Studying the Bible the Berean Way




To study the bible and get the full meaning it is important to identify several things:


  • The Main Point or Theme
  • Author
  • Time of Writing
  • Audience
  • Grammatical Analysis
  • Historical or Contextual Analysis
  • Literary Analysis
Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).

 First, we need to realize when we’re studying the Bible, that God has given different commands to different people at different times all through the Word of God.  Unless we realize that God has different instructions for different people at different times, we would have to conclude that the Bible is full of contradictions.

Second: When we study the Bible, we need to be careful to “rightly divide the Word of truth” (II Tim. 2:15) to be sure that we are applying God’s instructions for us today, and not God’s instructions to someone living in another dispensation.

Third, we see that a Bible teacher may be “biblical” and “scriptural” but he will be wrong if he is not “dispensational.”


Berean Bible Study Illustrated

Steps:

  1. Pray - God is the author of the Word, we must consult HIM to understand it.  Only the Spirit of God knows the thoughts of God (1 Cor 2:10-11).  We have the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16). (Matthew 7:7-8)
  2. Do not interpret the bible, allow the Word of God to Interpret itself. (2 Peter 1:20-21).
  3. Take the word literally unless necessary (when told it is figurative, etc)
  4. Do not add to the scriptures
  5. Read them in Context - including the text around it - who, what, when, where, why, and how?
  6. Recognize Vertical and Horizontal Truths. 
    • A Vertical Truth is a promise or command of God that is only applicable for the way He deals with his people at that point in time; it is dispensational. For example, Deuteronomy. 14:1-21 is applicable only under the Law (see Mark 7:19, Acts 10:15, and Romans 14)
    • A Horizontal Truth is a promise or command of God that is applicable at any time throughout Biblical History (Example: John 15:7 and Romans 8:28). A Horizontal Truth is applicable from Genesis to Revelation.
  7. Read the scriptures afresh each time you open the Bible as if you have never read it.   (It is a common tendency to skip over things that are familiar).  Don't try to force the scriptures to say what it doesn't say. Allow God to give you a new revelation each time, and wait till you have a received a revealed Word of God compared to what you already to know.
  8. Use a Modern Translation - Make sure your translation holds by the Truths of Christianity, Christ Crucified, Christ Divine 
    • KJV
    • NIV
    • NKJV
    • TLB - The Living Bible
    • New World Translation 
    • Koran
  9. Study Daily - set up a schedule like a 30-30 plan
  10. Follow a Plan
    • Search the Word - choose a subject or Study a Book
  11. Use Biblical Reference Materials  - concordance (let scripture compare scripture), Cross references, Biblical and secular dictionary, 
  12. MEDITATE on the Word - (Psalm 1:1-3, Proverbs 6:20-23) helps you memorize the Word and deposit it in your spirit man (Psalm 37:31, 119:11).
  13. Be Obedient to the Word - Faith without works is dead (James 2:17). We must receive the seed sown and bear fruit, some thirty, some sixty, some a hundredfold (Matthew 13:23 and John 15:7-8, 16).




Bible Study document

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