Truth That Transforms: How Should We Study the Bible? - DJ Dickerson

Well, throughout this series of lessons

that we started a couple of Sunday

mornings ago entitled truth that

transforms discovering God, His word,

and your purpose, my purpose.

Uh we have been following really a

natural progression.

Uh we have asked, you know, the

question, why are we here,

uh whether God exist, uh whether he has

spoken, what the Bible is, and how the

Bible has reached us. So, again, we've

covered a pretty good bit of ground uh

throughout this series of lessons. And

so, this time I started thinking, well,

what's the next one we should go to?

Well,

uh we come to really another uh

essential question, and that is how

should we study the Bible?

You know, it's not enough to own a

Bible.

Uh it's not enough to believe

the Bible's inspired.

It's not enough to know how the Bible

was preserved, which we covered that

again last Sunday.

We must learn how to handle it

correctly.

Well, 2 Timothy chapter 2 and verse 15,

2 Timothy 2 · chapter mention

part of our scripture reading this

morning that Brother Daniel Cecil read,

2 Timothy 2 and verse 15, if you're

reading from the King James,

uh study to show thyself approved unto

God a workman that need not be ashamed,

rightly dividing the word of truth.

Uh if you're using New King James or or

uh translations, you'll see the word be

diligent to present yourself approved to

God, a worker who does not need to be

ashamed, rightly dividing

the word of truth. Now, that phrase

rightly dividing is something that we're

looking at, how how that phrase, how

that carries the very idea of handling

accurately

cutting straight or dealing properly.

And that matters

because it's possible

to quote scripture and still at the same

time misuse scripture.

There's a prime example of this I like

to use for for just studies just like

this one is when Satan tempted Jesus.

Uh Matthew chapter 4, you go over there

Matthew 4 · chapter mention

to Matthew chapter 4, you're going to

Matthew 4 · chapter mention

find that interaction there. And there

is Satan who is quoting from the Old

Testament. He's quoting from Psalm 91

actually. And Matthew 4:5-6 records,

Matthew 4:5–6

"Then the devil took him talking about

Jesus up into the holy city, set him on

the pinnacle of the temple, and said to

him, 'If you are the son of God, throw

yourself down, for it is written, He

shall give his angels charge over you,

and in their hands they shall bear you

up, lest you dash your foot against a

stone.' Now again, he's quoting from

scripture. Again, Psalm 91.

And although those words certainly came

from scripture, Satan was misusing them.

He took a promise of God's care and

twisted it into an excuse to tempt God.

And what did Jesus answer in Matthew 4

and verse 7?

"It is written again,

you shall not tempt the Lord your God."

And

I always look at that exchange because

that exchange teaches us something

really important.

Quoting a Bible verse

does not automatically mean the Bible is

being handled correctly.

An investigator must handle evidence

carefully because truth matters.

A surgeon must handle a scalpel

carefully because life is at stake. Now,

I think we're using lasers now, so it's

kind of outdated if I start using

scalpel sometimes.

But, you get the point.

A builder must follow the plans

carefully because the strength of the

structure depends upon it, right? And

so, when we think as a Bible student as

a Bible student, we must handle the

scriptures carefully

because souls are at stake.

Our souls

are at stake.

So, this morning, let us consider how to

study the Bible in a way that honors

God, that protects us from error, and

allows his truth

to do exactly what this series of

lessons has been talking about, and that

is transforming

our hearts.

Let's start with the first one here.

Begin with a heart willing to obey.

Because before we start talking about

methods of Bible study, we must begin

with the heart. Because here here's a

fact here here's a fact, two people may

read the same passage with two very

different attitudes, right?

Uh one asks, "Lord, what would you have

me to do?"

The other asks, "How can I make this

verse support what I have already

decided to believe?" See, there there

there's a distinct difference in that.

Because one comes to be taught, and the

other comes only to defend oneself.

Jesus said in John 7:17, as I like to

John 7:17

mention many times,

make sure to prove all things according

to God's word, not DJ's.

John 7 and verse 17, "If anyone wills

to do his will,

he shall know concerning the doctrine,

whether it is from God or whether I

speak on my own authority."

What I find interesting is the

connection here.

The connection

between willingness and understanding.

A person who sincerely desires to obey

God is prepared

to listen honestly to what God says.

The greatest obstacle to understanding

scripture

is a lack of submission.

You ever think about that?

You ever You ever look at the psalmist

and how many times do you actually find

the psalmist saying words like this?

Psalm 119 and verse 18,

"Open my eyes

that I may see wondrous things from your

law."

James in the New Testament,

James 1 and verse 21,

look at that one.

"Therefore, lay aside all filthiness and

overflow of wickedness and receive with

meekness the implanted word, which is

able to save your souls."

Receive with meekness

the implanted word.

Because a proud heart

reads the Bible to judge it.

However, a meek heart allows the Bible

to judge the reader.

So, before we open the scriptures, we

must be willing to to lay aside our

preferences or traditions or assumptions

or preconceived ideas or conclusions.

We've got to do that because correct

Bible study begins with an honest heart

that is

ready

to hear the word,

to receive the word,

to obey the word.

We approach the Bible

by having already decided whatever God

teaches, I will

receive.

Now, I'm asking you this morning,

before Bible class this morning, were we

ready to receive

the word?

Before the lesson this morning, were we

ready to receive the word

with meekness, with humility?

That's how we should approach it every

single time.

Second thing I want to bring to your

attention is read every passage in its

context.

I would say that one of the most, you

know, important rules of Bible study is

also really one of the simplest, and

it's it's just basically read the

context.

Read the context.

And and the way that I kind of put this

before you

is

right here.

A verse belongs in a sentence.

A sentence belongs in a paragraph.

A paragraph belongs in a book, and that

book belongs within the larger story of

scripture.

Many misunderstandings

happen because

a lot of times a single verse

is pulled from its setting

and made to say something the inspired

writer never intended for it to say.

I'm going to use a a great example of

this. All right?

I think one of the greatest examples of

a verse that has been

just completely torn away from what's

intended

is that of Philippians 4 and verse 13.

We know this verse, don't we?

I can do all things through Christ who

strengthens me.

That verse is sometimes or many times I

would say used as though Paul were

saying, "I can accomplish any personal

goal I so choose."

Now, let me ask you, what was Paul

discussing

in this chapter?

He said, if you back up, just back up

two verses, verses 11 and 12.

Look at it.

Not not that I speak in regard to need,

for I have learned in whatever state I

am to be content. I know how to be

abased, I know how to abound. Everywhere

and all things I have learned both to be

full and to be hungry, both to abound

and to suffer need.

What Paul is saying, again, simply in

those two verses is he knew how to live

with abundance, he knew how to suffer

need, he had experienced fullness and

and and hunger. That's what he said in

verse 12 as well. And then he says in

verse 13, let me put it back up there

again, "I can do all things through

Christ who strengthens me."

So, now when we think about it, was Paul

promising unlimited earthly success in

verse 13?

No.

That is not what he's promising there.

That's not what he's saying.

What he's saying in the context,

he was saying Christ gave him strength

to remain faithful in every circumstance

of life.

The point that I'm making with that

is the context gives the verse its

meaning.

Gives the verse its significance.

You think about a witness in court.

Let's use that example.

If a witness says, "Yes, I saw him."

Sounds important, right?

So, we got our ears perked up to that.

"Yes, I saw him."

But what is it that we need?

We need context.

Here's some questions.

Whom did he see? See, that's important,

isn't it?

Where did he

see him?

What was happening? At what time? Under

what conditions? See, that all changes

some things. It adds up. Without

context, even an accurate statement can

become misleading.

And the same is true with scripture.

When studying a passage, we ask, "Who's

speaking here?"

We have to ask, "To whom is he

speaking?"

What subject's being discussed?

What came before? What came after?

Why was it written? Why was this

written?

Because context

protects us from putting our meaning

into God's word.

That is so important.

Which leads me to my next point here.

We start talking about these questions

about identifying the speaker,

identifying the audience, and oh,

identifying the covenant.

Everything recorded in the Bible is

accurately recorded.

But not every statement recorded in the

Bible

is

a true statement. The Bible records

Satan's words. Think about that.

Satan's words are recorded.

But Satan's words are not true simply

because they appear in scripture, you

see?

The Bible records the the the words of

Job's friends. Remember those guys?

But God did what? He later rebuked them

because they had not spoken rightly

concerning him.

So, we got to ask the question,

who's speaking here?

We use that in Matthew chapter 4. That's

Matthew 4 · chapter mention

really important. What what was

happening there?

And then we got to ask to whom is this

being said?

Let's use a few examples of this.

Genesis chapter 6 and verse 14.

Genesis 6 · chapter mention

Genesis 6 and verse 14.

Make yourself an ark of gopher wood and

make rooms in the ark and cover it

inside and outside with pitch.

Who's speaking?

And who is being spoken to?

Well, this is God's command

given to Noah.

We are not disobedient because we are

not building an ark. Right?

Genesis 12 and verse 1.

Now, the Lord had said to Abram. See,

well, there's our first clue, isn't it?

Get out of your country, from your

family, from your father's house to a

land that I will show you.

The command was for Abram

in that moment.

It's not requiring every Christian to

leave his homeland.

And and I could, you know, obviously

continue going with many other

scriptures, but the point is simply that

audience matters.

We have to look at who is speaking

and who is being spoken to.

And we also have to recognize the

covenant setting.

And you know, we use the word covenant.

Uh covenant you find definitely

mentioned numerous times in the Bible,

both Old and New Testaments, which

Testament covenant, right?

But a covenant it's it's it's more than

what we call a casual agreement. It's a

binding arrangement established by God.

So, we need to make sure we're clear on

covenant. Because in a covenant God

defines the relationship. He gives the

terms. He reveals the responsibilities

and attaches promises or consequences to

them. And the Bible is divided into, as

I just stated, we have the Old

Testament, we have the New Testament.

But those are more than what we had

simply break down as to, well, they're

just two sections of a book.

They refer to that word covenant. And in

the Old Covenant, that was given to

Israel through Moses.

But the New Covenant was established

through the blood of Christ. And that's

why we need to ask a question, under

which covenant was this command given?

Very important.

Deuteronomy chapter 5 and verse 2.

Deuteronomy 5 · chapter mention

Deuteronomy 5 and verse 2. We see that

word covenant mentioned there. The Lord

our God made a covenant with us in order

That covenant that's mentioned there

includes the law of Moses, includes

animal sacrifices, the Levitical

priesthood, uh dietary restrictions,

feast days, and Sabbath regulations. All

of that you're going to find included in

that particular covenant that was made.

But Jeremiah

in Jeremiah 31 and verses 31 and 32, we

find some other things here.

"Behold, the days are coming," says the

Lord, "when I will make a

new covenant with the house of Israel

and the house of Judah, not according to

the covenant that I made with their

fathers in the day that I took them by

the hand to lead them out of the land of

Egypt, my covenant which they broke,

though I was a husband to them," says

"the Lord."

Now, if you remember in the prophecy

series we did a while back,

this is one of the

scriptures that was used in one of those

lessons,

speaking of a new covenant.

This is pointing forward. And you know,

what does Jesus talk about? What does he

state in Luke chapter 22 and verse 20?

Luke 22 · chapter mention

When he established the new covenant

through his blood,

talking about the Lord's Supper here.

Likewise, he also took the cup after

supper saying, "This cup is the new

covenant in my blood which is shed for

you."

Hebrew writer has a lot to say on this

subject. If you go over to Hebrews

Hebrews 8 · chapter mention

chapter 8, Hebrews chapter 8, there is a

Hebrews 8 · chapter mention

lot of distinctions made regarding the

old covenant, new covenant, talking

about the new the the priestly service,

you know, all of those things that's

mentioned.

As our great high priest is Christ and

we are

priests. Think think about this. In

Hebrews chapter 8 and verse 13

Hebrews 8 · chapter mention

classifies this as again a new covenant

in that he says a new covenant he has

made the first obsolete. Now what is

becoming obsolete and growing old is

ready to vanish away.

What is what is that old covenant? He's

talking about the law of Moses. He's

talking about the old

covenant, the Old Testament, which again

Jesus made clear that it was

being nailed to the cross. Even that's

what we find

in writings there Peter such and then

even the book of Hebrews that makes that

clear.

That Jesus

came to fulfill

the old covenant.

He fulfilled.

Now the Old Testament remains inspired

and invaluable.

It it teaches us about God and sin,

holiness, faith, sacrifice and and the

promises that that point to Christ, but

Christians live under the new covenant

of Jesus Christ.

That's why we don't offer animal

sacrifices, friends.

That's why we don't maintain a Levitical

priesthood. That's why we don't bind

Jewish feast days or Sabbath regulations

because there's a distinction that's

made between the old and the new.

One of the main verses that we use I

would say kind of a thing verse

throughout our series in the prophecies

was that from Colossians chapter 2

Colossians 2:16

verses 16 and 17. In the shadows to

substance we even used this one, didn't

we?

Says so let no one judge you in food or

in drink or regarding a festival or a

new moon or Sabbath which are a shadow

of things to come but the substance is

of Christ.

There it is.

So, we say when we're talking about

handling the word of God rightly,

as 2 Timothy 2:15 tells us to do,

2 Timothy 2:15

to rightly divide scripture, we have to

ask these vital questions.

And here under the covenant,

under which covenant was that command

given?

To whom did that covenant to that

command apply? Was it fulfilled in

Christ? Is it taught under the new

covenant?

Because failing to recognize the

covenant setting leads to confusion in

worship, salvation,

and Christian living.

We have to be able

to recognize those things.

How about this one?

Allow scripture to explain scripture.

You know, the Bible records many things

without approving them.

We have Abraham who lied, David

committed adultery, Peter denied Jesus,

Ananias and Sapphira lied about their

contribution.

And the Bible describes those actions

truthfully,

but it does not present them as examples

that we are to imitate.

We must take the Bible, we must learn

the difference between what the Bible

describes and what it prescribes. We got

to know the difference.

Acts chapter 20

Acts 20 · chapter mention

tells us that Paul preached until

midnight.

Does that mean every sermon must last

until midnight?

I didn't think anybody was going to say

yeah.

I didn't think so. But I come back

tonight.

Acts tells us that Christians sometimes

met daily. That shows devotion, but it

does not necessarily command every

congregation to conduct a formal

assembly every day.

At the same time, we must not dismiss

inspired examples.

Like we been studying the book of Acts

in our in our our Bible in our adult

Bible class. And matter of fact, the

junior high high school class, that's

what they've been studying as well as

the book of Acts. And and when studying

the book of Acts, we find repeatedly

records that it records sinners hearing

the gospel, believing, repenting, and

being baptized.

Those accounts show how inspired

apostles carried out the Great

Commission that Jesus gave.

Matthew 28:18-20,

Matthew 28:18–20

Mark 16:15-16,

Mark 16:15–16

right?

So, when we take that in the book of

Acts and we're studying examples, we ask

questions. Is this action commanded

elsewhere?

Is it connected to apostolic teaching?

Is it repeated as a pattern?

Is it essential to the point, or is it

merely incidental?

Those are all questions that we should

ask when we're studying.

For example, here's another one. The the

place where someone was baptized may

differ.

Some were baptized in rivers.

Others were baptized wherever water was

available.

What does that tell us about the

location?

Well, the location is incidental.

Is what that means.

But, baptism itself is directly

commanded and repeatedly practiced.

Y'all see that?

What I'm what I'm emphasizing, friends,

is is good Bible study does not turn

every historical detail into law.

But neither does it ignore the patterns

that God has

revealed.

Allowing scripture

to explain scripture.

Some passages we make these in trying to

distinguish as I just mentioned a moment

ago.

Some passages are harder to understand

than others.

Uh

Peter said that Paul wrote some things.

Uh

2 Peter 3 and verse 16 as also in all

his epistles speaking in them of these

things in which are some things hard to

understand which untaught and unstable

people twist to their own destruction as

they do also the rest of the scriptures.

Peter was not saying

scripture is absolutely impossible to

understand.

He said some passages require careful

study.

There's a difference, right? One one of

the best ways to understand difficult

passages is to compare them with clear

passages on the very same subject.

Because scripture does not contradict

scripture

because God does not contradict himself.

You know, what Paul told the Corinthian

brethren that God is not the author of

confusion.

For example, Paul wrote in Romans 3 and

verse 28. Romans 3 and verse 28.

Therefore, we conclude that a man is

justified by faith apart from the deeds

of the law.

And you're like, whoop, hold up a

second.

What's going on with this?

Because

I'm going to go over to James chapter 2

James 2 · chapter mention

and verse 24. And James 2 and verse 24

says, "You see then that a man is

justified by works and not by faith

only." What just happened? We take

Romans 3 and verse 28 where Paul wrote

that and James wrote this and now we're

saying, "You know, it seems like those

verses conflict."

Now, what I said about context is also

important. Mentioned that earlier.

Because Paul and James are actually

addressing different problems.

You go back to Romans 3 and verse 28,

you notice that Paul is actually showing

that sinners cannot earn salvation

through works of the law of Moses.

See that whole the law thing?

James is showing that real faith is not

an empty claim. Living faith obeys. He

goes on in that same passage talking

about without the without the spirit,

the body is dead.

So it is with faith. Faith without works

is dead.

Paul in Romans 3 and verse 28, he's

rejecting is rejecting salvation by

human merit. That's what he's recording

there.

And as I just mentioned about James,

James is rejecting dead faith.

So together they teach that salvation is

by God's grace

through a living obedient faith.

That's what they're teaching together.

And friends, what I just did there with

Romans 3 and James chapter 2, that

James 2 · chapter mention

principle matters in every subject.

Every subject.

We should never build our understanding

on one verse while ignoring the rest of

the scripture. And friends, I'm going to

tell you, that happens all the time.

It happens all the time.

The best commentary on the Bible

is the Bible itself.

Now,

we started off with 2 Timothy chapter 2.

2 Timothy 2 · chapter mention

And we're told to study diligently.

And friends, we're to obey.

When Paul told Timothy to be diligent,

good Bible study requires

effort.

The Bereans that we are studying in our

Bible class just recently in Acts

Acts 17 · chapter mention

chapter 17 gives us a noble example.

Acts 17 and verse 11 that says, "These

were more fair-minded than those in

Thessalonica in that they

received the word with all readiness

and searched the scriptures daily to

find out whether these things were so."

Two things I see in that, readiness and

examination.

Those two things.

They were not close-minded, but they

were not gullible either. They listened

eagerly and they searched the scriptures

daily

to prove whether those things were so.

That attitude recorded for us in Acts 17

and verse 11 should not be an outdated

mindset.

We should have that same attitude today

because I'll tell you right off, no

preacher is above examination.

No preacher.

No commentary is inspired.

No family tradition is the final

authority.

And no congregation's history determines

truth.

We are told to search the scriptures.

We have to do that. We have to study to

show ourselves approved unto God.

Read entire books Bible.

Pay attention to the context. Compare

those passages. Take notes. Meditate on

what you read.

Because even the psalmist in Psalm 1

Psalms 1:1

verses 1 and 2

makes it I think abundantly clear when

stating blessed is the man who walks not

in the counsel of God nor stands in the

path of sinners nor sits in the sits in

the seat of the scornful.

But his delight is in the law of the

Lord and his law he meditates day and

night.

If you break it down like that, reading

gives us the words.

Study helps us understand the words that

we read and meditation lets the words

settle into our hearts.

But study is not complete until the word

is obeyed.

James used that very thought in James

James 1 · chapter mention

chapter 1 about comparing God's word to

a mirror and and how a how one may look

into a mirror and and they can see what

needs attention and then walk away

unchanged, not doing anything. But in

James 1 and verse 25, he says, "But he

who looks into the perfect law of

liberty and continues in it and is not a

forgetful hearer but a doer of the work,

this one will be blessed in what he

does."

So what you find in James 1 in this

text, the mirror reveals the problem,

but the person must respond to the

problem.

Jesus

used this very example when he entered

the Sermon on the Mount by describing

two builders in Matthew chapter 7.

Matthew 7 · chapter mention

What's interesting about that that

example that he used about those two

builders is both heard

his words.

One obeyed, one did not.

So, the difference was not exposure to

truth because both both men heard.

The difference was the response. Matthew

Matthew 7:24

7:24, Jesus said this about the wise

man.

Therefore, whoever hears these sayings

of mine and does them, I will liken him

to a wise man who built his house on the

rock.

So, friends, the goal of Bible study is

is not to simply just know more

information.

It's to become more like Christ.

That's the very goal.

So,

how should we study the Bible?

Begin with a heart willing to obey.

Read every passage in context.

Identify the speaker, the audience, the

covenant.

Distinguish what the Bible describes

from what it commands.

Allow scripture to explain scripture.

Study

diligently.

And then obey what God has said.

Paul told Timothy, be diligent to

present yourself approved to God, a

worker who does not need to be ashamed

for rightly dividing the word of truth.

The question that I pose here is whose

approval matters? Whose approval? Not

culture's approval, not tradition's

approval, not even man's approval.

Friends, we seek the approval of God.

We must handle scriptures carefully

because what I said at the beginning,

souls matter.

The word of God deserves honest

interpretation,

humble submission, and faithful

obedience.

Cuz some people they they they approach

the Bible and go, "I'm going to master

its contents." That That sounds great.

But friends, we study so that it's

mastered so that so

its author may master our lives.

And I'm asking sincerely for us all. And

I Again, when I say I tell y'all this

all the time,

that the lessons meant for me first

before it goes to anyone else, we have

to all ask ourselves that very question.

Is that how we approach the Bible?

Just last week,

did we approach the Bible? Did we open

the Bible? Let me start with that one.

Did we

think on the scriptures? Did we study it

in a way so that its author

may master our lives?

This morning we have seen that truth

certainly must be handled correctly.

Truth must also be obeyed personally.

Because it's possible to understand

scripture and still refuse to submit to

it.

There are people that that will

certainly know that want to be repent of

their sins, confess Jesus to be the son

of man God, and be baptized for

remission of their sins, but they have

not submitted to that.

Again, knowing

but not doing.

It's possible to know that plan of

salvation and never obey it.

It's possible to know that Jesus died,

was buried, and rose again, yet still

refuse to surrender to him.

God's word calls those who believe in

Christ to repent of sin, confess him,

and be baptized for the remission of

sins.

As Romans 6:3 and 4 says, being buried

Romans 6:3

with Christ in baptism to rise and walk

in newness of life. That's what the

verses teach us.

I'm asking this morning,

if you know that,

will you obey that?

As God's word, God's plan. Not my plan,

not your plan, God's.

For those who have already obeyed the

gospel message, the gospel call, the

word calls us to do

to walk faithfully and return when we

have wandered away from it.

And what did Jesus say in John 13 and

verse 17? If you know these things,

blessed are you if you do them.

Cuz the blessing is not again, it's not

simply in knowing,

the blessing is in

doing.

So, let's not be hearers only. Let's

rightly understand the word. Let's obey

the word and allow the truth to do just

that, and that is transform us.

Thank you so much for your kind

attention this morning.

Hope this lesson and series has been

helpful to you, and I'm I appreciate the

feedback that I receive on these series,

and that it has been helpful to to some

of you as well.

As we continue in this series, um

in the next lesson we'll be looking at

some some additional things.

But for now,

the invitation is open.

Having heard the word,

you decide. What do you want to do with

it?

If you'd like to study more about God's

plan of salvation I just mentioned a

moment ago, get with me following

services. Say, "I I need to talk with

you about that." This is This is so

important.

Don't leave here without saying, "I need

to talk with you."