Read Bible -Rightly!
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved!
A worker who does not need to be ashamed!
Who correctly handles the word of truth!
Certain guidance on how to read the Bible will ensure the words are rightly divided for your intake! In times you feel that the scriptures seemed to contradict with another scripture. But the reality is that none of the words in the Bible is
contradicting with other scriptures, even though it seems so!
Before I came to know this precious principle , I used to get confused and in times feel like, “It’s all depends on Gods mood, what does He wants to say – which is directly correlated to our position or emotion of that particular time “ . I used to be choosy in reading the portion, and used to read the chapters which were good to hear!
But God was loving me so much, that He pour light into my areas of concerns regarding this Bible contradictions and taught me in big way that how you need to rightly divide the truth and the way it’s supposed to be read. It makes my Bible reading quite enjoyable! Some of those nuggets I am sharing with you all.
A. Know!God is talking to whom??
The first and the foremost reality considering the Bible is that, it’s been addressed to all categories of people in the planet earth! When God looks at the human race, He sees three category of people and the Bible is speaking to all 3 segments of people, giving none offence!
“Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God: (1 Cor 10:32)
Believers – Can be from Jews or Gentiles
Unbelievers _ Can be from Jews or Gentiles
I would like to give you a practical application of this scenario for your better understanding!
Imagine you are in a church attending a sermon by a pastor .He will be sharing a message where he will address the audience considering there will be believers and unbelievers [Those who put their faith in Jesus and those who don’t]. Now it’s you, who need to distinguish and eat what is required and meant for you from what he is serving from the pulpit! If you are saved and a believer of Jesus Christ, the words concerning the non-believer will not be your medicine!
Eg: In between the preacher preach that the wrath of God remains on all the sinners and you will be condemned under Gods righteous judgment…
Definitely this is meant for gentiles, who are yet to receive Christ! And to be escaped from the judgment and the condemnation through Jesus Christ!
If you don’t know the truth that you are eternally saved by Jesus Christ and no judgment will fall on you because Jesus has taken all your judgment on cross and made you free, you will end up in taking another ones medicine [The word of God is a medicine]
“There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus! [Rom 8:1]
B –Did you divide the Truth Rightly?
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” [ 2 timothy 2:15]
i) Read the Bible in its Context!
The second thing which you need to consider while reading the Bible is that, you need to observe and consider the portion in its right context. To whom it is written and why and what was the reason for this “scenario of conversation or statement” over here??
Remember if you take the text out of Context—it will be a CON!
Check the entire “W” while reading and before eating the word!
Why, When, Whom, Where, What, Which, Who????
(ii)
Read through the Lens of Cross!
When you have the lens of cross in your eyes you will be able to understand, that
“What does this passage mean in the light of the FINISHED WORK of Christ” or
“What happened after cross for this statement” Especially while reading the old
testaments!
(ii)
Know – the purpose!
i) Read the Bible in its Context!
The second thing which you need to consider while reading the Bible is that, you need to observe and consider the portion in its right context. To whom it is written and why and what was the reason for this “scenario of conversation or statement” over here??
Remember if you take the text out of Context—it will be a CON!
Check the entire “W” while reading and before eating the word!
Why, When, Whom, Where, What, Which, Who????
(ii)
Read through the Lens of Cross!
When you have the lens of cross in your eyes you will be able to understand, that
“What does this passage mean in the light of the FINISHED WORK of Christ” or
“What happened after cross for this statement” Especially while reading the old
testaments!
(ii)
Know – the purpose!
2 Tim 3:16 “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for Teaching, Rebuking, Correcting and training in Righteousness”
You see how Holy Spirit has aligned what he says in the above scripture through Paul. I don’t think Paul would have been thought of this while he was writing these verses, that in due course Holy Spirit will align with what it says!
Here I am dividing the entire New Testament in 4 buckets to explain this verse.
1. The Gospels + Acts of the Apostles [ General]
2. Books Written By Paul addressing the Gentile Christians [Paul- The Apostle of Uncircumcised]
3. Books written by James/Peter & John to Jewish Christians [Apostles of Circumcised]
4. The Pastoral letter addressing Timothy – [Personal letter]
The below table will show you, how the words were rightly divided in its order, addressing the right category of audience in its context, by taking the 2nd category of scriptures which Paul has written to the gentile believers! I told you know God is amazingly infinite in His wisdom!! Here the sequence of each epistle is in the same order as it says! Teaching, Rebuking & Correcting!
Books written to Gentile Christians by Paul and its sequence as per the scripture!
Church Epistle | Category | Addressed for |
Romans | Doctrine | Teaching in Righteousness |
1 Corinthians | Reproof | Of wrong conduct |
2 Corinthians | Reproof | Of wrong conduct |
Galatians | Correction | Of wrong doctrine |
Ephesians | Doctrine | Walking uprightly |
Philippians | Reproof | Of wrong conduct |
Colossians | Correction | Of wrong doctrine |
1 Thessalonian | Doctrine | Of rapture |
2 Thessalonian | Doctrine | Of rapture |
iv: Use the Bible to Interpret the Bible!
Use the Bible itself to interpret the Bible! How cool.
We know that Bible is God’s word and His word is true, the Bible will never contradict itself in any angle! Due to the same reason you can use the clear passages from the Bible pertaining to the subject to interpret the difficult passages which is may be in a concern or in confusion some time!
For example, there are clear passages which ensure the eternal security pertaining to our salvation, that once a person is truly saved, he or she cannot lose the salvation![John 5:Rom8]
But when you read Hebrews 6, you may feel a conflict, but when you read it in its context and referring that, to whom which it’s addressed and use the clear passage, you can escape the error in understanding!
Also use the New Testament to help interpret the Old Testament, This will recognize you the progressive nature of revelation, that is the Bible is giving more revelation on topics over time.
Eg : The Yahweh who is there in the Genesis – is the same I AM and I AM is Jesus Christ and Yahweh is the Aleph Tav and its all are Pointing Jesus Christ!
v: Use the “Law Of First Mention”
There is another principle used in the Bible is “The Law of First Mention” Its like, if you are stuck on a particular word or concept , try to find out when was that word first time used in the Bible and what was the meaning and concept of that word and use the same meaning to interpret the same again!
· Example, the first time the word Healing appeared in the Bible was about Abraham praying for a gentile family [Abimelech] for having child and God heard Abrahams prayer and opened the wombs to have them children. It’s about a person who is righteous in the eyes of God by Faith and Gods faithfulness on hearing the prayer of His righteous and answering the prayer! [Righteousness apart from work-law] .. The New Testament Righteousness is righteousness by faith!
If you are confused on whether God will hear your prayer or not, look How God answered Abraham’s prayer, who was lived before the law was given!
· The first time the word grace appeared is in the account of Noah that,
Noah found grace in the eyes of God!- The word meaning for Noah is Rest.
Means the Grace of God will flow when you rest in God, In His Provision.
I will use one proverb from Bible here for you
“It’s the glory of God to conceal the matter ““To search out a matter is the glory of the kings “[Proverbs 25:2]
Means God conceals things for us to find, it’s the joy of a king to find out those hidden mysteries! You Are the Kings and Priest of God in Christ Jesus!
Always remember – God doesn’t want you leave in the dark when you study the Scripture! As a thumb rule- that Jesus death on the cross is the single most important event in human history!! Before the cross & After the cross!! There is a death and life difference!! Read the Bible to find Jesus!! THE LIFE! Following the above principles can help you to read the Word from Gods perspective. God Loves you and bless you all! HeiHei Forever!
Summary
- Today in New covenant, Jesus Christ has fulfilled the shadow of the old Covenant Ark of the Covenant typology and revealed us that “HE is the True Ark of The Covenant”.
- In the old the Levites were designated as the priests to carry the Ark of the Covenant and minister before God for the people of Israel, but in the N.C. the believers are expected to diligently attend daily to God’s Word and yield promptly and continuously to the leading and prompting of God’s Spirit (Col. 3:16, 1 Thess. 5:19, Gal. 5:25).
- Believers are expected to walk by faith in the conscious knowing what they carry with them inside of their spirit, The Ark of the Covenant, the supernatural miracle working dynamite power of God! This is able to part the river and plain the mountains!
- All the born-again believers are minister to God as His priests by yielding, offering, or presenting members of their body as instruments of righteousness to God (Rom. 6:19).
- As a believer, it is expected from you to reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Rom. 6:11 ) .
- We are told to offer, present, or yield our bodies to God as a living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1).
- God anointed us to minister on His behalf as a powerful witness to Jesus Christ to the dying world and bring them into the light of the Living God! The mandate God entrusted on every priests of Him. You and me!
