Bible passage.\u00a0 Only when we know what the passage means can we have further discussion about it.<\/li>\n
  3. Forcing own interpretation<\/u>:\u00a0 Incorrectly handling the word of truth and forcing your own interpretation into God\u2019s word.\u00a0 Once you voice your interpretation, even if you realize it was wrong, you do not admit your mistake, because of your pride.\u00a0 A student of the Bible must fear the Lord and explain God\u2019s word carefully.\u00a0 He must lay down his pride and be humble before God\u2019s word.\u00a0 We all make mistakes when interpreting God\u2019s word.\u00a0 If you make a mistake, be willing to admit it.\u00a0 It is not a big deal for me to say something incorrect, but it is a very big deal if I mislead others to misunderstand God\u2019s word.<\/li>\n
  4. Deviating from the topic<\/u>:\u00a0 The saying \u201cto chase rabbits\u201d means to be diverted away from the main path in order to catch rabbits.\u00a0 In the end, you may have caught a whole basket of rabbits, but you completely forgot to return to the main road.\u00a0 In the same way, a Bible study topic may have started out as \u201cHoliness\u201d, but one digression after another led to discussions about loving one another, husband and wife relationships, how to raise up children, etc.\u00a0 Time passes by and before you know it, it is time to end the study.\u00a0 The leader rushes to a conclusion, and the topic of Holiness was never actually discussed.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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