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Study On Your Own Time For Yourself
When you study on your own, you get a chance to be alone with God and study HIs Word for yourself. Too many times, we take what other people say about the Bible at face value, whether it be our parents, “Devout” Christian friends and church members, or our pastor/bishop/rabbi, etc. instead of reading up and studying for ourselves. Just as we study up on scientific theories and other information to hone our skills in whatever it is we desire to do with our lives, we should do the same and spend adequate time studying up on what the Bible actually says versus what we hear or are told. You can even host a group studying if you’re not keen on doing it by yourself just yet.
Relevant Scriptures: Job 22:22; Hosea 10:12; 2 Timothy 2:15; Matthew 7:7
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Pray for Understanding
Pray before you read the Bible, and ask for understanding and humility. Often when read we read the Bible, we add our own biases to what we’re reading so as to justify what we do or invalidate what someone else does. Ask God to help you understand what it is He wants you to know, what it is He wants His people to know, so as to be truly and objectively focused on what it is the Bible is saying and/or simply be able to comprehend what and why.
Relevant Scriptures: Psalm 119:78-148, Ephesians 1:17; Psalm 62:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; 1 John 4:3
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Get the Historical Context
Did you know human history (the one we study in school) is not mutually exclusive from Biblical history? On the contrary, History is not just for History class and can be EXTREMEMLY helpful when reading the Bible! If you major in History or take a special interest in History, this should be right up your alley, and you’ll get more from Scripture! When studying the Bible, you cannot just read it like any other book. You must take into account the historical periods of an account, especially when reading the Old Testament, because different times means different ways of doing things, thinking, and thus different meanings and relevancies in relation to the people of a specific time. If you don’t much of the text will appear strange and out-dated, when it actuality God just uses what people know, including their culture, to reveal Himself, and you’ll see that this is consistent through all time periods, even as the world changes.
Relevant Chapters: All of the Old Testament tbh
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Study With the Right Attitude
Going back to not reading the Bible like any other book, you must be sure to read each word slowly and intently, and maybe even repeat one verse to yourself so as to fully comprehend what it is saying. In addition, you should never read to simply prove you’re better or to boast about your knowledge, for it is God who gives it to you anyway. In studying, you should work to prove yourself worthy to be used by God and in the work of saving souls, rather than for your own selfish motives. Furthermore, it is important to have patience, and be willing to apply what you learn to your own life, as the best way to teach and prove your faith is to lead by example.
Relevant Scriptures: Psalm 119:11, 15-16; Joshua 1:8; James 1:19; Psalm 46:10; 2 Timothy 2:15; Colossians 3:17; Psalm 63:6