Bible study tips

Brainfreeze · Nov 9, 2014

It's good that your writing along to the scripture, more importantly write them on your heart. You can also write notes on questions about a scripture or your thoughts on that scripture. Writing helps with the study, it shows sincerity, dedication, interest, and something to go over. Take your time and when you don't understand something post it here, I'm sure someone will chime in on the subject.

Jason0047 · Nov 9, 2014

In reply to folks who want to debate me:

Look, my friends. Just stop. If somebody honestly wants to study God's Word shouldn't we encourage them to find their own way (With the leading of the Spirit) in doing so? Yet everyone here wants to turn it into a debate about this and that. Not interested. I will let the readers here decide on how they want to discover the Truth of God's Word. It is a journey that each person must take on their own and they will be held accountable to God in how they studied and how they treated others.

Anyways, love you all in Christ.

Peace be unto you.

JesusIsAll · Nov 9, 2014

In my experience, I've learned much, sometimes in leaps, over just days at times (progress seems incremental) by getting alone, in the quiet, with a Bible(s), a Bible dictionary, concordance, and asking the Lord to guide by His Spirit, then simply start studying whatever I'm inclined, led, to study (often curiosity driving sessions of study of some particular doctrine, chapter or prophetic matter). There are no counting the nights I've found myself studying until I could no longer keep my eyes open, as it was too interesting to sleep, really learning things! As to particulars, I'm of the school of literal Bible interpretation, that the Bible means what it says, unless it's clearly otherwise, which future prophecy proves, believe in studying context, not isolated one verse or word doctrines, entire chapters or more, and relating this to other related verses throughout the Bible, Old and New Testament, hence the concordance vital. The Bible is filled with harmony and unity that, when seen, therein is the truth. The Holy Spirit will bring you to remember things that tie holy scripture together. I liked going by JesusIsAll on CC, as, in the end, the entire Bible is about Jesus Christ, the whole of the faith, not any denomination, not ourselves, certainly not any cult which has added to God's word, but the beginning and end of all is Jesus. Any Christian ministry is Christ centered and Christ uplifting, not denomination uplifting, which is a fraud. Whatever you do, if you're not finding this more and more true, best to evaluate how you're learning, or who/what you're learning from.

Also, it can't be emphasized how much a Bible centered church ministry can advance your knowledge, Spirit filled scholars of the word of God already covering much ground you need not discover yourself: good, fundamental Bible preaching and teaching, through a Bible believing church, can radically advance your understanding. Adrian Rogers, in terms of media ministries, has always been my favorite, but there are others, somebody here mentioning John MacArthur lately, for instance. Lastly, Dallas Theological Seminary has some great commentary resources.

Hope and pray these things help you.

posthuman · Nov 9, 2014

Malcyboy said:

this makes me sad

blue_ladybug · Nov 9, 2014

Malcyboy said:

This may be a long shot question... but I really wanna get into my bible and start looking past the face value of it.

I mostly use my AKJV as my main text of choice with others a NKJV study bible should I lack undestanding of what the text is saying. My study bible also has a very very helpful topical study section where it lists a list of scriptures relevant to each subject, and is very full..

I also have a full bible commentary which has been really helpful and expands on the scripture...

Now heres my question...what do I actually do? lol I tend to open up my study bible at a subject, read the scriptures of a subject and then sit there thinking, "what next?" I don't know what I am actually doing... my church doesn't any bible studies, and so I feel like I am in a bit of a rut. Is there any point writing out scriptures in a notebook, since they are all listed in a topical section in my bible? BAH i dunno...

Help is welcome!

Malcyboy, there are online bible studies with quizzes that you can download so that you can study the bible, complete each quiz in each lesson, then go on to the next. I do a bible study--I will post the link for you when I get to it..

Malcyboy · Nov 9, 2014

Thanks for the input (not the debating but it IS the bible forum what did i expect lol) : its just sometimes like I read the scriptures, and I love the scriptures but I often wonder...what do I do next? like people talk about how the bible seems alive to them and there are scriptures that just jump out at them....but I can't say thats the case with me, I am not looking for feel good experiences, or mystical moments lol I just want the word of God to change my life, but I feel like, I dunno, I am recieving the scriptures but I dunno where to go with it...

crossnote · Nov 9, 2014

Malcyboy said:

Besides what has already been discussed and argued I would add...immerse and saturate yourself in God'word. It has the power to do the needed work of illumination and cleansing in an imperceptible way, that you'll look back in wonder thanking Him for it all.

Mark 10:15 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

elf3 · Nov 9, 2014

Malcyboy said:

Hey man good question. From what I have read from others there are some great ideas here. Now also understand that most people don't study the same way. Take for example my wife and I...I read a lot of deep theological books but with her she is more "basic" to the point. Now these are my own opinions and it's fine that others might disagree.

Personally I like more than two translations in study Bible form. Basically because of different words used and another commentary on a passage. I also like to read what others have said about certain passages either in books or in commentaries.

There are also dozens of ways to study the Bible. For example; word study, subject study, personality study, book study ect. ect.

Another thing I do is, as I look at a passage I will write down questions I might have then study those questions. And yep I have many notebooks I have written in.

As others have mentioned just posting questions here might help also. But first and foremost you must always, always rely on the Holy Spirit for guidance. Praying before you study is actually a must. Proverbs 3:5,6 " Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and he will make your paths straight."

Brother it's great to see your enthusiasm in wanting to study God's Word and don't get discouraged. God will guide you and lead you along your path.

Even though your church doesn't have Bible studies you can have some great ones here and enjoys meeting "new" brothers and sisters in Christ.

Kerry · Nov 9, 2014

well that young sick boy in mexico don't need theology, He needs the cross and the cross often times befuddles theology. It's like we get so smart were stupid. It simply is the cross.

ChristIsGod · Nov 10, 2014

Jason0047 said:

You started the debate after I posted about the Greek, that The Word was Written in and told us that only the KJV is God's Word.

What on earth do you think the 'translators' back over 400 years ago USED to get what you believe is our perfect translation? The best they had at the time for Lexicons/Greek DICTIONARIES ... that's all that a Lexicon is.
You say that the KJV is "divinely inspired & perfect like God's Word (KJV)" but refuse to see that the very DICTIONARIES that they had at the time are the Dictionaries that you tell us were written by men. Can't you see what you're saying?

The KJV is NOT PERFECT. Those translators from over 400 yrs ago made mistakes in their translations AND this generation of young people need at least a 1828 version of Webster's DICTIONARY to just get the archaic English that it's written in. There's no logic in what you're saying here, Brother. Those men translated their KJV from the same Textus Receptus that was the Greek that most scholars used before & after 1611 and even more parchments & fragments have been found since of the TR.

You knew when you wrote this post http://christianchat.com/bible-discussion-forum/102424-bible-study-tips.html#post1760132 that you were opening a can of worms with most that study from the ORIGINAL LANGUAGE that the KJV men did and then you get upset that we're debating you. You've discredited GOD'S WORD that was delivered to the Apostles by putting the KJV over The Language that GOD chose for "The Word of GOD" to be delivered by.

Is it possible that this OP-Brother may very possibly be a future teacher on a higher level than yourself? One that doesn't blaspheme the very language that GOD chose for His Word to be delivered in.
A language so exact that it uses 24 "the" with the declension of just that one article. Yes, 24 different types of the word "the" ..... That's how exact that language was and why God chose to use it and why the KJV translators used it to create the KJV over 400 yrs ago.... but their bias was seen in it as well as any other version.

Take the word "Easter" from the KJV and see that in the Greek it's "Passover".... just for one sign of bias.
There are much more that I could show where the KJV isn't a "inspired & perfect" from the manuscripts that comprise the Textus Receptus that they used.

Don't limit others from what God has His Language to the people and not - as you called it - from Babel and a "Dead language". Strong's numbering of each word was merely to help people find verses who only remember one word of a verse and to show where else that same word is used. He should be thanked for his doing so, for the sake of us now having a CONCORDANCE and his definitions are only based upon how the KJV interpreted those words and not a LEXICON.
True Lexicons are multiple volumes of correct definitions based upon not only the Bible's Textus Receptus, but how all of the writings in the ancient Greek were written and how the words were used.
The unique grammar of the ancient Greek that God chose, can make or break any given Doctrine/Teaching.

I never said that anyone needs to learn "Greek & Hebrew" --- I just threw this Bible Program out there that does it all for us now - doing the grammar and definitions and cross-referencing for us. How easy that is and why would that be frowned upon.

Again, to say that ANY English version is "divinely inspired and Perfect" is definitely not true and we should be free to disagree with such a statement and you should be big enough to be shown that those translators did have a bias and didn't have the amount of knowledge that we possess now to translate the Greek perfectly.

Repeating what I said earlier - I do stay with the KJV but I know without any hesitation that it is not Perfect and neither is any other version in English or any other language on earth - except the Greek that we have enough fragments, whole books & larger parchments of.
Suit yourself with what you don't care to do but don't try to discourage others in order to make them be like you and lambast the language that God Chose for The Word of GOD, when your own bias toward a semi-biased, only half-educated because of the time period version, used that very language in order to write what they put into their Archaic English.

The Word of GOD is very precious to me and men have died to keep the Textus Receptus from being defiled by others who would change it into Latin or English, etc or that did a revision/change of it and then called their revisted Greek edition by another name.

I can't see how you can feel picked on, after what you brazenly posted in posts 9 and 20. I'm very sad & sorry that you see it that way.

SoulWeaver · Nov 10, 2014

It is great to have as good translation as possible and access to the original text, but I believe that issue to be a bit overstressed. God's Spirit overrides the letter to deliver the message He wants directly into the heart when His word is being read. Even KJV is (proven) not perfect, although it is a better choice than many others.
Not saying this against anyone, just sayin'.

ChristIsGod · Nov 10, 2014

""but I believe that issue to be a bit overstressed.""

But EVERY translation of the 'Bible' needs to go back to the Original language or it's not His Word and that's where the sound Doctrine of the Church was lost. And it's only getting worse now - by departing from the Original language. Just look at "The Message" version. It's people's own words and the Original isn't even considered anymore.
This topic had me so wrenched inside all day today but I couldn't get back on here until this last hour.
They are making the bible like the telephone game rather than going back to The Lion's, The Lamb's, Our Shepherd's Original Voice/Words. That is why this is grieving me so. We're pushing the Original farther and farther away with every generation since. Grievious.

SoulWeaver · Nov 10, 2014

Yes, they even kicked some verses out of NIV. Horrible indeed.
I was mainly talking about legalizing the issue (like: only my translation is inspired, etc)

ChristIsGod · Nov 10, 2014

Yes that's true. That's why I prefer to read The Word with the original showing. When I read along with my cursor over these verses, the original language word and use pops up without clicking on it.
Example: James 3:1 MyG3450 brethren,G80 beG1096 notG3361 manyG4183 masters,G1320 knowingG1492 thatG3754 we shall receiveG2983 the greaterG3187 condemnation.G2917

No need to click on those numbers as you're reading - only if you want to really understand some particular word more fully. That's just how I like to read from this Bible Program - but if I'm just doing relaxed reading, I just pick up my Bible Book and let Him speak through it.
There's a balance between studying and just sitting and enjoying His Word as He points things out to us. I don't believe in one and not the other - that's all.

Thanks, Sis.

Jason0047 · Nov 10, 2014

ChristIsGod said:

First, in the beginning of this thread, someone disagreed with how I taught the Scriptures. I was challenged; And I gave a defense of my faith and beliefs. If they did not have a disagreement with me, and they said that the Hebrew and Greek should be on that list, I might have not said anything. For I am not in diagreement in doing Hebrew and Greek word studies, as long as one does not change the plain written meaning in the text within the English (KJV) to do so (See 2 Corinthians 2:17 in the KJV and then look at what it says in a few Modern Translations).

Second, I use Lexicons and Modern Translations. However, I do not believe they are inspired so I look at them as sifting thru the dirt to get to the actual gold which can be found in the KJV. So while I may use Modern Translations to help update the Old English from the 1600's at times, I do not make Modern Translations or Lexicons my final word of authority like the KJV.

Third, I am not new or biased to the topic of the KJV vs. Modern Translations type discussion. I have debated this issue and beat this horse dead a long time ago. My research and evidences point to the fact that the KJV is divinely inspired. What is that evidence? Check out my posts here.

Fourth, here is but a tip of the iceberg of the reasons why the KJV is more trust worthy than any Modern Translation.

#1. Elimination of the one verse that is the clearest on the teaching of the Trinity
(1 John 5:7 KJV).

#2. Elimination of the second part teaching on the "Condemnation."
(See John 3:19-21 KJV vs. Romans 8:1 KJV).

#3. Study to show yourself Approved unto God is changed to Show yourself Approved
(2 Timothy 2:15 KJV).

#4. We are not they that corrupt the Word is replaced with We are not they that peddle the Word
(2 Corinthians 2:17 KJV).

#5. Lucifer's name is in the ESV. The devil is wrongfully called "Day Star" (Another name for Jesus) in Isaiah 14:12.

#6. John is eliminated from standing on the seashore; This is important because Genesis 22 tells us that Abraham's descendants will possess the gate of Abraham's enemies (i.e. the devil and his kingdom).

But am I interested in debating this further at this time? I have written a lot already on this topic. I can redirect you to what I had written, but continuing to beat this dead horse is not what I am currently interested in doing at this time. I want to focus more on the Study of God's Word.

Peace and Blessings to you from the Lord.

Sincerely,

~Jason.

....

Jason0047 · Nov 10, 2014

Jason0047 said:

First, in the beginning of this thread, someone disagreed with how I taught the Scriptures. I was challenged; And I gave a defense of my faith and beliefs. If they did not have a disagreement with me, and they said that the Hebrew and Greek should be on that list, I might have not said anything. For I am not in diagreement in doing Hebrew and Greek word studies, as long as one does not change the plain written meaning in the text within the English (KJV) to do so (See 2 Corinthians 2:17 in the KJV and then look at what it says in a few Modern Translations).

Second, I use Lexicons and Modern Translations. However, I do not believe they are inspired so I look at them as sifting thru the dirt to get to the actual gold which can be found in the KJV. So while I may use Modern Translations to help update the Old English from the 1600's at times, I do not make Modern Translations or Lexicons my final word of authority like the KJV.

Third, I am not new or biased to the topic of the KJV vs. Modern Translations type discussion. I have debated this issue and beat this horse dead a long time ago. My research and evidences point to the fact that the KJV is divinely inspired. What is that evidence? Check out my posts here.

Fourth, here is but a tip of the iceberg of the reasons why the KJV is more trust worthy than any Modern Translation.

#1. Elimination of the one verse that is the clearest on the teaching of the Trinity
(1 John 5:7 KJV).

#2. Elimination of the second part teaching on the "Condemnation."
(See John 3:19-21 KJV vs. Romans 8:1 KJV).

#3. Study to show yourself Approved unto God is changed to Show yourself Approved
(2 Timothy 2:15 KJV).

#4. We are not they that corrupt the Word is replaced with We are not they that peddle the Word
(2 Corinthians 2:17 KJV).

#5. Lucifer's name is in the ESV. The devil is wrongfully called "Day Star" (Another name for Jesus) in Isaiah 14:12.

#6. John is eliminated from standing on the seashore; This is important because Genesis 22 tells us that Abraham's descendants will possess the gate of Abraham's enemies (i.e. the devil and his kingdom).

But am I interested in debating this further at this time? I have written a lot already on this topic. I can redirect you to what I had written, but continuing to beat this dead horse is not what I am currently interested in doing at this time. I want to focus more on the Study of God's Word.

Peace and Blessings to you from the Lord.

Sincerely,

~Jason.

....

Meant to say Lucifer's name is wrongfully placed in all of the Modern Translations and not just the ESV alone. But am I interested in debating it at this time? No. Been there and done that too many times. Maybe God will direct my heart to take up in debating this again. But for now, lets get back to the purpose of the thread (If anyone is truly interested in still discussing that).

Jason0047 · Nov 10, 2014

Here are more that should be added to the list when studying the Bible.

#7. Does one's interpretation or reading of the text work in regards to whom that text was written to? Knowing, who, what, where, and when is always important to take into consideration when reading the Bible.

#8. Knowing about the Figures of Speech in the Bible. E.W. Bullinger's Book on Figure's of Speech is a good one. But there are a lot of resources one can check out online, too. Anyways, knowing about the figures of speech in the Bible is important because there is a lot of metaphorical phrases that we would not understand by today's modern lingo.

Jason0047 · Nov 10, 2014

elf3 said:

Hey man good question. From what I have read from others there are some great ideas here. Now also understand that most people don't study the same way. Take for example my wife and I...I read a lot of deep theological books but with her she is more "basic" to the point. Now these are my own opinions and it's fine that others might disagree.

Personally I like more than two translations in study Bible form. Basically because of different words used and another commentary on a passage. I also like to read what others have said about certain passages either in books or in commentaries.

There are also dozens of ways to study the Bible. For example; word study, subject study, personality study, book study ect. ect.

Another thing I do is, as I look at a passage I will write down questions I might have then study those questions. And yep I have many notebooks I have written in.

As others have mentioned just posting questions here might help also. But first and foremost you must always, always rely on the Holy Spirit for guidance. Praying before you study is actually a must. Proverbs 3:5,6 " Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and he will make your paths straight."

Brother it's great to see your enthusiasm in wanting to study God's Word and don't get discouraged. God will guide you and lead you along your path.

Even though your church doesn't have Bible studies you can have some great ones here and enjoys meeting "new" brothers and sisters in Christ.

I believe studying just the Stories in the Bible is a good place to start. For it is the Story (i.e. Real Life Story) of Jesus Christ that brings a person to the faith to begin with. A Story of God's Love for all of mankind.

royalscot · Nov 10, 2014

this is only a small look into how vast this bible is. so study of this book needs basic english that can open up, basic plot,
so finding you own way, and with gods help.

7 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.9 Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone?10 Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he?11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!Matthew 7

always remember the time line to the bible is important. ie after 70 ad there is only 2 books jude and revelations.
so the history of events and time would fit in to a certain era. having a hand book to the bible is a must for serious study.

first bacis plot.
(remember when reading , god is asking, them, not you)

then ask what is god doing through them, or asking them to do.

without the history, of how (this,that) people of any given era,that is in the bible , lived and what they believed.

so in simple terms , the more facts you have,to that era the bigger the picture, you will see.

then ask what is god doing, through them, or asking them to do, or what is god doing.

so church is a must to new believers, because god will teach at your pace and level.

SoulWeaver · Nov 10, 2014

ChristIsGod said:

Thank YOU! I have downloaded and tried e-sword again yesterday thanks to you.
I tried to use it 3-4 years ago but back then I still found Bible software and sites like Blue Letter Bible kinda graphically overwhelming... so I looked into Strongs' directly when I needed it. This is much better now I think I can use it.

Bible study tips

Banned

Banned

JesusIsAll

Guest

Senior Member

Senior Member

Malcyboy

Guest

Senior Member

elf3

Guest

Kerry

Guest

ChristIsGod

Guest

Senior Member

ChristIsGod

Guest

Senior Member

ChristIsGod

Guest

Banned

Banned

Banned

Banned

Banned

Senior Member