Have you ever had a job where you were expected to perform a task you weren’t instructed on how to perform? Frustrating, right? Churches can often do this to people by expecting them to do something without providing them the requisite instruction on how and why they are supposed to engage in a discipline. Consider this series on disciplines as the introductory field guide on how to do the things you are being called to do. The manual we follow is the Bible. We don’t need church authority or religious tradition as an authority. These things can be helpful in some ways, but the Bible alone contains our instructions. This is why the first discipline, upon which all the other disciplines rest, is personal Bible reading and study.
For the next few weeks, I’ll lead you in a study to understand the many tools at your disposal for personal Scripture study. Equipped with these tools, I’ll then ask you to engage in the discipline of Bible reading. Like so much in life, you will get out of these activities what you are willing to put into them. So set aside self-doubt, pray for motivation, and let's get started.
The first and best way to read the Bible is slowly and guided by the following four questions. These questions will turn any passage into a text yielding great insight or direct instruction. You don’t need to be a Bible scholar or even a mature believer to benefit from this approach. You need to be willing to learn and put the effort in to find the answers to the questions below.
4 Essential Questions to Read by
What does this text say about God? - What can I learn about the nature and character of God? What is He like? What does He do?
What does this text say about me? God made us, so he has the right to tell who we are. Understanding yourself from God’s perspective is the only way to truly understand yourself. When you understand yourself, both the wonder of being created, and the faults of being a sinner, then you can begin to understand how God’s grace is fit for you specifically.
What does this text say I am supposed to do? The Scriptures are sufficient for life and godliness. Most of us are familiar maybe with the godliness part… you know the religious stuff like prayer and preaching. But do you believe the Bible is sufficient for everyday life? The commands of God are expressions of His will, and obeying them puts you in the middle of God’s will for your life. Therefore, it’s essential that we clearly understand what it is that God’s Word is telling us to do.
What does this text say about blessings, rewards, or consequences? It helps to understand that God promises to bless obedience to His Word. Sometimes the commands in Scripture can be very difficult. It’s a great motivator to know what the rewards of obedience are or what the cost of disobedience is.
Let’s try an example by reading John 3:16 using these four questions.
“For God so loved the world, that He sent his only son, so that whoever shall believe in Him, will not perish but have eternal life.”
What does this text say about God? It says that God’s primary response to sinful humanity was not wrath and judgment but love, evidenced in him freely sending His son to us. It says God has made a way for us to come to him. The “so that” clause tells me the purposes of God, He wants to save me from perishing.
What does this text say about me? It says that I’m in danger of perishing, it teaches me that I am in need of being saved. I’m the reason Jesus had to come.
What does this text say I’m supposed to do? There is an imperative to believe! I am supposed to believe in Jesus. I’m supposed to turn away from death towards life. I’m supposed to recognize what God did for me.
What are the consequences? If I obey and respond to God, He will reward me with eternal life. If I reject and rebel, I will perish.
Try this for yourself! Look up the following passages and see what you can learn.
1 John 1:1-4
Philippians 2:1-13
Ephesians1:3-14