The Bible Study Rules – BibleUnderstanding Ministry

Many Christians trust their church to tell them
all they need to know about the Bible. They let the church tell them
because many churches demand their congregations only believe what
they tell them and threaten them with eternal punishment should they
even think of considering alternative points of view. Questions are
not encouraged in such churches.

The Bible is very
clear; we are to study the Bible on a regular basis to be approved
of God and to be unashamed in the day God judges us. Godï¿½s approval
is not based upon our regular attendance at any church or
blindly obeying its dogmas.

For those who want
to understand God’s Word, help is at hand. The good news is that
this help is not from some denominational school of interpretation
or world class theological college but from the Bible itself.
Unknown to most Christians is the fact that the Bible contains study
rules to be used when examining it. The Bible comes with a complete
set of operating instructions. Once we know these operating
instructions we can read and study with confidence and avoid the
trap of being locked into any denominational system.

Why is it
important to study the Word of God? Because our God wants us to; be
followers of God as dear children and walk in love, Eph.5:1-2;
walk as children of light, Eph.5:8; walk circumspectly,
Eph.5:15, and above all these things, to walk in an appropriate
manner, that is, according to the instructions and set of conditions
God has given us today;

Eph
4:1 I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beseech you that you
walk worthy of the calling with which you are called.

While most
Christians love the Lord and have great zeal to serve Him they are
engaging in such things of service and worship which are not of any
value. Many observe days and months and Feasts and other Sabbaths,
they water baptise and recite prayers and sing hymns which are
centred on promises and hopes given to other members of God’s family. If we are to obey and walk worthy of our calling it is
obvious we must know our calling and for this reason personal Bible
study using the study principles and rules is essential.

First essential
rule or principle underlying all our study is the fact that God’s
Words are pure.

Psa
12:6 The Words of Jehovah are pure Words, like silver tried in a
furnace of earth, purified seven times.

Psa
12:7 You shall keep them, O Jehovah, You shall preserve them from
this generation forever.

There are no
mistakes in God’s Word; He gave His words through inspiration, men
did not copy down myths or fairy stories, they were moved or born
along by the Holy Spirit

2Pe
1:20 First of all, you must understand this: No prophecy in
Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation,

2Pe
1:21 because no prophecy ever originated through a human decision.
Instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy
Spirit.
ISV.

And again;

2Ti
3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed.

Another important
underlying essential is that the Bible declares itself complete.
There are neither missing parts nor any extra books as claimed to be
recently discovered or lost treasures found. The apostle Paul
received the administration of God for today which completes the
Bible:

Col
1:25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of
God which is given to me for you, to fulfil (complete 2:10) the word
of God.

In light of all
these wonderful and secure claims about the Bible we should honour
God’s Word as much as He honours His Word:

Psa
138:2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name
for thy loving kindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified
thy word above all thy name.

The Word of God we
hold in our hands today is pure and complete and we praise God that
He preserved His Word for us. The Word of God was written by men who
were inspired, moved by the Holy Spirit and another study rule is
that these Words of the Spirit must be compared carefully

1Co
2:12 But we have not received the spirit of the world, but the
Spirit from God, so that we might know the things that are freely
given to us by God.

1Co
2:13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom
teaches, but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual
things with spiritual.

The wisdom of men
is to be avoided; we are to compare the teaching Words which the
Holy Spirit has given us. This thought of comparing comes out in
another passage found later in Paul’s writings. When he wrote to the
Philippians he prayed for them like this:

Phi
1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in
full knowledge and in all perception;

Phi
1:10 that you may distinguish between things that differ, that you
may be sincere and without offense until the day of Jesus Christ.

Paul wants our
love to abound in full knowledge and in all perception in order that
we can distinguish between (those) things that differ. We must analyse, discern, prove and try the different things within God’s
Word. The widespread policy of spiritualising different things to
mean the same is the open doorway to confusion. When God makes a
promise to one part of His family we have no right to claim it as
our own or teach that different statements mean the same thing.

The fruit bowl
might be full of fruit but not all fruits are the same. In the Bible
some promises were made to Israel and some promises were made to The
Church which is His Body. We need to know what promises are made to
us today. Likewise, certain rules and regulations were given to
Israel which do not carry over into today’s administration or
dispensation. Israel was under Law, we are under grace.

We are responsible
for our understanding of God’s Words and Word. We will stand before
Christ on judgment day and the claim of belonging to this religion
or that denomination will be inadmissible. None of us would miss the
weight of the word yourself in the following passage which
presents a powerful Bible study rule;

2Ti
2:15 Study earnestly to present yourself approved to God, a workman
that does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of
Truth.

It is clear to us
that if we fail to distinguish between things that differ we will be
insincere and offensive until the day of Christ (Phils.1:9-10) and
if we fail to rightly divide the Word of Truth we shall be
unapproved and ashamed. These are not things to be disregarded.
Bible study rules are important.

Right division
simply means to straight cut the Word of Truth. This does not mean
we cut and divide to throw away; no, for all of God’s Word is
profitable for us. No part of God’s Word is to be rejected, BUT, not
all the Bible is about us. The entire Bible is for us, but not all
the Bible is about us. Too many believers think that just because
there are blank pages between Malachi and Matthew that the Old
Testament is for the Israelites and the New Testament is for the
Church, but not all the New Testament is about us.

A very safe way to
rightly divide the Word is to ask ourselves the following questions
when examining any Bible verse or passage. When was it written? To
whom was it written? What comes before? What comes after? Is it
talking about me? Am I included? These simple questions are very
helpful, and because the Bible uses the words us or we this does
not mean it includes us, today.

Let us apply the
Bible study principles and rules to the passages below. Most are
from the New Testament because too many believers think that all the
Old Testament is for the Israelites and all New Testament is about
us today, this concept is false. Much of the New Testament is about
Israel and not about the Church which is His Body. We acknowledge
that all the passages below are inspired, pure and true, yet we must
compare them, distinguish between the things differing and correctly
cut the Word of Truth.

Jehovah spoke to
Moses and gave the following command to Israel. Israel was commanded
to observe the weekly Sabbath and the reasons are clearly detailed;

Exo
31:15 Six days may work be done, but on the seventh is the sabbath
of rest, holy to Jehovah. Whoever does any work in the Sabbath day,
he shall surely be put to death.

Exo
31:16 Therefore the sons of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to
observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for an everlasting
covenant.

Exo
31:17 It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever. For
in six days Jehovah made the heavens and the earth, and on the
seventh day He rested, and was refreshed.

Here is a passage
completely different where Sabbaths are contrasted with the reality
of the Body;

Col
2:16 Therefore let no one judge you in food or in drink, or in
respect of a feast, or of the new moon, or of the sabbaths.

Col
2:17 For these are a shadow of things to come, but the body is of
Christ.

Notice the weekly
Sabbath was a covenant, a sign between God and Israel. It is not a
sign or covenant to the members of the Body of Christ. All Sabbaths
are a shadow of good things to come, but not good things to come for
us today. The Sabbaths speak of promises for Israel on the earth not
promises to us who are to be seated with Christ in the heavenly
places. (Eph.2:6).

The Lord Christ
Jesus taught his disciples to pray and then explained why they were
praying thus;

Mat
6:12 and forgive us our debts as we also forgive our debtors.

Mat
6:14 For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father
will also forgive you;

Mat
6:15 but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will
your Father forgive your trespasses.

Now let us
distinguish the differences in the inspired, Christ given words of
the Apostle Paul;

Eph
1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of
sins, according to the riches of His grace.

Eph
4:32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one
another, even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you.

Col
3:13 forbearing one another and forgiving yourselves, if anyone has
a complaint against any. As Christ forgave you, so also you do.

While we are all
disciples of Christ what truth regarding the forgiveness of sins is
current? To whom did Christ speak? To whom does Paul speak? Which
truth enables me to walk worthy of my calling? Do I forgive to be
forgiven or have I forgiveness of sins unconditionally by the grace
of God?

The Lord Christ
said this;

Mat
5:5 Blessed are the meek! For they shall inherit the earth.

The Apostle for us
Gentiles said these things:

Eph
1:11 in whom also we have been chosen to an inheritance, being
predestinated according to the purpose of Him who works all things
according to the counsel of His own will,

Eph
1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in
Christ;

Eph
2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love with which He
loved us,

Eph
2:5 (even when we were dead in sins) has made us alive together
with Christ (by grace you are saved),

Eph
2:6 and has raised us up together and made us sit together in the
heavenlies in Christ Jesus

Col
3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which
are above, where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God.

Col
3:2 Be mindful of things above, not on things on the earth.

The Lord Christ
spoke to the Israelites and told them that the meek would inherit
the earth, but we are not Israelites. Paul tells us that we are not
to set our minds on things of the earth; we have a completely
different inheritance. This is comparing, trying, or distinguishing
between things that differ; this is rightly dividing the Word of
Truth and by these rules we find our hope and inheritance.

The Lord made the
promise; the meek will inherit the EARTH. The earth is not heaven
and we must not spiritualise Earth to mean Heaven. Remember those
questions above? When was this passage of God’s Word written? To
whom was it written? What comes before? What comes after?

Finally, here are
two statements about two very important people.

The Bible says
this about the Lord Christ Jesus;

Mat
15:24 But He answered and said (to the woman of Canaan), I am not
sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Rom
15:8 And I say, Jesus Christ has become a minister of the
circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to
the fathers,

Heb
3:1 Therefore, holy brothers, called to be partakers of the
heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our
profession, Christ Jesus.

The Bible says
this about the Apostle Paul;

Rom
15:15 But, brothers, I wrote to you boldly, as reminding you in
part, because of the grace that is given to me by God,

Rom
15:16 that I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the nations,

Rom
11:13 For I speak to you, the nations; since I am the apostle of
the nations, I glorify my ministry;

Eph
3:1 For this cause, I, Paul, am the prisoner of Jesus Christ for
you nations.

The apostle Paul
tells us very plainly that he was not crucified for anyone
(1Cor.1:13) and Peter says;

Act
4:12 And there is salvation in no other One; for there is no other
name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

The Lord Christ
Jesus is the Saviour of the World but the Lord Christ Jesus had a
ministry to Israel and we are not Israel. He came to confirm the
promises made to the Fathers not transfer them to anyone else,
including those who think they are spiritual Israel, a term that
does not occur in Holy Writ. Those words of our Lord which apply to
salvation and are appropriate for all times are to be taken about
us, but there are many of our Lord’s words in the gospels which have
nothing to do with us today. Our Lord Christ gave the Paul the Words
for us today as Paul clearly says;

2Ti
1:8 Therefore you should not be ashamed of the testimony of our
Lord, nor of me His prisoner. But be partaker of the afflictions of
the gospel according to the power of God,
2Ti 1:9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not
according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace
which was given us in Christ Jesus before the eternal times.
2Ti 1:10 But it is now having been manifested by the appearing of
our Savior Jesus Christ, who has made death of no effect, bringing
life and immortality to light through the gospel;
2Ti 1:11 to which I am appointed a preacher and an apostle and a
teacher of the nations.

We are not
promoting Paul over Christ, an impossible situation and a wicked and
false insinuation made by those without understanding and perhaps
with less than Christ honouring motives.

Our Lord Christ
gave Paul the Words for us today, if we wish to ignore Paul, the
very one who gave us the Bible study rules, then we shall indeed
tread perilously close to insincerity, offensiveness, shame and
disapproval. However, we rejoice in our wonderful Lord who supplied
these Bible study rules so that we will know the things freely given
to us today.

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Helpful audios by Charles Welch

W315 – Unity of the Word
W316 – Try the things that differ
W317 – Right Division
W318 – Dispensational Truth

Related studies:

Want short studies on Right Division? Visit our
Tracts page.
Dispensational and Foundational Truth
Dispensational truth

The Address on the Envelope
Reading the Bible Yourself