Important Bible Study Keys
· “It shall greatly help ye to understand the Scriptures if thou mark not only what is spoken or written, but of whom and to whom, with what words, at what time, where, to what intent, with what circumstances, considering what goeth before and what followeth after. ” Miles Coverdale, First Full English Bible Translator, 16th Century
· “Whatsoever things that were written aforetime (meaning the Old Testament) were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” (Romans 15: 4) The Apostle Paul is telling us that we are to learn from the Old Testament “that we…might have hope”. That word “hope” (Strong’s Concordance #1679 & 1680) ties back to the definition of “faith” which says: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for…” That “hope” was and is that we will be / have been restored to God through Christ Jesus. following our separation due to sin. We learn from the successes and failures of mankind, not just Israel, as written in the scriptures.
· As you study the New Testament, be aware of both the order and content of Paul’s Epistles. In his final letter to his protégé` Timothy he provided this guidance: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” (2 Timothy 3: 16-17) Note that Romans and Ephesians are both linked by their focus on “doctrine” (teaching); Corinthians is linked to Philippians by their focus on “reproof” (proof / evidence); and Galatians is linked to Colossians for “correction” (of mis-beliefs). Then the two letters to the Thessalonians both provide “instruction in righteousness”. The first of each of these pairs of Epistles addresses the basic principles of the concept (such as “doctrine”) resulting from Paul’s missionary work. With the exception of the letters to the Thessalonians, the second of the pair provides deeper insight that the Ascended Lord Jesus revealed to Paul while he was in prison in Rome…and they are known as the “Prison Epistles”. These letters are not found in our Bible in the chronological order in which he wrote them, but they are presented in the order that the Holy Spirit has placed them later through the gifted men who assembled our Bible. (http://www.lesfeldick.org/lesbk35.html , Lesson One, Part Two); (https://www.biblestudytools.com/resources/guide-to-bible-study/order-books-new-testament.html )
· Pay close attention to the words of the Apostle Paul to his young protégé` Timothy: “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) A primary way to “rightly divide” the scripture is to follow Miles Coverdale’s advice in separating those things written to Israel (under the Abrahamic Covenant / related to the Gospel of the Kingdom / Law of Moses), from those things written to all (especially Gentiles / related to the Gospel of Grace / freedom from the Law). Separate what our Lord Jesus did and said during His Earthly Ministry as captured in the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, from what He did and said following His death, burial, resurrection and Ascension…but remember, we learn from all.
· Scriptural confirmation that Man is composed of spirit, soul and body. (1 Thessalonians 5: 23) Believers are all the same in Christ. We are all the children of God. The Scripture generally uses the term “man” as the generic human being created as “Adam”. (Strong’s Concordance # 120) He does not see male or female, or Jew or Gentile. (Galatians 3: 26-28) [More will be added to this blog in another posting related to important distinctions regarding spirit, soul and body.]
· When believers were saved we were indwelt with the Holy Spirit. (John 14: 16-17); (https://www.gotquestions.org/indwelling-of-the-Holy-Spirit.html ) God sent the Spirit to be the “earnest” / downpayment for the coming redemption of our new physical bodies when we meet the Lord. (Ephesians 1: 13-14) Further, the Spirit confirmed that we became “children of God” and “joint-heirs with Christ.” (Romans 8: 14-17)
· As Christians, we have responsibilities to “bear fruit”, to demonstrate our love and thankfulness to our Lord Jesus Christ for what He has done for us. That includes reflecting the personal changes made in our soul after having received the indwelling Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5: 22-23) Further, through our actions and our personal testimony we are to influence others to follow the Lord. (https://www.gotquestions.org/fruitful-Christian.html )
· One of the important misconceptions among those who do not accept Bible teachings is that they do not consider themselves to be “sinners” (like others whose “sinful lives are obvious”. and therefore they don’t need “salvation”. They feel that they have lived “good lives” and therefore have no fears about a potential life after the death of this body. They do not understand that from God’s perspective, “all (men) have sinned” because of their “sin-nature” inherited from Adam. (Romans 3: 10, 11, 19-23) We aren’t declared to be “sinners” because we have sinned (even though we all have done so). God knows that we sin because we were born sinners, and we can’t change that inherited nature. That is why He took steps immediately after Adam’s sin to undo the curse of death that fell on all men when Adam disobeyed Him.
· Romans Chapter Three describes the logic in God’s Plan for the redemption of man. Following man’s continued downward spiral into “Unbelief” after Noah’s Flood, God chose Abram of Syria to be the Father of a new nation of people (Israel) through him Genesis 12: 1-3). As God’s “Chosen People”, He made them the stewards of His Holy Law (Mosaic Law: Exodus Chapters 19 and 20). By extending His love and blessings to His People Israel, and then exercising His judgements for wrong-doing, He would show them that even they (as His favored People) were unable to keep His Laws. (Deuteronomy Chapter 28) The purpose of the Law was to clearly define “sin” / wrong-doing for them and mankind in general since all were sinners. Having Israel become aware of their failure to achieve “righteousness” through their own efforts, through His love, God would send His own Son to pay for their unrighteousness and that of all mankind. His only requirement was and is that man (Jew and Gentile) make the choice to believe what He has done through the blood and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. The penalty of death for their (and our) sins / unrighteousness has been paid…and through His Resurrection, death, which was the fate of has been defeated. We need only to believe this by faith, to gain our eternal salvation. (1 Corinthians 15: 1-4; Romans 10: 9-13)
· In this Age of Grace, Christians are not to focus on trying to keep the Law of Moses / Ten Commandments. That was not the purpose of the Law. (See the comment in the bullet above.) Prior to even learning about God’s Moral Law, unsaved man was to be guided by his conscience to do good. (Romans 2: 14-15) [Although the word “conscience” does not appear in the Old Testament, we know that the first man Adam developed our human conscience when he ate of the “Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.” (Genesis Chapter Three). That conscience (knowledge of good vs evil) was man’s only guide for thousands of years.] Now that we have been saved as Christians, we have the influence of the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide us since the Law has been written in our hearts / souls. (2 Corinthians 3: 2-3) We are to love one another. The Scripture says: “If a man loveth another, he hath fulfilled the Law.” (Romans 13: 8) That word “love” is “agape love” having a focus on the social and moral best interests of the other person. (Strong’s Concordance # 25) (1 John 4: 7-21)
· Some Christians mistakenly believe
that our Lord Jesus had a focus on Gentiles during His Earthly Ministry.
However, the Bible scripture reveals that He commanded His disciples to “go not
into the way of the Gentiles…” (Matthew 10: 5). His own two notable exceptions
to this rule were in His healing the daughter of the persistent Canaanite woman
(Matthew 15: 21-28), and His healing the servant of the Roman Centurion who
believed in His power to heal all. (Matthew 8: 5-13) There were important
reasons for the Lord’s statements and actions in this regard. However, the
“time” to focus on Gentiles had not yet arrived. Remember the principle that He
revealed to Moses early in the Old Testament Scripture (Israel’s Torah): God
keeps things secret until He is ready to reveal them. When He does reveal them,
He expects us to believe them and act accordingly. (Deuteronomy 29: 29) That is why it is so important for Christians
to read the entire Bible, especially including the secrets / mysteries that the
Ascended Lord Jesus revealed to the Apostle Paul. More on that topic later.
Dr. W. A. (Bill) Robinson
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