Do you STUDY your Bible without doing THIS?

 If you were given an instruction book, would you begin studying only certain parts of it before you read the whole thing to know what all the instructions were, and how the instructions in different parts of the book might interact with one another?

Of course not! 

But that is exactly the approach many people take with the greatest instruction book of all time...the Bible. 

It is natural for new Christians to begin studying their Bibles through the lens of someone's teaching, but why not immediately open the book and begin reading the whole thing for ourselves? That way, we can judge anyone's teaching by the whole Bible--not just the parts someone might want us to focus on, or worse...use those parts as a myopic lens or filter by which to judge everything else we read in the Bible. 

The scriptures command us to judge all things by the Word of God...and that includes the teachings of our favorite pastors or teachers.

God gave his people gifts in the form of shepherds and teachers, and we should learn from the good ones. But good stewardship of our faith requires having a personal understanding of the Bible for ourselves, and not just parroting what we have been taught by someone else. There is only one way to know whether our favorite teacher is teaching truth or not, and that is to have a working knowing of the Word of God for ourselves. 

Deception happens by having only partial understanding of something. And only by reading the entire Bible, can we gain perspective from the whole, instead of having only piecemeal understanding of it.

By reading only two to four chapters a day, the entire Bible can be read through every year (with the possibility of reading the New Testament through twice!). When we begin adding Bible study to our daily reading, it is recommended to continue reading every day, always picking up today where we left off yesterday. That way, we  never miss a  thing.

Jesus said, "Humanity shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." God's word is our necessary food. It gives us guidance and comfort. Knowing and being obedient to God's Word (as we continually grow in our understanding of it) is a vital ingredient in our faith in, and relationship with, our Creator. Reading and gaining understanding of the Word of God is a lifetime endeavor, and not a one-time thing.

The scriptures themselves admonish us to rightly discern the Word of God. And we can only do that by knowing what is in it...by having a working knowledge of what is in it. And we can only gain a working knowledge of the Bible, by reading it, all of it...over and over...every day for the rest of our lives.

1 Corinthians Chapter 10: Political Correctness Segregation Porn & Meat

       1: Moreover brethren I would not that you should be ignorant how that all our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the [Red] sea 2: And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea 3: And did all eat the same spiritual meat 4: And did all drink the same spiritual drink for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ 5: But with many of them God was not well pleased for they were overthrown in the wilderness 6: Now these things were our examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted[1] ^{Numbers 11:4-6,18-23,31-34} 7: Neither be ye idolaters as were some of them as it is written The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play ^{Exodus 32} 8: Neither let us commit porneuo as some of them committed and fell in one day three and twenty thousand ^{Numbers 25:1-9} 9: Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of serpents ^{Numbers 21:5-8} 10: Neither murmur ye as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer[2] ^{Numbers 14:36}  11: Now all these things happened to them for ensamples and they are written for our admonition [3] upon whom the ends of the world are come 12: Wherefore let them that think they stand take heed lest they fall[4] 13: There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man but God is faithful who will not permit you to be tempted above that you are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it 14: Wherefore my dearly beloved flee from idolatry 15: I speak as to the wise  you judge what I say 16: The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the fellowship of the blood of Christ The bread which we break, is it not the fellowship of the body of Christ 17: For we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread 18: Behold Israel after the flesh are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the alter 19: What say I then that the idol is anything or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is anything 20: But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to devils and not to God and I would not that you should have fellowship with devils 21: You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils you cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table and of the table of devils 22: Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy are we stronger than he 23: All [things] are lawful for me but all things are not profitable All [things] are lawful for me but all things do not build up 24: Let no one seek their own but every one another’s wealth[5] 25: Whatever is sold in the market that eat asking no question for conscience sake 26: For the earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof 27: If any of them that believe not invite you to a feast and you be disposed to go whatever is set before you eat asking no question for conscience sake 28: But if any say to you This is offered in sacrifice to idols eat not for their sake that disclosed it and for conscience sake For the earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof 29: Conscience I say not your own but of the other for why is my liberty judged by another’s conscience 30: For if I by grace be a partaker why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks 31: Whether therefore you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God 32: Give no offence neither to the Jews nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God 33: Even as I please all in all things not seeking my own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved[6]

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[1] Sin is always a matter of the heart. But it is not always the obvious things we think of as sin. The people in the wilderness were not content with God’s provision of manna. They complained against him, demanding meat. This was sin. Wanting meat and eating meat, in and of itself, was not evil. It was the ungrateful, rebellious hearts, complaining mouths, and the lusting after what was not provided—what was not in the immediate will of God for them—that brought the wrath of God down upon those who lusted and complained.

[2] It is never OK to murmur against God, even when the way is fearful and difficult to understand or endure

[3] Paul reiterates that what was written of old, is evergreen for the Christian. Some say the Old Testament is irrelevant to New Testament Christianity, but the New Testament itself affirms [time and again] that what was written to God’s people under the Law of Moses [and before] is relevant for Children of God, today. This commentator recommends reading your Bibles every day, always picking up today where you left off yesterday.

[4] This admonition is written to those who believe they are serving God sincerely but need to search their hearts for sin which may not be obvious to them (the heart of man is deceitful and wicked above all things…Search my heart O God…).  Pride, arrogance, class consciousness, racism, these are things are grievous sins in the sight of God, and have no place in the hearts and lives of Christians, yet we see the Body of Christ segregated along such lines. This must stop.

[5] Seek the welfare of our family in Christ and all fellow human beings, just as if it were our own. We truly are our brother’s keepers.

[6] Paul is not instructing Christians to be “man-pleasers.” He is saying that we should not offend someone else's conscience, by eating food that we know has been used in idolatrous/pagan religious ceremonies. This compares with his message about not eating meat as long as the world stands if it would cause a brother to stumble, or that it is better to refrain from behavior that could be misconstrued, even when we know that we are doing nothing wrong. The consciences of others should be of concern to the Christian. The apostle is not promoting a generalized political correctness or commanding Christians to never offend anyone by telling the truth. A thorough reading of Paul’s letters, reveals that he was anything but politically correct, and that both he and Jesus spoke the truth, even when it was hard and they know some would take offense to it. 

Additional commentary pending for this chapter

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Acts Chapter 17: No Human can Claim Headship

    1: Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia they came to Thessalonica where was a synagogue of the Jews 2: And Paul as his manner was went in to them and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures 3: Opening and alleging that Christ must needs have suffered and risen again from the dead and that this Iesous whom I preach to you is Christos 4: And some of them believed and consorted with Paul and Silas and of the devout Greeks a great multitude and of the chief women not a few 5: But the Jews which believed not moved with envy took to them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort and gathered a company and set all the city in an uproar and assaulted the house of Jason and sought to bring them out to the people 6: And when they found them not they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city crying These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also 7: Whom Jason has received and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar saying that there is another king one Jesus 8: And they troubled the people and the rulers of the city when they heard these things 9: And when they had taken security of Jason and of the other they let them go 10: And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night to Berea who coming there went into the synagogue of the Jews 11: These were more noble than those in Thessalonica in that they received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the scriptures daily whether those things were so[1] 12: Therefore many of them believed also of honorable women who were Greeks and of men not a few[2] 13: But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea they came there also and stirred up the people 14: And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea but Silas and Timotheus abode there still 15: And they that conducted Paul brought him to Athens and receiving a commandment to Silas and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed they departed 16: Now while Paul waited for them at Athens his spirit was stirred in him when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry 17: Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews and with the devout persons and in the market daily with them that met with him 18: Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans and of the Stoicks encountered him And some said What will this babbler say other some He seems to be a setter forth of strange gods because he preached to them Jesus and the resurrection 19: And they took him and brought him to Areopagus saying May we know what this new doctrine whereof you speak is 20: For you bring certain strange things to our ears we would know therefore what these things mean 21: For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing 22: Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill[3] and said You people of Athens I perceive that in all things ye are very superstitious 23: For as I passed by and beheld your devotions I found an altar with this inscription TO THE UNKNOWN GOD Whom therefore you worship in ignorance him declare I to you 24: God that made the world and all things therein seeing that he is Lord of Heaven and earth dwells not in temples made with hands 25: Neither is worshipped with audawm’s hands as though he needed anything seeing he gives to all life and breath and all things[4] 26: And has made of one blood all nations of awdawm for to dwell on all the face of the earth and has determined the times before appointed ^{Acts 1:7} and the bounds of their habitation 27: That they should seek the Lord if perhaps they might reach for him and find him though he be not far from every one of us 28: For in him we live and move and have our beings as certain also of your own poets have said For we are also his offspring. 29: Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold or silver or stone engraved by art and audawm’s device 30: And the times of this ignorance God winked at but now commands all people everywhere to repent 31: Because he has appointed a day ^{Acts 1:7} in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he has ordained ^{Revelation 20:11-15} whereof he has given assurance to all people in that he has raised him from the dead 32: And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead some mocked and others said We will hear you again of this matter 33: So Paul departed from among them 34: Howbeit certain ones clung to him, and believed among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them

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[1] The scriptures they searched were the scriptures of the Law and the Prophets and the Psalms—what we know today as the Old Testament. The Old Covenant is not obsolete. All of the Law, all of the Prophets, speak of the redeeming work of the Messiah in the redemption of our souls, bodies, the earth, and entire universe (time, space, [all] matter, and energy). It is wrong for Christians to neglect the study of the Old Covenant. It is impossible to understand the New Covenant without the Old. When the New Testament Apostle penned the words, “Study to show yourself approved…,” He was referring to the Old Testament scriptures.

[2] The writer of the Book of Acts was a Roman physician. The Roman Empire was based on Greek culture, which was entirely androcentric (male-centered). Women were essentially invisible in that culture. Even in court cases, a woman’s name was rarely mentioned unless she was very notorious. So, it is noteworthy that this is the second mention in this chapter of the honorable “women.” In this last remark, the order is reversed with the women noted first and the men last. It is extraordinary for women to mentioned all in writings from any ancient culture, much less to be referenced before the men.

[3] Mar’s Hill was dedicated to idolatry and any and every strange god and doctrine that anyone wanted to set forth. It was a platform that Paul used to preach Christ, but it was certain he never lent his approval to Christians to model its over-all purpose.

[4] Headship is the ability to give life and breath to everything. Only Christ can claim Headship. No human can create and sustain life. Therefore, no human can claim Headship over anyone or anything. 

Additional commentary pending for this chapter. Questions and comments are welcome.