Study (Discovery) Guides
A Simple Approach To Discovering Truth
Contents:This page, Why should we study (discover) the truth?
Page 2, What should we discover?
Page 3, How do we discover the truth?
Page 4, How do we make sense of the Bible?
Page 5, How to find answers in the Bible.
Page 6, Books to help you get more out of the Bible.
Why should we study to seek truth?Perhaps study is the wrong word to use. Study sounds like school work, boring reading, tedious memorization and irrelevant information.
Opening a Bible should be fun, not work, and that was, and still is the intent of the author, who said repeatedly and emphatically, "REJOICE!" (Deu. 12:7, Phil. 4:4) or as some would put it today, "PARTY, Dude!" It was, and still is the intent of the author's son who said, "The REASON I came here was so that all of you could get a lot MORE out of life!" (Jn. 10:10).Discovery sounds much more interesting than study. Would you prefer to spend time studying or discovering? Duh!?! Study implies preparation for a test to see who has retained the most facts in their short term memory. It implies enduring the instructor's personal opinions and repeating them back to him as facts, in order to pass his class. A "lecture" has been explained as "the process in which the notes of the professor become the notes of the student without going through the minds of either one."
We've all been there, feeling ourselves age as we wait for the bell so we can escape. Or waiting for the end of church services so we can flee. It is no different for theology students. They do not go into the wilderness and live off locusts and wild honey (Mat. 3:4) nor do they go up the mount to meet with God. They pay their tuition and sit in classes which could be titled, "The Bible as understood by the XYZ church" and "How to make everyone else look wrong". Comparative theology offers many interesting discoveries.
What is there to discover in the Bible?"*Discovery: 1. The action of discovering; exposure to view; laying open; showing; as, the discovery of a plot."
The Bible is full of plots (story lines or sequences of events):
The main one is the purpose of life. Is it what you have been told all your life or is it something else?
What does "worship" really mean? Is there some basis for dressing like the grim reaper and chanting "Dominoes, Nostra Damas, Pass da Nabiscos!" Or is it sometimes a matter of falsidicus spiritualis, corruptrix and impoenitentia clericatus?
Why does God allow evil to happen to "good" people?
What really happens when we die?
What exactly does God expect me to do in a world like this?
The answers are all there waiting to be discovered.
"*Discovery: 2. A making known; revelation; disclosure; "In the clear discoveries of the next [world]."
The Bible is full of disclosures (or prophecies):
Is the world going to end? When? Can it happen anytime soon?
Will Christianity triumph over evil before Christ returns?
Which religion, church, or preacher will Christ endorse?
Will there be a World War III?
Will anyone escape or be protected?The last book of the Bible is titled "Revelation". Hmmmmm!?!?
"*Discovery: 3. Finding out or ascertaining something previously unknown or unrecognized;" To find or see (something unknown) before anyone else.
The Bible contains statements which you may never have heard:
There are statements which contradict the doctrines of mainstream Christianity.
Some religious "beliefs" have no basis at all in scripture.
The "God of the Old Testament" is not a grouchy old man eager to hurt you.
Christ did not have long hair, pale skin or a halo. He looked like all the other Jews.
Christ did not die like a wimp. He died like a heroic Marine P.O.W..
Much of mainstream Christianity is condemned in scripture.We can assume that others have told us the truth (if they know it) or we can discover (find out) what the Bible actually says and whether the statements above are true or false.
"*Discovery: 4. That which is discovered; a thing found out, or for the first time ascertained or recognized;"
The Bible contains truth. Since no one understands everything perfectly yet, there is still new truth to be discovered in the Bible. Will you be the first to find it?
"*Discovery: 5. Exploration; examination." To find, detect, stumble on, unearth, behold, locate, originate, discern, uncover, notice, pioneer, perceive, learn, discern, see, ascertain, determine, detect, realize or find out.Life is not a destination, it is a journey. We can choose in our journey to be victims of life, bounced back and forth like the ball in a pinball machine, used and abused by others and eventually discarded.
Or we can be courageous explorers, shrugging off the storms and high seas of life because we are focused on the promise of discovering a new land and the better life that Christ promised.
The journey starts with the Bible as a prologue of our life. What happened prior to today? What happened prior to me? The Bible continues with real examples of people and their lives, any of which could be a parallel to our life story, either for good or for bad. The Bible ends as an epilogue, explaining what happened at the end of "the world as we know it". What can we expect to happen to us if we are "good" or if we are "bad".Bible discovery should be, and can be like a novel that we can't put down because we can't wait to see what happens next in the story or how it ends. A humongous difference is that in this story, we have an active role. How it ends, depends on us, on whether we bother to read the story, on whether we decide to actively do something about our role in it, and on which choices we make. No one, not even God, knows how our role in the story will end. We can be among the heroes or heroines, or we can be bit players, who get written out along the way and forgotten long before the book ends. We literally write our own ending whether we ever open a Bible or not. Of course our part in the story will be much longer (eternal) if we actually open the Bible and if we make the right choices.
*Definitions from: http://www.bootlegbooks.com/Reference/Webster/data/451.html
ExcusesOne of the things we learn in school is how to make excuses to keep from studying. The easiest excuses are lies but the best excuses have some element of truth. The best one we have heard is of a British student who accidentally left his electronics project on a commuter train where it was subsequently found, considered highly suspicious, and demolished in a controlled explosion by a police bomb squad. The "suspicious device" was a homebuilt foot control for an electric guitar. How often do teachers hear, "Sorry, Teach, but the cops blew up my homework."?
One excuse to avoid reading the Bible is that it is written in "old English" which can be quite distracting if we are not accustomed to reading it. There are several solutions to this, but we shall discuss them later. For now we'll just point out that it is easier to learn to read "King James' English" (ca. 1611 AD) than it is to learn a foreign language, or to keep up with the changing vocabulary of Eubonics, "street slang", "valley speak", or the slang of the average, white, middle class teenager. It is also easier than learning the basic computer terms necessary to "boot up", "get online" and "surf the net". It is no more difficult than learning to text message.Another excuse is that "it doesn't apply today, or it doesn't apply to me". We could ask, how do you know if you haven't read it?, but we know that, at first glance, the fact that Isaiah begat Mahershalalhashbaz doesn't seem to hold any significance for anyone outside his immediate family, 2,750 years ago. And if we think about it at all, it may be to simply wonder if they called him "Hash" for short.
However this same book says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" (2 Tim. 3:16). When Paul wrote this statement in his letter to Timothy, the only "scripture" which had been canonized was the Old Testament. It wasn't until later that the books and letters of the New Testament were added or "canonized".
To understand the significance of the name of Isaiah's son does not require a degree in theology, but it does require that we read a little differently than if we were reading crafty tips by Martha Stewart.Sometimes our instructors would accept certain excuses. Which excuses will be accepted by God?
"Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God has showed it unto them.
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened." (Rom 1:19-21).
According to God, who makes the rules, there are no valid excuses, and ignorance is considered to be self-inflicted.
Study to show yourself approved . . ." 2 Tim. 2:15
To become "acceptable" to God, certain changes are required.
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed (changed in character) by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Romans 12:1-2).What is required?
"Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman (teacher) that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (expounding) the word of truth." (2 Tim.2:15).
The "Confusing Scripture Investigation" (CSI)
Understanding all the various meanings and nuances in any particular scripture can be likened to detective work, or to the job of a crime scene investigator (CSI). What you see at first glance does not tell the whole story. What are the clues? What is the evidence? What do the details suggest? When there is apparent contradiction, what is the solution? The witnesses (scholars and preachers) seldom tell exactly the same story. Which ones are telling the truth? Which ones are biased? Which ones are "in the dark" or "clueless"? Which ones are withholding critical information?
Often, evidence comes from other locations. Where? Which ones? Is there a connection? Is there a pattern? Can we put it all together? Will we solve the puzzle? Can we discover who the guilty are and give credence to the innocent?According to the book, ". . . you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (Jhn 8:32).
So it's not only possible, it guarantees your own freedom; freedom from ignorance, from misunderstanding, from lies, from religious oppression, from spiritual "darkness" and most of all, freedom from eternal death.
When we look at that way, how can we afford not to begin our own investigation immediately?
Sex and Violence?
Sex and violence is one reason many prefer to go see a movie than go to church. How many sermons can be credited with bringing in millions of dollars in revenue in a single weekend? Yet some movies net tens of millions in a single weekend, hundreds of millions in a few weeks and more than a billion dollars total.
At the same time, some atheists, to defend their disbelief in the God of Christianity, use the excuse that the Bible contains too many graphic accounts of illicit sex, evil and violence, and that some of the violence is directed by God himself.
So, is there not enough sex and violence in the Bible, or is there too much? Or is it that we want our sex and violence separate from our religion?There are very few acts of either sex or violence that are not found, at least in general terms, in the Bible. And to read King Solomon's Song of Songs aloud in church would terribly embarrass some as it describes physical love between a husband and wife. There are no movies that cover a longer time period, over 6,000 years. There are few if any screenplays that are longer in text, about 1,400 pages in the average version.
The fact is God approves of sex, not all sex, just the best sex. Sometimes God also approves of violence but not all violence. The only way to understand the difference is to read, and to investigate.
Study to find the truth.There are over 38,000 flavors of Christianity and the number is still growing. While they may have some few doctrines in common, they do not agree on enough to overcome their divisions. There is even disagreement over the meaning of the word "Christianity", as the fastest growth is in third world nations where "native customs and traditions" (read paganism, mysticism, etc.) are incorporated into the official doctrinal position.
Christ asked his Father, on our behalf, "Sanctify them through your truth: your word is truth." (Jhn 17:17).
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" (2 Tim. 3:16).
"Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him." (Pro 30:5).
"And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God." (Luk 4:4).Why not just ask the preachers or priests or Biblical scholars, "What does the Bible say?"?
1. Since they all disagree, they can't all be right. Could they all be wrong?
(1 Cor. 14:33; Jer. 14:14; Lam. 2:14).
2. According to God's Word, many of them are "false prophets", "false brethren" and "false teachers".
(Mat. 7:15; 24:11, 24; Mk. 13:22; Lk. 6:26; 2 Pet. 2:1; 1 Jn. 4:1; Jer. 14:14).
3. Spiritual understanding comes to us through God's Holy Spirit (Jn. 14:14-17; 16:13), the possession of which is demonstrated by the good "fruits" in an individual's life (Gal. 5:19-26). Many preachers, priests and Bible scholars do not demonstrate much, if any, of this evidence in their private lives.4. Are you willing to bet your eternal life on someone else's opinion? (Eze. 18:4, 20).
Study to eliminate fear of the world and fear of the things in it.Fear of what men may do to you:
"Hearken unto me, you that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear you not the reproach of men, neither be you afraid of their revilings." (Isa 51:7).
"The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?" (Psa 118:6).
"In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me." (Psa 56:4).
"Fear none of those things which you shall suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that you may be tried; and you shall have tribulation ten days: be you faithful unto death, and I will give you a crown of life." (Rev 2:10).
"The fear of man brings a snare: but whoso puts his trust in the Lord shall be safe." (Pro 29:25).
"But the Lord your God you shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies." (2Ki 17:39).
"So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." (Hbr 13:6).Fear of conspiracies:
"Say you not, A [conspiracy], to all them to whom this people shall say, A [conspiracy]; neither fear you their fear, nor be afraid." (Isa 8:12). God laughs at conspiracies (Psa. 2:1-4). So should we.Fear of foreign armies:
"And Moses said unto the people, Fear you not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will show to you to day: for the Egyptians whom you have seen to day, you shall see them again no more for ever." (Exd 14:13).Fear of disasters and calamities, like terrorism:
"Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it comes." (Pro 3:25).National or collective fear:
"Fear not, you worm Jacob, and you men of Israel; I will help you, says the Lord, and your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel." (Isa 41:14).Fear of facing life's greatest problems and dangers alone:
"Fear you not; for I am with you: be not dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you; yes, I will help you; yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness." (Isa 41:10).
"For I the Lord your God will hold your right hand, saying unto you, Fear not; I will help you." (Isa 41:13).
"Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me." (Psa 23:4).
"NO FEAR":
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love." (1Jo 4:18).
"For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but you have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." (Rom 8:15).
"For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2Ti 1:7).
"Then shall you understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God." (Pro 2:5).
Study to learn how to properly fear God.
Some fear God in the wrong way:
"Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:" (Isa 29:13).
"And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." (Hbr 2:15).
To fear God in obedience:
"O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!" (Deu 5:29).
"That you might fear the Lord your God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, you, and your son, and your son's son, all the days of your life; and that your days may be prolonged." (Deu 6:2).
"For then shall you lift up your face without spot; yes, you shalt be steadfast, and shall not fear:" (Job 11:15).
"But whoso hearkens unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil." (Pro 1:33).To fear God in understanding:
"The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant." (Psa 25:14).
"And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them." (2Ki 6:16).To fear God in knowledge:
"The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate." (Pro 8:13).
To fear God in knowledge, wisdom, understanding and obedience:
"And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding." (Job 28:28).
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." (Pro 9:10).
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever." (Psa 111:10).
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Pro 1:7).
To fear God in faith and love:
"And he charged them, saying, Thus shall you do in the fear of the Lord, faithfully, and with a perfect heart." (2 Ch 19:9).
"You that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord: he is their help and their shield." (Psa 115:11).
"He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great." (Psa 115:13).
"After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am your shield, and your exceeding great reward." (Gen 15:1).
"Fear you not therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows." (Mat 10:31).
"FEAR THIS":
"Your own wickedness shall correct you, and your backslidings shall reprove you: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that you have forsaken the Lord your God, and that my fear is not in you, says the Lord God of hosts." (Jer 2:19).
"But I will forewarn you whom you shall fear: Fear him, which after he has killed has power to cast into hell; yes, I say unto you, Fear him." (Luk 12:5)."Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." (Ecc 12:13).
Study for understanding, reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness
It is exciting and satisfying to discover truth and to prove it for ourselves. Only then, can we truly and confidently help others, especially our children.
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" (2Ti 3:16).
"But the anointing which you have received of him [the Holy Spirit] abides in you, and you need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it has taught you, you shall abide in him." (1Jo 2:27).
"And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (Jhn 8:32).
Study to seek God's approval.
"For all those things has mine hand made, and all those things have been, says the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at my word." (Isa 66:2).
"Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing [correctly teaching] the word of truth." (2Ti 2:15).
Study to find peace of mind.
"Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (Jhn 14:27).
Congratulations!If you have read this far, you have already begun to discover the Bible! Simply reading the scriptures, such as those given above, and comprehending the words and ideas, constitutes basic Bible discovery. Now you understand why we should seek discovery. And now you have that knowledge to share with others.
Notice that it wasn't hard. And it wasn't painful. You didn't have to learn to read Hebrew or Greek to understand it. You didn't have to check twenty different Bible commentaries to get the point. You didn't have to consult with a theology scholar with a Ph.D. in mid-eastern studies to explain it to you.
The scriptures you read above are from the King James Version, with pronouns and verbs changed to modern English (thou = you, art = are, etc.).
The only tasks done for you here, were that the scriptures were limited to one subject, grouped to answer specific questions and arranged in some particular order. All of which anyone can do using Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, Nave's Topical Bible and of course, the Bible. Strong's and Nave's are simple tools to help speed up discovery and to help us avoid overlooking something.
The understanding comes on two levels. The first is by our mind's comprehension which every human can do. The second comes through God's Holy Spirit working with our mind (Job 32:8). What the Holy Spirit is, how it works and what it does for us is a whole discovery in itself.
So, What Now?
What should we discover? Perhaps proof that God exists? Proof that the Bible is his inspired word? What is religion? What is truth? Why are we here? How can we tell the difference between the "good guys" and the "bad guys" in the wild world of religion? What is God's will? What should I do? Which way should I go?
Perhaps the Next Page will help.
Copyright M.H. and G.H. 2002 All rights reserved.
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