Four Steps to Study Bible Texts

I posted this when this blog was hosted elsewhere on 5 Jan 2016

Using the four steps to study Bible texts

Category          Daily Bible Study

[From my Christian Brother Daniel Dickey]

Using the Four Steps to Study Bible Texts

Try using the four steps on a text of your choice from any Bible book. All you need is a Bible, a pen, some paper, and about 30 minutes.

1. Pray: Pray before and throughout your study of the Bible

Start by praising and worshiping God. Confess your sins. Ask God for the Holy Spirit’s help so you can correctly understand and apply God’s Word to your life today. Do not proceed to the next step until you have done this.

2. Say: What does the text say?

Select a text to study from any Bible Book. Write the reference (book, chapter, and verse) here:

Now read the text carefully and study the text you chose. All observations should be based on what the text actually says. Write your observations here.

Some Additional Guidance

Observe:[1] Ask questions like…

·       Who is talking?

·       What is the theme?

·       Where is this happening?

·       When is this happening?

·       Why did this happen?

·       How is god working?

3. Mean: What does the text mean in its context?

Determine what the author intended to communicate to the first readers according to the context. The following questions will help you do this for your text.

What is the immediate context for the text you chose? (Hint: use paragraph breaks, subtitles, and chapter breaks to help you.) . What is the larger context? Remember that it always helps to study a larger context than is necessary, but studying too small a context can lead to error.

Now read at least the immediate context and answer the following question to the best of your ability. For some texts, you may need to read a larger context. According to the context, what did the author intend your text to communicate to the first readers?

Briefly write down any questions you have about what the text means. These questions can be helpful for future study. God can use them to help you understand the Bible better.

The complete context of every text also includes the language, the culture, the historical background, and the setting of the author and first readers. Helpful resources would be a Study Bible, Bible Dictionary, Bible Encyclopedia, Greek Lexicon and Interlinear/Reverse Interlinear Bible.

4. Apply: How will I apply this text to my life today?

Whenever we study the Scriptures we should also determine what God is saying to us personally and make a plan to put that into practice. To do that, you can ask God, “What do You want me to do as a result of my study of Your Word?”

While praying, make a practical plan to apply what you have learned from God’s Word to your life. To make a plan, answer the following questions:

•     What will I do?

•     When will I do it?

•     Where will I do it?

•     How will I do it?

Review your plan. Is it something you can do today? Does it include a way for you to know when you have completed it? If not, revise your plan.^[2]

Here is an Acrostic to help Apply God’s Word

PRECEPTS: Prayer to pray, Reason to praise, Error to avoid, Command to obey, Example to follow, Promise to claim, Truth to believe, Sin to Confess.

So remember PRECEPTS and after studying the text ask yourself, is there a…

ü  Prayer to pray

ü  Reason to praise

ü  Error to avoid

ü  Command to obey

ü  Example to follow

ü  Promise to claim

ü  Truth to believe

ü  Sin to Confess

From my Christian brother Daniel Dickey

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[1] How to Study the Bible (Answers in Genesis)

^[2] French, R. A. (1999). Diving for pearls in God’s treasure chest: an easy way to study the Bible. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Peril in the Last Days

I don't have the Sunday School lesson book yet, so this is a substitute lesson.

Peril in the Last Days

Theme:  Standing firm in the faith.

Objectives:

Know: The last days are going to be awful times. The last days are today.

Think: We need to be prepared to defend the faith by knowing the Bible, true doctrine, and are able to answer questions challenging our faith.

Do: Study the Bible and its doctrine, study apologetics, and pray to be prepared in wisdom and grace.

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:1-9

Notes and questions:

B1 Paul is writing to Timothy. This is one, if not the last, of Paul's writings before he dies for the faith (~68AD). This was written approximately 65-67 AD. Timothy was pastor at Ephesus.

B2 Outline

• Character traits of the last days people--2 Timothy 3:1-5
• Actions of the last days people--2 Timothy 3:6-9

B3 Definitions

• Lovers of themselves (G5367) They are narcissists. A Narcissist believes themselves to be superior to others and demands the attention that they are special.
• Characteristics
• DSM-5 criteria for narcissistic personality disorder include these features:
• Having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
• Expecting to be recognized as superior even without achievements that warrant it
• Exaggerating your achievements and talents
• Being preoccupied with fantasies about success, power, brilliance, beauty or the perfect mate
• Believing that you are superior and can only be understood by or associate with equally special people
• Requiring constant admiration
• Having a sense of entitlement
• Expecting special favors and unquestioning compliance with your expectations
• Taking advantage of others to get what you want
• Having an inability or unwillingness to recognize the needs and feelings of others
• Being envious of others and believing others envy you
• Behaving in an arrogant or haughty manner    Source
• Development--often by parental over evaluation, in other words, lying about their ability, telling the child that THEY are special, more than other children. See the link below.
• Self test See here
• How parents raise a child to be a narcissist. See here, which includes a short test to check your parenting skills.
• How did the Lord Jesus handle people problems? He tells them, us, and me the truth.
• Nicodemus--over and over again the Lord Jesus spoke the truth to Nicodemus, even to the point of ignoring his question. John 3:1-21
• The Young ruler--again telling the truth to the dismay of the young ruler. Matthew 19:16-22
• The Pharisees and scribes--again telling the truth, which made them very angry. Matthew 23:29-33
• Tax collector and Pharisee--told the people that the tax collector--hated by all--went home justified. Luke 18:9-14
• Lovers of money--these put earning money above anything else in life. The have no empathy, sympathy, kindness, etc. This is avarice. Compare Luke 12:15, Romans 1:29, 2 Peter 2:14
• Boastful--bragging about themselves. They have a hard time listening to others. See Jude 1:16, 2 Peter 2:18, Psalm 10:3
• Arrogant--this is the motivator for being boastful. It was the first sin. It was the sin of satan. It is haughtiness. Proverbs 6:16-17, Psalm 10:4, Proverbs 8:14, 1 Timothy 3:6, etc.
• Abusive--this may be verbal, physical, genital, financial, spiritual, etc. or any combination. Abuse of any type is the opposite of love as taught in 1 Corinthians 13. The word is blasphemy and the context shows that it refers to blaspheming anyone including God.
• Disobedient to their parents--this doesn't refer to parental commands that are illegal as, "Go murder Jones." It refers to house rules and the commands given in the New Testament.
• Unthankful--especially towards God. People not thanking others for a kindness are also becoming more and more common. Ezekiel 22:7, Romans 1:20-21.
• Unholy--the word for holiness in Greek signifies a separation, both from what is evil and to what is good. Good and evil are defined by God in the Bible. These people then are the opposite. They are separated from what is good and to what is not good. Isaiah 5:20. See also Malachi 2:17.
• Without natural affection--that is, without love for anyone other than themselves. The word suggests "without natural love." Natural love would be the love of family, children, etc. where one would think there would be kindness and love. I would think it could also apply to friends when they turn against their them. Matthew 10:21
• Impossible to please--will not forgive or ask for forgiveness. Proverbs 30:15, 2 Peter 2:13-15
• False accusers--telling lies about another person to hurt their reputation. Acts 6:11-15, Matthew 26:59-60, Matthew 15:19
• Without self-control--do whatever they want and in many ways do not and cannot stop. 1 Samuel 20:30, Proverbs 16:32, 1 Corinthians 9:25
• Brutal--the word suggests something fierce and savage. When they fight, they fight with everything they got. It goes with a lack of self-control. Causing pain in others is enjoyable. This is senseless violence.Genesis 4:8 (1 John 3:12-15), Luke 11:49-51, 2 Kings 24:1-4
• Despise those who are good--they hate good, as defined by God, and thus will oppose God's standards and God's people verbally and/or physically. The idea is to be hostile, even to hate, good and good people. Isaiah 53:3, Luke 10:16, 1 Thessalonians 4:8, Luke 6:16
• Traitors--this is someone you trust, you then turns against you as Luke 6:16. A traitor can be one who turns against standards, rules, doctrine, God, people, family, friend, etc. How does one become a traitor? Something replaces their first love. They loved God; now they do not. Matthew 10:21,
• Reckless--impulsive, rash. It shows a disregard for others whether feelings or well being. These make decisions without thinking about the consequences. Acts 19:36. The opposite would be to think something out before acting or speaking.
• Conceited--is to think we are better than others. It is a form of bias, racism, even hate. They are not being truthful about themselves and their abilities (or lack thereof). Daniel 5:20, Psalm 10:4, Esther 3:5, Mark 12:38-39
• Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God--priorities do make a difference. Proverbs 21:17, Luke 8:14, 2 Thessalonians 2:12, Hebrews 11:26
• Having a form of godliness--outward only. They are religious and spiritual, but there is no change in character. They just pretend to be godly. Matthew 23:27, Matthew 6:2, Mark 7:6

B2 As we consider these character traits, let us share how people displayed this trait to us, how we might have done this trait, why God is against these traits, and how to avoid them.

B3 The rule of the Holy Spirit concerning these is--"having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from these people turn away!" (2 Timothy 3:5, EMTV)

B4 2 Timothy 3:6, have you ever heard this type of "preacher?" These "preachers" promise easy forgiveness or positive agreements for the sin. This is the type of preacher who just dismisses sin, dismisses guilt, makes someone feel good and loved by God without repentance.

B5 2 Timothy 3:7, what is missing in these evil preachers? Truth

B6 2 Timothy 3:8, what 3 character traits are listed about these fakes? Why should we be the exact opposite of them? Why don’t they care about the truth? How did they corrupt their mind? Reprobate means they have rejected the faith, thus they are disapproved and worthless.

B7 2 Timothy 3:9, how will these fake preachers be outed, shown to be false, to all?

Amazing Grace

Beautiful

A Passionate Defense

Theme: Defending the faith

Objectives:

Know: The church leaders at Jerusalem confirmed that Gentiles did not have to be circumcised and keep the ceremonial Law of Moses in order to be saved.

Think: Live with the understanding that salvation is by grace through faith for all people.

Do: Defend the truth of the gospel, opposing those who teach that works are necessary for salvation.

Scriptures: Acts 15:1-35

Notes and questions:

B1 Outline

• The Jerusalem Council Acts 15:1-21
• The Letter of decision Acts 15:22-35
• The disagreement between Paul and Barnabas Acts 15:36-41

B2 The question--

• What is the Gospel?
• How to be saved.
• Is there a different Gospel for Jews and for Gentiles?

B3 What does circumcision have to do with salvation?

• Different views among the Jews. Some ideas follows:
• Sacrifice of the male with the blood from the circumcision accepted in its place.
• Full covenant with God.
• Identification of the male with God.
• Fulfillment of the covenant, that is, makes them full Jews (without circumcision they are still Jews but not of the covenant).
• In time of Acts 15 a proselyte was to be baptized and circumcised in order to enter the covenant.
• Thus some taught that if no circumcision, then no salvation.
• Barnes in his commentary on this passage writes: For,
• (1.) it would be maintained that the laws of Moses were the laws of God, and were therefore unchangeable; and,
• (2.) it would doubtless be maintained that the religion of the Messiah was only a completing and perfecting of the Jewish religion; that it was designed simply to carry out its principles according to the promises, and not to subvert and destroy anything that had been established by Divine authority. It is usually not difficult to perplex and embarrass young converts with questions of modes, and rites, and forms of religion; and it is not uncommon that a revival is followed by some contention just like this. Opposing sects urge the claims of their peculiar rites, and seek to make proselytes, and introduce contention and strife into an otherwise peaceful and happy Christian community.
• Compare Genesis 17:14 and Exodus 12:48-49.
• Compare
• Romans 4:9-12 Does this blessing then come upon the circumcision, or also upon the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was credited to Abraham as righteousness. How then was it credited? While he was circumcised, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while in uncircumcision, so that he should be the father of all those that believe, although uncircumcised, so that righteousness should also be imputed to them, and the father of circumcision to those not only of circumcision, but also to those following in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while in uncircumcision. Romans 4:9-12 EMTV
• Galatians 5:1-6 Stand fast therefore in the freedom in which Christ has made us free, and do not be loaded down again with a yoke of bondage. Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. And I testify again to every man who becomes circumcised that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You have become estranged from Christ, you who are justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we by the Spirit eagerly await for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love. Galatians 5:1-6 EMTV)

B4 Name some ways that people attack Christianity and the preaching of the Gospel?

B5 How was the Gospel attacked in Acts 15:1-5?

B6 Did this situation have legitimate questions and concern?

B7 Why was there "sharp dispute and debate?" Is it right for Christians to do this?

B8 Acts 15:6-11

• The greatest words in this passage are "... for he purified their hearts by faith."
• What was Peter referring to when he said, "God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us?"
• Why is the Gospel ONLY by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone?
• What is wrong with our "good works?" Why don't our good works help us into heaven? See Ephesians 2:8, Galatians 2:16, and Isaiah 64:6.
• Name some ways groups and people teach are necessary in order to be saved?

B9 Acts 15:12-21

• What did James do to confirm Peter's message? He quoted from Amos 9:11-12 (11) In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up its breaches; and I will raise up its ruins, and I will rebuild it as in the days of old: (12) That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the nations, who are called by my name, says the LORD that does this. (Amos 9:11-12KJ2000)
• Brian Williams, a pastor living in Buffalo, NY area, writes, "Peter was very deliberate in his speech to make it clear that this evangelism of the Gentiles was the work of God and not man. According to Peter, God made a choice (Acts 15:7), God knows the human heart (Acts 15:8), God cleansed their hearts (Acts 15:8), and God made no distinction between them and Jewish believers (Acts 15:9). The implication is that the Gentiles had been saved by faith alone, apart from being circumcised. Any attempt then at requiring the Gentiles to be circumcised would have two results. First, they would be testing or provoking God, and second, they would be putting on the followers of Christ an unbearable yoke (Acts 15:10). As the Jews typically viewed themselves as being the original recipients of God's favor, Peter turned this around in verse 11 (Acts 15:11) by stating that they (the Jews) would be saved by grace alone, just as the Gentiles were."
• What are the things that Gentiles who believe are NOT to do, and what are they to do?
• Do these 4 things have any authority for today's believers? Give some examples of application for these 4 rules.

B10 Acts 15:22-29 speaks of the decision to write a letter and who will deliver it to the Gentiles in Antioch. It also is the letter itself.

B11 Acts 15:30-35, what was the response of the believers in Antioch?

B12 Acts 15:36-41 speak of the disagreement between Paul and Barnabas concerning John Mark.

B13 Give some examples of false gospels you have heard preached at funerals, meetings, TELevangelists, on the radio, read, etc.

B14 How would we tell these people the truth? Will we be believed?

B15 How to we deal with false converts?

B16 Is it worth disagreeing with people over what the Gospel is or is not?

B17 What are some things (doctrinally) that we cannot compromise?

B18 What are some things (practically or culturally) that we can allow differences?