Section I – The Twelve Rules of Bible Study
Back to The Bible's Difficult Scriptures Explained!
How can the Bible be the world’s all-time best seller, yet remain the most misunderstood book ever? The answer: because people refuse to believe that it means what it says, it is twisted, misrepresented and maligned. Recalling the introduction, if your mind has been opened to the truth, apply these simple rules to understand God’s Word!
Most who study the Bible benefit little—or not at all. Often, they become confused, discouraged and give up, saying, “I just can’t understand what it is talking about.”
If this is you, it need not continue.
Did you know there are fundamental—basic—rules that govern proper Bible study? There are! And most ignore, misunderstand or know nothing of them. Yet, when properly applied, these rules unlock the treasures of doctrine, instruction, knowledge, prophecy, correction and hard-to-be-understood passages contained in God’s Word.
Many Are Ignorant
Thirty years ago, a newspaper reporter exposed Christians’ ignorance of the Bible. Since then, such ignorance has greatly worsened.
The account begins, “Some months ago, a Protestant pastor administered a Bible quiz to the members of his congregation. The questions were very simple. Anyone with a general knowledge of the Bible should have been able to answer all of them easily.
“The results staggered the pastor.
“Only five percent of his flock made a commendable grade on the test. Fifteen percent failed to give a single correct answer. Sixty percent were unable to name the four Gospels. Seventy-five percent could not identify Calvary (Golgotha) as the place where Jesus was crucified.
“Some congregations might do better than that,” continued the reporter, “but not many. The vast majority of Americans today are Bible illiterates. They simply have never read the book which they profess to regard as the ‘Word of God.’”
The reporter concluded, “A great many people have turned away from the Bible because when they do try to read it, they find they cannot understand it… To the modern reader, it has a remote and antiquarian flavor. It is likely to leave him with the impression the Bible is an ancient history book that has no real relevance to his life here and now” (Louis Cassels, UPI Special Correspondent on religious affairs).
Another quote sheds light on how society considers Biblical knowledge irrelevant. J.B. Phillips, author of the Phillips translation (The New Testament in Modern English), reported in his booklet, The Young Church in Action, “It is one of the curious phenomena of modern times that it is considered perfectly respectable to be abysmally ignorant of the Christian faith. Men and women who would be deeply ashamed of having their ignorance exposed in matters of poetry, music, or painting, for example, are not in the least perturbed to be found ignorant of the New Testament” (p. 6).
A true Christian should—and would—always seek to solidify his basic understanding of the Bible. Rather than smugly comparing himself with people of the world, he should either “study to show himself approved” (II Tim. 2:16) or consider his own need to “…strengthen the things which remain” (Rev. 3:2).
No one should feel secure at their level of understanding—neither could anyone justify such a position in this struggle to grow and overcome. All who sincerely seek God need to examine themselves and make their Bible study more productive—more edifying. With this in mind, let’s look at the basic rules of Bible study.
Rule #1: Ask God for Guidance