How to study the Bible . . .

Ever stumbled through something without the instruction book? I’ve some hefty software that came with an equally hefty user’s manual and never cracked it open. Of course, that was foolish. I learned the hard way and the long way what the software would do or not do, missing basic tips that would have made using that software much easier.

While many do not realize it, life also comes with the manufacturer’s book of directions. This manual is not about how to change tires or how to bake a cake. It is information about the Author of life, who is the source of eternal life, how to have that life and how to live it out. It is wise to not only crack it open, but diligently read and study it, for in it we can find what is needed for living well and with purpose.

You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. (John 5:39–40)

Jesus told the Sadducees that they came to the Scriptures with the wrong attitude. They were looking for ways they could live forever, but rejected Him, the only source of that forever life. Yet even the people of God who have accepted Jesus and have His life need to be urged to search the Scriptures. The main excuse for not doing this is the size and complexity of this book of books. Many people simply don’t know where to start or how to study it.

The above verse gives one clue . . .  Jesus said that the Scriptures bear witness of Him, that is, they tell us the purpose of the Bible. It is God’s revelation of Himself in Jesus Christ — to show us the way of salvation, that is, how to have eternal life. So read it with that goal.

He is the treasure hidden in both the Old and New Testaments. He is depicted in prophesies, types, sacrifices, and shadows, then revealed in a human body to bear our sins. He is shown as a priest and a prophet, a friend of sinners and the “express image” of God, the Father. Again, read it looking for Jesus.

Another instruction is to search the Scriptures in childlike humility. Those who are wise in their own eyes cannot see the marvels in God’s book. They are revealed only to those who sense their own need for His Word.

So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation. (1 Peter 2:1–2)

Notice there is another element in these verses besides hunger. The one who benefits from the Word of God (here called spiritual milk) is the person willing to turn from sin. Repentance changes both our lives and our appetites. When we turn our backs on sin, we are more willing to come to God’s Word and say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant hears.”

Third, search the Scriptures intending to obey what God says. This attitude works together with being able to understand the Bible. Those who are willing to obey “get it” but those who are not interested in obedience will not understand it. This is because spiritual things must be revealed to us by the Spirit of God. He knows what we need to hear and what we are ready to hear. He also will not give us truth unless our hearts are ready to receive and obey it. This is grace too, and clearly shows the value of being teachable.

If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. (John 7:17)

My sister was saved in Algeria through the ministry of a missionary who risked her life to be in that place. She taught my sister, who then taught me, a wonderful way to read the Bible devotionally. Begin in the New Testament with a notebook and pen in hand. Read until something pops out that you do understand. Write the date, the verses, and then whatever it was that you understood. Repeat daily.

This formula works really well. Taking courses and reading books on how to study will also be helpful, but never underestimate the power of God to open the meaning of His Word to a heart that is willing to hear Him and do what He says.

Passion for the simple truth

I dropped out halfway through a master’s degree in religious education at a conservative denominational seminary. I loved learning and enjoyed the classes, except one. The professor had been steeped in a liberal interpretation of the Bible that bypassed what Scripture plainly said. He used a great deal of speculation and supposing to the point that one of the students asked, “Would I need to become an atheist to pass this course?”

Another student, after reading seven books on the course reading list, told me that she was beginning to believe some of the same junk as written by the authors and that supported the professor’s views. She also said she was becoming quite confused.

I felt ill equipped to deal with all this. No student’s arguments could change that man’s views. At that, I decided I’d be more beneficial to the kingdom of God serving street people at the local soup kitchen than trying to educate myself in theology and in the art of teaching the Bible, at least at that place. I walked out midterm and have not gone back. That professor holds a high position and still teaches there, and I shudder.

What happens to Christians who lose sight of the simple truths of the Bible? Why do some stray from the point that we are sinners and God sent a Savior to die for our sin and offer us eternal life? Where did they take off on another path? And how can I avoid doing the same thing?

My devotional makes some suggestions on how to fuel a passion for one important basic response to God: sharing the good news, the simple message of salvation. The reading says to first study Jesus Christ and His love and mercy toward sinners.

But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:36-38)

Jesus never lost sight of His purpose for being here. He came to seek and to save the lost, and the Bible tells me that I must do the same. “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:6).

I’m also told to study sin. It was more than thirty-five years ago, but I still remember the power of my first Bible study. It was about sin. For days I read Scripture about its guilt, power, and penalty. I became deeply aware of the devastation that sin causes and how it ruins lives. In those early days, I learned to hate it and wanted others to also hate it and be freed from it.

Since then, I realize the strong pull of sin. My own sinful desires are bad enough, but they are stirred by the lies of Satan. If I listen to him or am stirred by the ideas in the world around me, I stray from the simple truth. That is why Paul wrote, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). Letting a college professor confuse it does not transform me toward that end.

The devotional reading today also says to study sinners. At first, I thought I could simply tell people what they needed and they would go for it, but I learned that sin is stronger than mere words. It takes the power of God to break its hold, and sometimes that power is best demonstrated by love and compassion, not persuasion. Being a good listener and a true friend is far more important than putting someone on a “project list” and treating them like a challenge. People need Jesus and Jesus was a friend of sinners.

Another way to fuel my passion for the gospel and the sharing of it is to study Scripture and see what it says about hell, death, judgment, and salvation. It is said that the founder of the Salvation Army began this ministry after a dream about seeing lost souls in hell.

I’ve never had a dream like that, but I’ve stood at the graves of those I love and not been sure where they have gone. This creates a sorrow that cannot be comforted. Even though some so-called theologians say otherwise, the Bible says that not everyone goes to a better place. Jesus said:

Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)

I can also increase a passion for the lost by asking God for it. In the busyness of life, it is far too easy to get caught up with other passions. I can forget how short life is, not only my own but the lives of others. They are precious to God and need to be precious to me.

I can also forget that faith comes by hearing and someone must tell them. As scary as that is, God wants me to speak up. While many will not listen and might even laugh at me for my faith, a few will hear and their lives will change for eternity. Those few are very important.

Simply reading these thoughts and looking at a few verses points me again to the simplicity of the message. I don’t need a seminary degree to share it; I just need a heart like the heart of God who loves people so much that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.

A good reason for another tree

In my devotional book today’s focus is on trees, specifically those in the garden of Eden described in Genesis 2:9, “And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”

My thoughts go to trees in general and their biblical significance to the life of God’s people. I did some digging and found several references that mentioned sitting under a tree.

One is from Micah 4:4. After a well-known prophecy that predicts a day when nations “shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore,” the prophet Micah says, “But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.”

This saying became an expression of peace and prosperity. It is repeated in Zechariah 3:10, “In that day,” says the LORD of hosts, “Everyone will invite his neighbor under his vine and under his fig tree.”

By the time of the New Testament, someone told me devout Jews were known to read the Old Testament Scriptures sitting under a fig tree. (I can’t find my source, even though it is vivid in my memory and I trust it.)

For that reason, as I read these verses from the prophets, I thought of the incident in John 1 when Jesus called His disciples. It says that Philip found Nathanael and told him they had found the Messiah. Nathanael was skeptical because Jesus came from a rival town, but went with Philip to check out what he said. As he approached Jesus, Jesus said, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”

Nathanael was obviously astonished and asked, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”

This says a great deal about Jesus; He was not there, but He knew what Nathanael was doing. However, it also says something about Nathanael. Was he studying the Scriptures under that tree? Was it, for him, a place of peace? We know the disciples were not necessarily prosperous financially, but was this man already rich in his relationship with the God of Israel?

I think he was. Jesus said Nathanael was without deceit, a person who was willing to examine for himself who Jesus was. He had an honest seeking heart, and according to what Jesus said, that was an exception. He was without the normal skepticism of his culture, a skepticism that easily slid later into total rejection of the Messiah.

Back under the tree Nathanael took time to learn about God. He no doubt knew the promises and prophecies. He said, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” but he wasn’t fooled into thinking the Messiah would be a mere king who came to conquer the Romans. He also realized Jesus could not be understood or described in human terms. This Man was God’s Son.

Nathanael was convinced by Jesus’ supernatural knowledge of him, but I’m convinced that his convictions were undergirded by what he was doing sitting under that tree.

How is this practical for me today? First, it made me question the exact nature of the first sin. Did they do wrong because they ate the fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and therefore knowing good and evil is wrong? I don’t think so. They sinned because they took the fruit even though God told them not to. Their sin was disobedience to God; the tree was merely the test.

But not merely. All through Scripture God makes it clear that He wants me to recognize good and evil. The irony is that as a sinner, I’m unable to be totally clear about many issues. I want black and white when some things are grey and fuzzy. Only sitting under the tree with His Book sorts it out for me. As 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine (divine teaching), for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man (woman too) of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

It is November and too cold to go out and sit under a tree, but I’ve been thinking about painting a mural of a bare-branched tree on a wall in my house. Now I’ve a good idea where I’d like to put it—right next to the place where I read my Bible!

Is it real? or Imitation?

Fashion puzzles me. The current mystery is the price of a handbag. I could pay a few hundred dollars for an imitation, a knock-off of a purse priced at several thousand dollars. Some would call that a bargain, but I think the imitation is over-priced. And then there are imitations of the imitations—the Wal-Mart specials that might look like the real imitation, at least at fifty yards.

In my mind, no one imitates something that has no value, but how on earth can a handbag cost as much as a small car? It doesn’t make sense.

Another puzzle is false teaching, fake Christianity, people who say they know God but have never entered a relationship with Him. Jesus warned about “wolves in sheep’s clothing” and these wolves have always been a problem for the church. For two thousand years, genuine believers have been duped by fakes and led into error, which is far more serious than buying an imitation purse. I don’t think Christians are more gullible than anyone else. It is just that the truth of God is so valuable that false teachers work overtime to come up with ways to use it to exploit others. For them, it is a way to have power, then get people’s money.

Paul wrote to a young pastor in 1 and 2 Timothy. He warns him about those who “strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.” He tells him to “shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.” Clearly the early church had the same imitators as I see in today’s religious circles.

Further, Paul said false teaching “will spread like cancer” and can even “overthrow the faith of some.” But he does not sound surprised at this. He says as a statement of fact that, “In a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor.” He tells Timothy if anyone cleans up his act and rids himself from any false teaching and false ideas about God, that person can become a “vessel of honor” and be useful for “every good work.”

I hate to be fooled by a fake, but know that I don’t need to study false teaching so I can spot it. Someone told me he saw a wall of counterfeit bills under glass at the Franklin Mint in the U.S.A. He asked the security guard how much time they spent studying these bills. The man said none; to spot a phoney, they study the real money. By being familiar with it, fakes become obvious.

Paul said the same thing. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed (or duped), rightly dividing the word of truth.” That last phrase means to “cut it straight” as a carpenter would, be accurate. Anything less than that is shameful.

In my mind, false teachers seem easy to spot; they do not know the Bible. The parts that they do know are interpreted out of context, and made to say something that suits the false teacher’s agenda. But that does not mean I’m infallible and can never be fooled. Paul’s command to be diligent applies to me too, especially when I think I know the fakes. The Bible says that pride goes before a fall, so I must not boast that I know God’s Word. Instead, I need to remember that I’m easy to fool—and I can’t tell the difference between a genuine $45,000 Louis Vuitton and a $35 knock-off.