With over 40 authors spanning over 1,500 years, the Bible is truly an inspiration of the Lord Almighty. Yet, one of the biggest struggles of Christians in the world today is the issue of biblical illiteracy. Christians of the modern world can be intimidated to jump into studying the Bible for many reasons, and the result is Christians who don't know the true power and influence of the Word of God. So how do we begin to break this trend? Of course, we want to be wise readers of the Word, and I believe this article will provide a couple of useful tools to add to your toolbox.
Tip 1: "Never Read a Bible Verse"
I know what you are thinking: "Woah woah Connor, you want us to get better at understanding the Bible by not reading it?". Of course not! One of my favorite Apologists, Tim Barnett, uses this phrase often, and he is right on the money. The premise of this tip is to make sure we are reading the context of the verse, and how it was intended to be understood. The theological term for this technique is called "contextual hermeneutics". Our understanding of scripture has the potential to be changed or tainted depending on various external factors in our lives. We must recognize and resist this pattern.
For understanding, I will offer an example. Jesus' words in Matthew 7:7 sound pretty awesome to individuals looking for God to give them everything they want. Jesus speaks, "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto
you." (KJV). Now, this verse doesn't necessarily
mean that if I ask for a cheeseburger, God
will give me a cheeseburger. It is possible, but that's not what this verse is talking about. Jesus is giving his sermon on the mount, and speaking about how individuals can find righteousness through God. If we read a few chapters before this one, we would know this, but when it is taken out to stand alone, it can be confusing.
Tip 2: "KJV May Not Be For You"
“I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily” (1 Cor. 15: 31, KJV).
Hmm. Read that again.
You got it?
If you're anything like me, you probably need to sit with that verse for a moment in order to understand what Paul is trying to say here. Let's try something else:
"For I swear, dear brothers and sisters, that I face death daily. This is as certain as my pride in what Christ Jesus our Lord has done in you." (1 Cor. 15: 31, NLT).
That's different. And that's ok! Sometimes, certain translations of the Bible can become confusing to readers. I want to be clear in saying that there is nothing wrong with using the King James Version! If you read back, I actually used it to quote Jesus' words in Matthew 7. So please, don't leave with the message that the KJV must be avoided at all costs. Furthermore, there is nothing wrong with reading a different translation. Even better, read multiple translations in order to see certain words that can assist in your understanding. Try not to feel constrained to use only one translation, for we know that all scripture is God breathed (2 Tim. 3:16).
Tip 3: "Consistency Is Key"
This last tip is huge. Find a plan and stick to it. Study is a powerful spiritual discipline that allows us to submit to the word of God. Simply put, when we engage with the Word of God, we begin to put together the whole story. This happens over time, with consistent study in mind.
For those who are just getting into study, you may have heard some of your Christian friends talk about their "quiet time". This is simply their daily time in the Word. If you are looking to develop the habit of reading the Bible, I would encourage three things:
What are you reading?
Where will you read?
What time of day will you read?
Having some structure to your quiet time will enhance the chances of consistency. The more consistent we are, the more we begin to understand the message of the Bible.
It is so important that we understand what we are reading when we dive into the complexities of scripture. It can be intimidating, but I hope that these tips and tricks will help your understanding, and make you more biblically literate!
Recommended Resources:
Tim Barnett: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmIwZDSKSeNboqWKtgX7UrA
Richard Foster, "Celebration of Discipline".
Check out chapter 4 for more on study.
American Bible Society Explanation of Common Translations: https://bibleresources.americanbible.org/resource/a-brief-description-of-popular-bible-translations
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