BIBLE STUDY

If someone wishes to learn about science or history or geography or math there is only one way to progress in knowledge of these things. It is by studying and the more diligently one studies and the longer one studies the more progress he will make. This is true of all things material. It can also be true of Bible doctrine. However, if I want to know God or if I want to have a true grasp of spiritual truths or if I want to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is real and that he speaks through His Written Word this will not be gained by studying, at least not by study alone. This is gained by obedience. I study the Bible to know what God said so that I can obey.

For example John 7:17 reads. “If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine” If you read the context Jesus was speaking specifically to the Jews who doubted whether He was truly of God.  John 14:21 is even more pointed, “He that hath My commandments, and keepeth them — I will love him and manifest myself to him.”

There are two verses, one in the Old Testament and one in the New Testament, which carry somewhat of a same thought.  In Proverbs 8:8,9 we read: All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing forward or perverse in them. They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.  In other words, a Christian reads the Bible and everything sounds so “right to them that find knowledge”. Proverbs 9:10 (and many other verses) sheds light on this “The knowledge of the holy is understanding”.  That’s in the Old Testament.

In the New Testament we find the same thought but even more so. Remember that after Pentecost the church has the Holy Spirit. In 1John 2:21 John writes, “I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it” In other words John is saying the Holy Spirit speaks through me to you. The same indwelling Holy Spirit in the believer puts the “Amen” in their hearts. The believer has this built in Amen. Obedience to the Word of God helps to develop it. Hebrews 5:14