Dear People Who Keep Company With God,
One of the things Bob Jones strongly emphasized to our church concerning the season of the lions is the importance of the scriptures. In another conversation I had with him he re-emphasized this to me. If there ever was a time to get serious about the scriptures that time is now. So, I want to share some of my perspective on how to rightly and accurately handle the word.
Years ago I heard someone say, “We can never love the Bible too much; we can just love the Lord Jesus too little.” This is an excellent way of looking at spiritual things, including the scripture. The opening word of the Psalms is “Blessed” and then it goes on to tell us how to receive the blessing; the counsel we follow determines the course of our lives. If we will delight in and meditate upon the scriptures as we go about our daily lives and order our lives according to its counsel then blessing and prosperity will be ours (Psalm 1).
There are two big life lessons I have learned concerning the scriptures. The first one is “how to not study the Bible.”
Many, including myself, have used the King James Version of 2 Timothy 2:15 as a teaching to encourage believers to study the word. Unfortunately this is not the most accurate translation of that verse.
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. KJV
Compare this to the New American Standard, which more accurately translates this particular verse.
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. NASU
Diligent means “to hasten to do a thing, to exert oneself, endeavor, give diligence.” It is a heart attitude that Paul was exhorting Timothy to have toward the scripture. I believe God has given all believers the grace to give diligence to the scripture. We need to recognize and resist the lies the enemy feeds us concerning the scriptures. We must not approach the scripture based on feelings, understanding, time, etc. While all of that is important, it should not deter us from being diligent and allowing the Holy Spirit to help us especially knowing the fact that the scriptures are key to blessings and prosperity.
My next big lesson was on how to receive the scriptures while giving diligence to them (Jas. 1:21). It helped me to understand the difference between the Greek and Hebrew style of learning.
Greek learning is basically gaining knowledge with no practical application or experience. Unfortunately, much of the western education system is based on a Greek style of learning. Hebrew learning combines real life experiences, the word, and revelation, which is true biblical learning. Apart from the Holy Spirit biblical study and knowledge amounts to self in action, which is basically humanism and rationalism. This is illustrated in Jesus’ response to a question from a Sadducee concerning marriage and resurrection.
Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.” Matthew 22:29
The Sadducee’s did not allow the scripture to lead them to God, which is what happens when we approach the scriptures apart from the Holy Spirit. The wordknowing in this verse speaks of a personal experience; biblical knowledge and even revelation apart from experience will eventually lead us away from God. It is designed to do such (Jas. 1:22-25). When we study the word with the Holy Spirit we are led into an experience with the Lord. Apart from these experiences with the Lord we will never truly understand the Lord or His word.
The Apostle Paul, being a “Hebrew of Hebrews,” captured the essence of Hebrew style learning in his letter to the Philippians.
The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:9
This is the method Jesus employed with His disciples. He taught the word and demonstrated the word. So the disciples both heard and saw the word in action and finally He sent them out to practice what He taught and demonstrated (Luke 8-10). We are blessed and prospered in what we do, not what we think we know (Ps. 1:3 & Jas. 2:25).
Many Blessings, BW