Habits of Faith #4 - Bible Study

 2 Timothy 3:15-17 (NKJV)

^3:15 and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The Bible is Amazing

Personal Bible Study cannot be stressed enough!  It’s the Bible:  It’s 66 books, 40+ authors took 1,500 years to write. The Bible is a book but it’s also a “living spirit.” Let’s look at what Paul is saying in verse 16:

¹⁶ All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,

What does he mean by that? 

(Psalm 119:97-98)

Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; For they are ever with me.

(Psalm 119:105-106)  

Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. I have sworn and confirmed That I will keep Your righteous judgments.

In Psalm 119 all of these writers are talking about The Word of God. They’re talking about the Old Testament.  Paul is talking about the Old Testament…about the law.  They weren’t talking about the New Testament, because it hadn’t been written yet.  They were meditating on the Old Testament.

(Psalm 119:103)

How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth!

(“sweeter than honey in my mouth”) There is a Jewish tradition that as children were being taught to study the Torah, a bit of honey would be spread on a page, so that they could lick it off.  This was to illustrate that the Word of God is sweeter than honey.

The Bible is a book of miracles; the Bible itself is a miracle.

In 1924, Charles Mallory, a mountaineer and early explorer of Mount Everest, was asked the question, “Why do you want to climb Everest?”  His answer was, “Because it’s there!”  The Word of God can never be exhausted.  The Word of God speaks to human nature, not just in the past but today. So, when some people are asked why they study the Bible, they will answer in the same way Mallory did…because it’s there.

The Bible is timeless! In the year 367 the Bishop of Alexandria wrote a letter to the other churches.  In that letter he mentions the 27 books of the New Testament…The reason that’s important is because those 27 books are the same 27 books we read today.  The Word of God has not changed and it can apply to life in the 21^st century as it did in the 3^rd century.

The Bible’s Foundation

(Psalm 89:14)

Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Mercy and truth go before Your face.

What is the foundation of the Bible? It’s the Old Testament; it’s the Jewish Bible.  The temple was destroyed 40 years after Jesus died.  So, the Jewish experience changed from a location (the Temple) to a religion based on words.  It went from the Temple to the synagogue, from the priests in the temple to a rabbi (teacher).  As a result, the Jews created what we recognize as modern religion, based on the written scriptures. The 24 books of the Jewish Bible (Torah) are the same as the 39 books of the Protestant Bible.  The same information but organized in a different way.  Example, the Jews have the Book of Samuel.  We have the same book but have broken it up into 2 parts, 1^st and 2^nd Samuel. 1930 years of shared canon. (Canon means reed, used to measure.  In this case the measure or study of the Old Testament.) All of this is to say That what we study to day is ancient and unchanged from those days.  God has not changed from ancient times to now.

(Malachi 3:6)

"For I am the LORD, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.

   If God hasn’t changed it’s safe to say that His Word and His commands haven’t changed either.

The Bible IS the Word of God

All scripture is indeed God-breathed. 

(2 Timothy 3:16)

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

So Paul is talking to Timothy about the Old Testament.  Paul is saying that these Christians were living out the Old Testament as they were living IN the New. They adhere to the Old as they live in the new.

(Matthew 24:35)

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

Illustration:  I was once asked to show someone where it says in the NEW TESTAMENT that we should tithe.  Obviously, he was looking for an out to tithing.  But what did Jesus say?

(Matthew 5:17)

"Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

Basically, I didn’t come to change the law or the words of the prophets I came to fulfill them.  So, we are still subject to Old Testament commands, like tithing, or obeying the 10 commandments.

The Old Testament is the foundation as we live out the New Testament.

(2 Timothy 4:13)

Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come—and the books, especially the parchments.

He’s talking about the scriptures (the scrolls).  He’s telling Timothy that those things are important to him. He’s speaking to us as well.

It’s important to study our Bibles. It’s important to gain understanding of what the Bibles says to us in 21^st century.  The Bible is still all the things Paul said.  It’s profitable for doctrine (a proper understanding of God’s words and commands), reproof (conviction of sin), correction, and instruction in righteousness (living a Christian lifestyle.)

There is treasure hidden in the Bible. 

(Matthew 13:44). 

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

The question is what do we do with that treasure when we find it. Do we go back to it.  Do we allow that treasure to be hidden in our hearts, where we can return to it over and over?  To lock it into our lives, and become a part of who we are?  Do we use it for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness?

(John 20:22) “He breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’”

Paul said:  Amplified Version

2 Timothy 3:16 (AMP)
^3:16 Every Scripture is God-breathed…

While the Old Testament is the foundation of the Bible, the New Testaament is equally important for us to study.  In it we find the words and teachings of Jesus written by eyewitnesses of Jesus’ ministry.  The things He did, the words He spoke. (The Gospels)  The Book of Acts shows us the Christian lifestyle. In the epistles we can see applications of Jesus’ teachings, and application of Old Testament stories.  Finally, in Revelation the prophecy of the last days is revealed. 

How Can the Bible help You?

Let me show you how the Bible can help us:

 Scripture Protects us. 

 (Ephesians 6:17)

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

 The word of God is like a sword.  It is both a defensive weapon and an offensive weapon.  We can use the Word of God to protect us against the assaults of Satan:

 (Luke 4:1-4)

Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry. And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread." But Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE, BUT BY EVERY WORD OF GOD.' "

So here the devil tries to tempt Jesus to put His flesh before the things of God.  Jesus tells Him that IT IS WRITTEN – man doesn’t live by bread alone BUT by every WORD of GOD!  The Word of God is the key to LIFE.

(Luke 4:5-8)

Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours." And Jesus answered and said to him, "Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, 'YOU SHALL WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND HIM ONLY YOU SHALL SERVE.' "

Now, the devil tries to tempt Him with wealth and power.  You can have everything the world has to offer if you worship me.  You can be a king and not have to suffer.  It’s a shortcut to your kingdom.  Jesus answers “IT IS WRIITEN,” and quotes the scriptures to Him.

(Luke 4:9-12)

Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written: 'HE SHALL GIVE HIS ANGELS CHARGE OVER YOU, TO KEEP YOU,' and, 'IN THEIR HANDS THEY SHALL BEAR YOU UP, LEST YOU DASH YOUR FOOT AGAINST A STONE.' " And Jesus answered and said to him, "It has been said, 'YOU SHALL NOT TEMPT THE LORD YOUR GOD.' "

Now the devil tries to trick him by quoting scripture out of context.  He tries to get Him to sin through presumption.  I know what God will do.  That makes a situation where you are making your will God’s will.  But Jesus knows the written word of God and again uses it to defeat the temptation.  Then this happens:

(Luke 4:13)

Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.

The devil retreats from Him until He can catch Him off guard.  If you want protection from temptation and sin STUDY the Word of God.

You can defend yourself against his attacks by ruminating on the word of God.  To ruminate means to bring up and chew over again.  Like Cows do.  They eat some grass and then they bring it up again and chew it over again.  That’s called chewing their cud.  We can do that by reading our Bible in the morning and then throughout the day, meditating on what we read.  This helps us to avoid temptations.  We can also bring up verses that help us to turn back temptation.

Finally, what is the best way to study the Bible?  The best way to study is the way that you will actually do.  It’s like exercising, what’s the best workout?  My doctor tells me that the best workout for me is one that I’ll do.  He didn’t say running, or weight lifting or Pilates or whatever.  He said which one will you do?  Do that one.  It doesn’t do me any good to choose a workout method, if I won’t ever do it.

The main point is to have a regular, consistent time spent studying the word of God.  Time where you can read and ruminate on God’s Word.  Think about the meaning, apply it to your life, honestly.  (Does what I’m reading expose some sin in my life?  Does it convict me?) If so, then change according to God’s word.