Session 1: Introduction and Overview

WHY STUDY THE BIBLE?

The Bible is an unusual Book

  • The Authors: Some forty different men from every walk of life over a period of some 2000 years assembled some 66 Books that all point to the same Person and presents the same message
  • The accuracy of the Bible: Regardless of the fact that the Bible was written by such men of varied backgrounds and over such a long period of time, it still gives evidence of unusual accuracy when it speaks about history, prophecy and even science
  • The Bible claims Itself to be the inspired Word of God (2 Tim 3:16)
  • The Bible is the only authoritative source explaining the way of salvation through Jesus Christ and faith in Him
  • Studying the Bible changes the attitude of the person toward practicing sin and cleanses his life
  • The study of the Scriptures matures the believer
  • God commands the we study the Bible

PRE-REQUISITES FOR BIBLE STUDY

  1. A Personal Relationship with Christ as Savior
  2. A Confidence in the Authority of the Scriptures as the Word of God
  3. A Desire for a Pure Heart
  4. Prayer
  5. An Intense Desire to Understand the Word and to Remember What the Scriptures Teach
  6. Practice

OBSERVATION: WHAT DOES IT SAY?

  1. Read: Repeatedly, Thoughtfully, Prayerfully, Thoroughly, Imaginatively, Personally, Aloud
  2. Look for: Who, What, When, Where, How, Why
  3. Dig for: Repetition, Figurative Language, General to Specific, Specific to General, Logical Connectives

INTERPRETATION: WHAT IS MEANT BY WHAT IS SAID?

  1. The Principle of Context
  2. The Principle of History
  3. The Principle of Language

APPLICATION: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ME?

Application is the purpose of Bible study (II Timothy 3: 16, 17), and until we let our faith and our knowledge of the Bible change our lives through using Scriptural principles, our study will be meaningless.

  1. Principles – Of application
  2. Must be based on a proper interpretation of the Scriptures.
  3. Must be specific. Discover the teaching of the Scripture and apply it specifically to the need or the problem.
  4. Must be in terms of a principle. DON’T SPIRITUALIZE.
  5. Must be behavioral, changing the beliefs, attitudes and actions of the believer.

Assignment for Next Session: Read Luke 10:19 using the Observation tool, looking for key words to reveal the meaning.