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how to study the Bible - 6/5/2008 9:04:27 PM
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pg4Him
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I've been a Christian for a few years now and have read most of the Bible in casual reading and study groups. But I don't feel like I understand it well enough and want to reach another level.
But this is very intimidating for me. I don't have extra money to buy a lot of research tools and am unsure even which tools are most useful. To make matters worse, I've recently moved to a new city and don't currently have a church to attend.
So what's the best way to get started?
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RE: how to study the Bible - 6/6/2008 3:23:12 AM
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BerianAardvark
Posts: 371
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quote:
ORIGINAL: pg4Him
I've been a Christian for a few years now and have read most of the Bible in casual reading and study groups. But I don't feel like I understand it well enough and want to reach another level.
But this is very intimidating for me. I don't have extra money to buy a lot of research tools and am unsure even which tools are most useful. To make matters worse, I've recently moved to a new city and don't currently have a church to attend.
So what's the best way to get started?
It certainly can be intimidating. One good place to start is get a good Bible reading plan. there are a lot of them available on line, including one (highly adaptable) right here on this site.
There are also a lot of study tools available here see the Bible Study Tools link over to the left of the message window.
<--------
There are also excellent Bible study programs free for the download like e-Sword (e-Sword.net for the download) that is the one I use, and you can get a lot of resources there that are also free as well as some that cost money. The free ones are very good, though I have purchased some (mainly newer translations and commentaries.) I got along very well without them for years.
A good devotional pretty helpful as well...there are many on line...e-sword has some too.
http://www.biblecentre.net/members/members.htm
Os another site with resources that are probably everything you could want and more....so start off slowly using a few and expand what you use as you beging to understand the direction of your studies.
Tim
_____________________________
The Law is for the proud and the Gospel for the brokenhearted - Martin Luther
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RE: how to study the Bible - 6/6/2008 1:06:34 PM
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swordsman
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quote:
ORIGINAL: pg4Him
I've been a Christian for a few years now and have read most of the Bible in casual reading and study groups. But I don't feel like I understand it well enough and want to reach another level.
But this is very intimidating for me. I don't have extra money to buy a lot of research tools and am unsure even which tools are most useful. To make matters worse, I've recently moved to a new city and don't currently have a church to attend.
So what's the best way to get started?
sw: Well, go to church first. I suggest the church of Christ. We're conservative and demand book, chapter, and verse for what we teach and preach.
Which tools are best? First, a concordance and those are online. I think Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT words is helpful. I don't know if it's online or not. Another helpful tool is Nave's Topical Bible which gives a topic (such as the omnipotence of God) and then lists verses in the Bible that speak to that topic. I don't know if it is online or not either.
Perhaps you could go to a library and see what they have.
There are several ways to study more deeply. One is to start with an idea (such as baptism) and look up all the verses about baptism to see what the NT teaches about it. A concordance works for that and if your Bible has references, you could start to trace all the references from starting point.
Another way I've studied subjects is to skim through the entire Bible (or just the NT) looking quickly for something about a subject.
Still another way is to study a book of the Bible. Read the book. Read the background of the book (author, time of writing, background, etc). Read a section and run references like I suggested above. Use a couple of good commentaries judiciously. I like Burton Coffman's commentary and it has been online. Fawcett, Jamison, and Brown (I think I have that right) is also conservative and I think has been online.
Do a search on "Bible commentaries".
As you study in whatever method(s) you use, be sure to handle God's word carefully, using the common sense rules of hermeneutics so that you get what HE is saying rather than what MEN have said.
Swordsman
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RE: how to study the Bible - 6/6/2008 1:49:27 PM
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ChristopherJ
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One of the best ways to learn to do something of course is by doing it - just read it! But beyond that, there are many different resources that are available to help you to get more out of your Bible reading. For 8 years, I was an adjunct professor at Pacific Life Bible College in Surrey, BC, teaching Bible Research and Hermeneutics. The primary text book that I used for my first year students was LIVING BY THE BOOK by Howard and William Hendricks, and it is a must-read for anyone who is wanting to get more out of their Bible study. Of the dozens of books I have personally read on how to study the Bible, this is the best one for laymen who want something that is easy to read, and extremely practical, with hands-on workshops at the end of each chapter. Pick it up!
_____________________________
Chris Jordan
www.beausejourchurch.ca
http://thelandofpromise.blogspot.com/
(visit our website for free MP3 audio sermons, sermon notes, articles, devotionals and more).
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RE: how to study the Bible - 6/6/2008 1:59:25 PM
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drfuss
Posts: 194
Joined: 3/9/2006
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quote:
ORIGINAL: pg4Him
I've been a Christian for a few years now and have read most of the Bible in casual reading and study groups. But I don't feel like I understand it well enough and want to reach another level.
But this is very intimidating for me. I don't have extra money to buy a lot of research tools and am unsure even which tools are most useful. To make matters worse, I've recently moved to a new city and don't currently have a church to attend.
So what's the best way to get started?
drfuss: Getting started can be difficult. You should keep in mind that most Bible study programs are written by someone that has a particular Biblical interpretation agenda. For instance, christianity.com has classic calvinists authors (like Al Mohlor) for their recommended material, so it can be assumed that Bible study will teach you Classic Calvinism (predestination). Other programs will teach moderate Calvinism with authors like Adrain Rogers; or the Reformed Arminian belief with authors like Stephen Ashby; or the Wesleyan Arminian belief with authors like Steven Harper.
To get acquainted with all four views, I would recommend the book "4 Views on Eternal Security" edited by Matthew Pinson and published by Zondervan in 2002. The book includes each position by a theology professor along with counter points from the other three professors.
This book may be a little too advanced for one who hasn't actually studied the Bible, but you should read it before you accept a particular belief based only on your Bible study program.
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RE: how to study the Bible - 6/6/2008 5:18:22 PM
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pg4Him
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Thanks so much for all the advice you guys! I feel a lot better about getting started now.
_____________________________
To hear the Word and not *do* the Word is to still not know the Word.
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RE: how to study the Bible - 6/9/2008 12:00:47 PM
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wshepherd
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One of the first things I was taught was to ask the 5 W's and an H, as I read the Bible:
WHO
WHAT
WHEN
WHERE
WHY
and HOW
WHO is this passage written to? WHO is it talking about? WHO wrote it?
WHAT is this passage about? WHAT is happening in this passage?
WHEN was it written? WHEN does it take place?
WHERE does it take place? WHERE is it written?
WHY is this passage written? WHY does the author say what he does?
HOW does the author make his point? HOW is this happening?
These are just a sample of questions one could ask the text as one reads and studies, and any good Bible study method will include questions like these.
_____________________________
Wanda Shepherd
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RE: how to study the Bible - 6/9/2008 12:15:01 PM
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LCannon
Posts: 1275
Joined: 2/22/2007
From: Lebanon, OR
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Thanx Wanda(sincerely). Your five 'W's might be condensed to two aspects in study, context and audience.
_____________________________
"Many of our prayers are for an easy solution. God is more glorifed in Him
when souls exhibit His Grace under pressure." -Elisabeth Elliot-
"But at my stumbling they gathered in glee...[but]How long, O Lord,
wilt thou look on?" -Psalms 35:15-
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RE: how to study the Bible - 6/10/2008 1:22:17 PM
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phyl2
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Some more questions:
What does it mean?
How should I apply it to my life?
Also, look for things that are emphasized, look for lists. Are there any parallel passages?
Included in the where and when is to look for the historical context, not just what time was this written, but what was going on in the area when it was written.
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RE: how to study the Bible - 6/19/2008 6:53:34 PM
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percoid
Posts: 4
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Find all the bible says about a subject and put it together. For example, Prayer, One place says to ask believing, Another place says ask in Jesus's name, another place says that we can ask amiss., another place says according to God's will. So put it together. We must ask in faith or believing, in Jesus's name, according to God's will. I hope this helps. a good study bible helps
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RE: how to study the Bible - 6/20/2008 3:17:16 AM
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Lurker
Posts: 755
Joined: 4/11/2005
From: Silver Spring, MD
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One thing that I found useful was to look into what the early Christians taught on certain passages. I particularly love John Chrysostom's writings. The nice thing is that since they're quite ancient, they're often available for free online. :)
_____________________________
Do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away, and he gives you everything. When we give ourselves to him, we receive a hundredfold in return. Yes, open, open wide the doors to Christ—and you will find true life.
-Pope Benedict XVI
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RE: how to study the Bible - 6/20/2008 9:38:57 PM
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wshepherd
Posts: 330
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Lurker
One thing that I found useful was to look into what the early Christians taught on certain passages. I particularly love John Chrysostom's writings. The nice thing is that since they're quite ancient, they're often available for free online. :)
One does have to be careful when reading these works, as the "Church Fathers" were a very anti-semitic bunch. Even Chrysostom, if I remember rightly. Even Luther.
_____________________________
Wanda Shepherd
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RE: how to study the Bible - 6/21/2008 2:59:31 AM
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ae10u
Posts: 175
Joined: 8/24/2007
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quote:
ORIGINAL: futuremartyr
Read it in context and use the Bible study tools on christianity.com. It has a great lexicon.
This really is a good suggestion.
There is so much free software out there, like The Online Bible, or e-Sword I believe it is. Thus, one can download this software, and do a word search or phrase search for words in the Bible. Thus one gets all scriptures on say "faith" on one page, and can get the big picture.
What I would recommend not doing is reading what early church fathers thought about a topic. Invariably they were wrong - as were later church fathers, as is every Christian at times (yes - myself too  )
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RE: how to study the Bible - 6/23/2008 12:22:42 PM
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Row1
Posts: 204
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well, the original poster was maybe a 'hit-and-run.'
or maybe he or she is off to rstudy like people suggested.
but here is my thought to anyone who might be interested.
two lines of study:
1. get to know in a scholarly way - as people have noted.
2. study realistically for your own life circumstances.
are you dealing with financial questions or challenges? look for that stuff. are you trying to figure out how to be a great spouse? look for that stuff. are you trying to figure out how to be an ethical business person? look for that stuff. are you trying to figure out how to get prayer incorporated into your eveyday life? like david evidently did (in the psalms)? then read through psalms, and other stuff abt prayer. a friend is a vegetarian, and is trying to tell you to be vegetarian also? study the topic of what to eat and not to eat. some people say you should not drink alcohol. if you want to decide whether you yourself will drink alcohol or not, or if friends have told you one way or the other, study that. some denominations do not believe you should use musical instruments in worship. if this is a concern for you at all, study that. some people believe you do not need to have an actual h20 under-water baptism. if this involves you at all, study that. are you trying to be a great parent? look for that topic. do you feel like you deal with laziness, or greediness, or gluttony, in your self? look for that.
because i am in a blended family, i looked for stuff on blended families, learned a lot, and ended up giving a guest talk on the book of Ruth to my sunday school class. my family is far better off since i look for info on how to be dad and stepdad than if i could name the prophets in chronological order -- not that there is anything wrong with that, but i think it works well to mix the two styles of study.
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