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"is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any
twoedged sword"- it cuts deep, both ways- "and is
a discerner of the thoughts and
intents
of the heart."
Yes, it opens up and lays bare the inner man.
Too often men have applied sorne different
meaning to the scriptures that reproved them. They
have passed right over sorne scriptures that corrected
and rebuked them. Instead they studied diligently to
find sorne other scripture into which they could read
a meaning that would justify their course of action.
That is how men began, centuries ago, to interpret
the Bible. And so God' s Word has become
perverted, twisted, wrested, distorted. And almost
every false and counterfeit meaning imaginable is
read into it instead of seeing the natural
meaning-the plain, simple meaning God intended.
Today we have hundreds of interpretations of the
Bible. But you never hear of hundreds of
interpretations of a biology textboo'k. Why? Because
biology textbooks do not rebuke and correct men .
Instead of acknowledging the truth, repenting of
the sin, having it legally justified by the blood of
Christ, men seek to justify their own acts by
perverting the sacred and holy Word of God.
The time truly has long since come when the
many will not endure sound doctrine (II Tim.
4:3-4). Men have turned away their ears from the
truth and have turned unto fables. These fables are
palmed off as the truth of God's Word.
These are the days when Isaiah prophesied men
would demand, " Prophesy [preach] not unto us right
things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy
deceits" (lsa. 30:8-11) .
Now notice 1 Corinthians 2: 14: "The natural
man"-the natural-boro, unconverted
mind-"receiveth not the tbings of the Spirit of
God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can
he know them, because they are
spiritual/y
discerned."
They are revealed by God's Spirit.
It
requires the Holy Spirit to open up the human
mind to understanding this marvelous revelation of
God (John 16:13) .
When we receive the Holy Spirit- when the
mind becomes Spirit-led- then through this
supernatural process of God, spiritual knowledge
is revealed and the spiritual mind can begin to
understand.
And the conditions in the Bible for receiving
God's Holy Spirit are two: Repent and believe. But
repent means more than being sorry. 1t means a
complete yielding to the will of God expressed in his
Word.
lt
is a complete willingness to accept and to
do
what it teaches, no matter what the cost, the
persecution, the sacrifice or the effort.
Jesus said, "My doctrine is not mine, but his that
sent me.
If
any man will do his will, he shall know
of the doctrine ..." (John 7:16-17).
If
you will
surrender
to the will of God, Jesus says you shall
come to understand the Bible.
People do not understand the Bible because they
are filled with the fear of men instead of the fear of
God. They tremble at the thought of what people
2
say, but we had all better begin to tremble at the
Word of the Living God!
King David had understanding. He said, "Thy
word is a lamp unto my feet , and a light unto my
path" (Ps. 119:1 05).
Today' s generation is like that of Jesus' day when he
said, " And this is the condemnation, that light is come
into the world, and men loved darkness ratber than
ligbt , because their deeds were evil" (John 3:19) .
The Bible gives
light.
It
is a lamp before our feet.
It is a light to our path. Yet the world is in gross
darkness. Why will men prefer to stumble on in the
darkness with al! its attendant misery, suffering,
unhappiness and death when there is a light that will
illuminate our pathway out of darkness into the
glorious light of peace, happiness, joy and eterna!
life? God's Word is light to walk in.
How, then, can you understand the Bible? First,
surr~nder
to God and the authority of bis Word.
Forsake your ways, your thoughts and those of the
society in this world. Then do as God says and begin
to study the Bible.
Study to find truth and to show yourself approved
unto God (11 Tim. 2:15). Ask God for gu-idance and
to reveal the true meaning. Then believe God.
Believe his Word. Accept its plain and simple
meaning just as you would accept any other book in
which you had confidence.
Be careful to
prove
all things (1 Thess. 5:21 ). Be
cautious. Avoid jumping to hasty conclusions or
taking things carelessly for granted.
And above all, do not try to interpret the Bible.
The Bible interprets itself.
Be open-minded and teachable. Read without
prejudice. But be careful to prove all things. Search the
Scriptures to see whether those things you read are so.
Briefty about the actual method of Bible study:
The right spirit, the right attitude, being willing to
be corrected and reproved- that is the main thing.
Try studying the Bible on your knees. Pray as you
study. Pray for guidance and for understanding.
You' ll be surprised at the results.
If
any man lack
wisdom, let him ask of God (Jas. 1:5).
Then remember that the verses, as we find them
divided in the most-used translations, are merely for
convenience. Sorne verses are only part of a single
sentence. Be sure you get the whole thought.
It is often necessary to read the whole chapter, or
even the whole book, to rightly understand any one
verse in its proper setting. Be sure you get the
meaning intended in that chapter and book.
And then study a subject at a time. Find every
passage in the Bible relating to that subject. To do
so, use a good concordance and the marginal
references in your Bible. All tbe truth on any
subject does not necessarily appear in one place or
one text. But you'll get it here a little and there a
little as Isaiah said (lsa. 28:9-10).
Furthermore, the Bible provides the proper
approach toward the acquisition of aH knowledge
that is discoverable by man. No one can be properly
educated except by and through it. o
The PLAIN TRUTH