Lesson 30

Back to A Self Study Course for your Bible

IT WILL now be possible for us to give three general rules for Bible study, and the student should follow them as he continues his study of the Bible.

1. The words of Scripture should be taken in their plain, historical sense. That is, they must be taken in the primary sense attached to them in the age and by the people to whom they were addressed.

Thus we find in Exodus 14:21 a PROSE account of the drying of the Red Sea, while in Exodus 15:8 we find a POETICAL account of the same event, In Psalm 114:1-3 we find again poetic language.

2. Scripture should explain Scripture. The Bible at first often seems to give only a little information which it later supplements. Thus, Genesis 11:31 is not complete; we must understand it in the light of Genesis 14:14. So, too, when I John 4:8 says that God is love, we do not find here the complete Scripture doctrine of God. We must supplement this verse with what the remainder of Scripture says about God. Our method of study should be to find out what ALL Scripture says upon any given subject.

3. The guidance of the Holy Spirit is indispensable. Our own unaided efforts will never enable us to understand God's Word. The only "Key" to the Scriptures is the Holy Spirit. On the other hand, we must remember that the gift of the guidance of the Spirit is not a substitute for common sense, hard work, or earnest study.

EXERCISES

What it the first rule of Scripture study?
What is the second rule of Scripture study?
What is the third rule of Scripture study?

HYMNS FOR STUDY

No. 145: "Glorious Things Of Thee Are Spoken."

No. 82: "Christ The Lord Is Risen Today."