BSM 1.1
Lesson 1
Personal Preparation
SIX PRINCIPLES OF PERSONAL PREPARATION FOR BIBLE STUDY
1. BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST.
Personal preparation in the study of the Scripture cannot be overemphasized. First and foremost the student must believe in Jesus Christ as his Savior, because the "natural man" (that is the man without Christ), cannot accept or understand the things of God (1 Cor 2:14). The Spirit of God allows the student of the Word to discern spiritual things. Your salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone (Eph 2:8-9).
2. ACCEPT THAT THE BIBLE IS DIVINELY INSPIRED.
God’s Word proclaims itself to be divinely inspired (2 Tim 3:16-17). Any study of the Word ought to begin by acknowledging that fact. No "leap" of faith is necessary; just a mere "step" that this study will more fully explore as it progresses.
3. PRAY
Prayer is necessary for wisdom in understanding Scripture. God’s Word instructs that if anyone lacks wisdom, and asks for it, God will give it freely (James 1:5). Sincere prayer for correct knowledge and discernment will be answered because these things are clearly within God’s will (1 John 5:14 compare [cf.] Matt 7:7-8).
4. STUDY DILIGENTLY AND HAVE PATIENCE.
Since many passages of God’s Word are not readily understood, diligence and patience are necessary when studying (2 Tim 2:15). When we, as limited human beings, attempt to understand the unlimited mind of God, we must be aware that even a competent grasp will take some time.
5. CONSISTENTLY CONFESS YOUR SINS.
It is also important to confess sin consistently, permitting God to cleanse our lives, so that a greater fellowship with him may be attained (1 John 1:6-10). Realizing the need to confess our sins keeps us consistently sensitive to any thought, speech, or action that is not in accord with God’s will.
6. BE WILLING TO LIVE GOD’S WILL.
The Lord Jesus Christ said, "if anyone is willing to do His [God’s] will, he shall know of the teaching" (John 7:17). If the objective is to develop a relationship with the Living God, then any knowledge gained ought to support and clarify that relationship. Knowledge without love results in pride (1 Cor 8:1). If your objective is simply an intellectual quest and not a relationship with the Living God, then the knowledge you gain will be lacking and distorted.
FIVE BENEFITS OF PERSONAL BIBLE STUDY FROM GOD’S WORD
1. GREATER FAITH.
The greatest theologian of the Church, the apostle Paul, said of himself that he, "walked by faith and not by sight" (2 Cor 5:7). We all enter into salvation by grace through faith (Eph 2:8-9); and according to Paul, just as we have entered, so are we to walk (Col 2:6-7). Learning God’s Word increases faith.
2. NEW KNOWLEDGE.
There is new knowledge to be gained from God’s Word as we "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Pet 3:14-18). This knowledge leads us to a greater appreciation of His grace.
But along with growing in knowledge, we grow in faith as we "hear" God’s Word through the Scriptures (Rom 10:17) and trust Him for everything.
3. PURIFICATION OF OUR LIFE.
God’s Word is necessary for the purification of our lives, because His Word is Truth (John 17:17). Although we are Believers, we do have problems with sin in our lives (1 John 1:6-10), so we must learn God’s Word in order to determine what sin(s) may be present. We then can pray intelligently for healing and cleansing (Ps 51).
Please note that Christians have often "added to" God’s Word and made these additions a basis of righteousness. This is called "legalism," which means that men have made their own laws the standard of righteousness. The Lord Jesus Christ clearly challenged this practice (Mark 7:1-13), so we must be careful to pay careful attention to God’s stated standards.
4. POWER IN MINISTRY.
With the Holy Spirit at work in our lives as we study the "mind of Christ" (1 Cor 2:14-16), there will be power in our ministry (Eph 2:10). We are in a war with Satan and his forces, therefore we need power beyond our own strength and ability (Eph 6:10-18). The power comes from our submission to God’s will because it is God who is at work in us, "to will and to work His good pleasure" (Php 2:13).
5. EQUIPMENT FOR SERVICE
With this knowledge of God’s Word, we can practice the truth in the name of the Lord Jesus (Col 3:16-17), and proclaim it to a lost and dying world (John 17:17-19; Heb 5:12). A primary objective for the communication of God’s Word is, "equipping the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ" (Eph 4:11-13). To "equip" others requires that we must first be equipped ourselves. Accordingly, this introduction is to guide the student while he must study God’s Word directly to make maximum progress.
QUESTIONS FOR PERSONAL STUDY
# In your own words, list the principles involved in your preparation to study the Bible.
# List the Bible verses that those principles came from.
# Look up each verse and restate the principle in your own words.
# What do you want to gain from the study of God’s Word?
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