Bible Study

Process Essay

The way in which we view the world around us, our worldview, determines who we are and how we act. Our culture and ethnic background imparts to us a large part of the way we think and act. Our parents teach us during our most formative years and train us to respect their values and principles, many of which were instilled in them when they were children. The two most important traits to pass on to your children are the belief that the Bible is the authoritative Word of God and the ability to learn it on their own. The world over, people study the Bible in many different ways; but, I believe that there are three critical elements to any endeavors in the Word of God: preparation for study, time in the text, and application of what you learn.

Before you can dig into the words of Scripture, you must spiritually prepare your mind and physically ready your materials. One of the biggest hindrances to studying the Bible for many people is a “lack” of time; the first thing you must do in order to study the Bible is set aside time specifically for study. It is also helpful if the atmosphere is quiet and free from distraction, this allows you to focus on the Word and not the world. In order to begin your study, you must decide what exactly you are going to study; it might be, for example: a character, a topic, or a passage. Lastly, prior to beginning your excursion in exegesis you must pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the enlightenment that only He can provide.

The next step is actual study. In studying a passage of Scripture, one of the best things you can do to introduce yourself to it is read it straight through repeatedly. As you read, you will begin to get a survey of the area you are reading; general subject movements and emphases will become more apparent to the observant mind. Once this begins to happen, you are ready to start dividing the text into smaller parts; if you are studying an entire book of the Bible then you will probably divide it into major segments, sections of about a chapter or two, and then paragraphs. One of the things that will aid you the most in your organizational efforts is the ability to notice key words: words which have significant meaning in the text and are often repeated. Lastly, cross-referencing is an excellent way to build your knowledge of Scripture and your understanding of how it interrelates.

After you have prepared yourself for study and analyzed the text before you, it is time to apply what you have learned. Application always, always begins with prayer; the power to improve in Christ-likeness does not reside within you but comes from the Holy Spirit. Scripture commands us to self-examine ourselves with accuracy in order to identify areas of weakness and strength. As the Word of God, which is sharp as a two-edged sword, divides right from wrong within us, we must repent of our sin and return to the ways of the Lord our God. We can also encourage other believer both with what we learn from the text and with how we see the Spirit molding us into God's image. In closing, we must teach others to do as we have so that they can learn to study the Word for themselves as well.

No matter what approach you take for examining archaic etymologies or for feeling out general text patterns, you must spend time preparing, studying, and then applying in order to be changed by your studies in the Scriptures. You need to set aside quiet time to spend with the Lord and to entreat the Spirit for enlightenment as to the meaning of the text. The text must be studied carefully and meticulously so that you can be sure that what you conclude is truth from God. Lastly, repentance – a complete change of direction – must occur as the Word enlightens you with a greater understanding of the sin in your life. Studying the Bible is not hard and the learning curve is very gradual, so why not dig into the words your Creator spoke to you?