How to Study the Bible
“This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.”
Joshua 1:8
As a Christian, there is no alternative to studying God’s word. Pastor John Piper argues the essential duty for every believer to be devoted to scripture as life-sustaining part of their Christian life.
“I have never met a mature, fruitful, strong, spiritually discerning Christian who is not full of Scripture, devoted to regular meditation on Scripture, and given to storing it in the heart through Bible memorization — and that’s not a coincidence… it is absolutely essential, after coming to faith in Christ, to be radically, deeply, experientially devoted — unshakably, unwaveringly persuaded — that reading and meditating on and understanding and memorizing and enjoying the Scriptures is absolutely essential for the Christian life, which would include being in the word every day with the aim that we will meet God there and, little by little, the glory of his truth will fill and transform our lives.”
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”
2 Timothy 2:15
The Bible is our daily spiritual nourishment. Jesus in Matthew 4:4, quotes Deuteronomy 8:3 when He says, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.” If we feed our physical bodies three times a day, why wouldn’t we do the same for our spiritual bodies? If Jesus saw the daily need for God’s word in our lives, and we are followers of Christ, why would we not think the same?
“No Read No Feed, No Bible, No Breakfast” – Ray Comfort, Livings Waters Ministry
Ten Reasons to Read the Bible Every Day
Taken from Desiring God’s article, “Ten Reasons to Read the Bible Every Day” by John Piper.
1. Scripture saves.
Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers. (1 Timothy 4:16)
Salvation has happened to God’s people, salvation is — at this moment — happening to God’s people, and salvation will happen completely at the resurrection of God’s people, and it is happening now by means. Paul says to hold fast to the teaching and thereby save yourself. God saves us daily by Scripture.
2. Scripture frees from Satan.
You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8:32)
And the context is that Jesus is showing the Jewish leaders that, though they think they are not slaves, “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires” (John 8:44). Satan is your enemy, young Christian. He is a thousand times stronger than you are. So, John writes to the young believers,
I write to you, young men,
because you are strong,
and the word of God abides in you,
and you have overcome the evil one. (1 John 2:14)
This is our only hope for defeating a supernatural enemy. Every time Jesus was tempted by the devil (Matthew 4:1–11; Mark 1:12–13; Luke 4:1–13), he struck back with “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17), and he had it memorized, so he didn’t have to carry a book in the wilderness.
3. Scripture imparts grace and peace.
May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. (2 Peter 1:2)
Knowledge of God gained through Scripture is not identical with grace, but Peter says it is a means of grace. If we want to be made peaceful and powerful through divine grace, Peter says, it happens “in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” That knowledge is found in one place: Scripture.
4. Scripture sanctifies.
Jesus prayed,
Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. (John 17:17)
Sanctification is the process of becoming holy — that is, becoming more like Christ and like God, who is perfectly holy. This is not optional. Hebrews 12:14 says, “Strive . . . for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”
We don’t become perfect in this life, but we do become holy. God sanctifies his people. And Jesus prays to his Father, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” It couldn’t be more plain, or more important.
5. Scripture gives joy.
You received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit. (1 Thessalonians 1:6)
His delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law he meditates day and night. (Psalm 1:2)
Life without joy is unbearable. The Christian life is a life of many afflictions. But in them all, God sustains joy, and he does it by the Scriptures.
6. Scripture protects us from destructive error.
Until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God . . . so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine. (Ephesians 4:13–14)
How do young Christians stop being leaves blown around by cultural and theological winds and opinions? Answer: “the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God” — knowledge that they experience not as the opinion of man, but as the word of God. That’s found in one place: the Scriptures.
7. Scripture is the hope of heaven.
And what I mean by this is that full understanding, full enjoyment of the truth of Scripture, will be experienced only in heaven.
Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)
The knowledge of God — all the fullness that a created being can properly comprehend and enjoy — will not be withheld from us indefinitely. The frustrations of our present limitations of understanding and enjoyment will be removed. How fitting it is, then, that we be ever growing now in what will be our final joy in the age to come.
8. Scripture will be resisted by some.
The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions. (2 Timothy 4:3)
In other words, we need to know the Scriptures so that we’re not taken off guard or knocked off balance or led away by false teachers. We need to receive the Scriptures regularly to be ready to meet those who refuse to receive the Scriptures.
9. The right handling of Scripture is approved by God.
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)
It is a precious thing to be assigned to do a very important task, and then to find the master worker approving of what he’s asked you to do. We’re all assigned in some measure to handle the word of God. And what a wonderful opportunity to be pleasing to the Lord.
10. Scripture gives and sustains life.
Man shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
(Matthew 4:4)
Spiritual life — eternal life — just like physical life, must be fed, not by bread, but by the word of God. If you think that you have eternal life as a kind of vaccination against hell, which needs no nourishment, you don’t know what spiritual life is.
Bible Study Resources
What resources can assist us with studying the Bible daily? See below for some recommendations along with links to these resources and teachings on the topic.
How to Study the Bible
Find this full article here: How to Study The Bible
As we grow in Christ, it’s important that we learn how to study the Bible for ourselves and not depend solely on the instruction of others. Consider the challenge from the writer of Hebrews:
Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil (Hebrews 5:13,14 NIV).
One of the best ways to get to the “solid food” of the Word is through “inductive” Bible study. The inductive method makes observations on a passage of Scripture and then draws conclusions based on those observations. Commonly, this method is defined by three parts: Observation, interpretation, and application.
Navigator Dwight Hill has broken this method into seven steps. Try it out on one of the short epistles—1 Thessalonians, Philippians, Colossians, or 1 or 2 Timothy.
7 Steps to Studying the Bible
1) Background
First, do a basic background study on the book: Who is the author? Why was it written? Learn the historical background, dates, key people and so on. Some Bibles have summaries at the beginning of each book that will provide some of this information. A Bible dictionary or online commentaries can also be helpful.
2) Personal Paraphrase
Starting with the first chapter, write out each verse or section of verses in your own words. This will help you understand each verse in wording that makes more sense to you.
Here is an example using 1 Timothy 1:1
Original Verse:
“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope . . . ” (1 Timothy 1:1 NIV).
Personal Paraphrase:
Paul, a proclaimer of Jesus Christ, obeying the instructions of God who is the One who saves us, and of Jesus Christ who is our hope…
3) Questions and Answers
Write down some questions you have about the passage, or unfamiliar or confusing terms that you come across.
Example:
Q. What does the word “apostle” mean? What does it mean to be one?
A. The Greek word apostolos comes from the verb apostello, which means “to send forth.” So to be an apostle means to be someone who is sent forth—in this case by Christ to spread His message.
4) Cross References
Make a note of any similar or related passages that come to mind while you’re reading, paraphrasing, and asking questions about the passage. Consult a concordance, other study guides, or footnotes to collect related passages you may not have thought of.
Example:
Apostle: 2 Corinthians 1:1
God my Savior: Luke 1:47; Titus 1:3
Christ our hope: Colossians 1:27
5) Insights
If an observation occurs to you that relates to any part of the passage or its background, be sure to write it down.
Example:
Paul was commanded by God to be an apostle. It wasn’t something he decided to do on his own.
After completing your own analysis, consult a Bible commentary for additional insight. Seeking out other believers’ insights about the passage can provide a broader, more solid understanding of the passage than you might be able to come to on your own. Remember, don’t go to commentaries first; start by making your own observations.
6) Personal Application
Here is a possible application of 1 Timothy 1:1:
Just like Paul, I need to recognize that I am tasked with being Christ’s ambassador, authorized and sent out with a divine message. I can only be effective in my mission if I am aware of my status as a divinely appointed witness.
7) Title and Summarize
After completing this verse-by-verse analysis of the chapter, assign it a title and identify a key verse or verses. This will help solidify the message of the chapter in your mind. Write a summary paragraph outlining the thesis of the chapter. Repeat the process for subsequent chapters. When the book is completed, give it a collective title.
Sadly, mediocrity is a hallmark of our age. Consider breaking that pattern and setting some high goals for your spiritual growth.
For example, you might say that within the next 10 years you will have studied a certain number of the books of the Bible in this manner—spending perhaps three hours a week to study (which is not to be a substitute for your “quiet time”—that is separate).
Motivational writer and speaker Zig Ziglar said, “Aim at nothing and you are sure to hit it.” Let’s aim high in our goal to know God and be transformed by His Word. There is nothing greater.
“What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8 NIV).
Instruction on Bible Study
John MacArthur instructs how to study your Bible in this essential teaching titled, “How to Study Your Bible: Closing the Gaps”. This is one teaching in a five-part series on the topic, see below for the complete series.
For a more in-depth study of this topic, you can listen to Pastor MacArthur’s five-part series on this topic.
Revitalize your study of God’s Word. It has the power to look deep inside you, comfort your hurts, uncover hidden faults, reveal secret motives, expose sin, and offer you the counsel and help you need. Yet for many Christians, God’s Word goes largely untapped. Without a working knowledge of what the Bible is, what it can do, how it changes us, and how to study it, we live on table scraps when a spiritual banquet is ours for the taking. In How to Get the Most from God’s Word, John MacArthur helps revitalize your experience with Scripture by offering practical study principles and exploring the Bible’s claims about its own power, reliability, authority, and sufficiency. Take a step toward knowing, loving, and living God’s Word more deeply in this life-changing series.
You can click on the image above or at this link to listen online or download the mp3 for you to study offline: How to Get the Most Out of God’s Word
R. C. Sproul, from Ligonier Ministries, also provides instruction on how to study the Bible:
More to come….