God tells us in 2 Timothy 2:15 to "rightly handle the word of truth." There are some basic guidelines which equip the student of the Bible so as to fulfill the God’s desire that we deal correctly with his Word. God’s word tells us of its divine origin:

"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work." (2 Tim. 3:16-17)

All true Bible study must begin with this fact. We must begin our study by accepting this truth in faith. Jesus and his apostles teach us to receive Scripture as God’s word – accurate and dependable in every detail.

Faithful Christians should follow their Lord and his authoritative spokesmen in reverence for the Bible.

Faithful Christians also must pray for wisdom in understanding the Scriptures. God's Word tells us if we need wisdom to ask for it, because God will give it to us without restraint. (James 1:5) Fervent prayer for correct knowledge and judgment will be answered because it is clearly within God's will. “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” (1 John 5:14)

Penitent faith, the desire to turn to God is also vital in forming a correct understanding of God’s truth. Jesus said “if anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God …” (John 7:17) If Bible study is simply an intellectual pursuit and not a relationship with the living God, then the learning gained will be deficient and distorted.

There is a great knowledge to be obtained from the Bible as we "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Pet 3:14-18) We grow in faith as we "hear" God's Word through the Scriptures (Rom 10:17). God's Word provides essential guidance because it is His Word which is truth (John 17:17). With knowledge of God’s Word, we can practice the truth in the name of the Lord Jesus (Col 3:16-17) and make it known to a forlorn and failing world.

The Bible is not simply another book. Without it man cannot know the absolute standard of righteousness and the need for grace in his life.

The Bible is established by faith and confirmed by history. The Bible is God’s word and is therefore true, for God neither lies nor does he make mistakes. There are no inconsistencies in Scripture, for God is accurate and truthful. He is not the author of confusion (1 Cor 14:33). The Bible is the product of one ultimate source, the Living God. Rather than looking at one or two passages, we must consider all that the Bible says on any subject. “The sum of your word is truth,” Psalm 119:160 tells us, “and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.”

Conflicts pertaining to interpretations of Scripture are a human problem. Sometimes careful study will remove the apparent difficulty. But, some things we will never understand clearly or completely until we see the Lord face to face (1 Cor 13:12).

There are, however, no real contradictions found in God's Word. Our task is always to walk by faith (Heb 11:6; Col 2:6), trusting God to make things clear in his time.

by Barry Newton

Although many people might nod a glassy-eyed acknowledgment that we need to comply with Jesus’ teaching to lay up treasure in heaven as the self-vindicating rationalization of “yeah, I’m doing some of that” passes through their mind, Jesus’ subsequent teachings can startle lethargy like salt in an open wound. Sitting on a mountainside teaching the crowds, Jesus flayed open our inner workings in such a way which can sting because we know it rings true. Matthew 6:19-24

Since people treasure (love, serve and worship) whatever they believe takes care of them, some people serve the created order and accordingly seek to store up their treasure on earth. For others, their Master is God whom they love and serve. By correctly proclaiming that our heart will be found wherever we place our treasure, Jesus ripped off all of our self-deluding veneer thereby forcing us to confront our deepest motivation, namely, to honestly recognize who or what is our God/god.

But Jesus had not finished; his further analysis and conclusions applied a healing albeit stinging septic stick to an open wound. Although the terminology he used was slightly different, in essence Jesus taught that if someone has the proper focus in life (presumably because he knows where to lay up treasure) his whole life will be enveloped in what is good and valuable. Conversely, if someone’s focus in life is misplaced, his whole life will be off-track and worthless.

Talk about a blunt contrast! Jesus left us no room for taking solace in the misplaced rationalization that at least I’m laying up some treasure in heaven. According to Jesus, the focus is either good or it is bad. To listen to him there is no gray scale on this issue; one is either in light or in darkness.

This stark dichotomy was further solidified when Jesus taught that it is impossible to serve two masters. By denying the possibility to serve both a heavenly and an earthly master, Jesus denied that it is possible for us to hedge our bets by laying up treasure on both earth and in heaven. Either we live with the right focus or we do not. Either we love and serve God or we do not. It is not possible for our hearts to serve God and the created order. It is not possible to lay up treasure both here and in heaven.

The bottom line should be clear. Discipleship is not merely picking up salvation like someone might purchase an insurance policy and then continue to live with the same unhealthy lifestyle habits and misplaced priorities. Discipleship involves a transfer of allegiance, love, worship and treasuring to God and his kingdom. Accordingly, the heart and subsequently the behavior will be changed.

Since our life can not be sustained through this world alone but rather depends upon living by every word which proceeds forth from God, Jesus’ teachings should lead thoughtful individuals to lay up treasure in heaven.

by Randal Matheny

[Note: The following is a slightly revised post I made to a discussion list. I removed the names and a few references, to protect us all. So the style is very much a chat, but I don't think you lose anything in the flow of it.]

Just from the various posts, one can see the differing views about the gospel of Christ. I am pleased that on such a sensitive subject everyone at this discussion board is irenic and pleasant. That's a spirit we all want to preserve, whatever the topic. Now, I might wish that we could just believe whatever we wanted about Christ and let things go at that. Except that my opinion is not worth a hoot, because, as a limited human being full of error, I just don't know what I need to know.

So I appreciate what several others have said about the importance of studying the Bible. Especially about getting a concordance and doing your own study. In God's eyes, the Beareans were more "noble" than the Thessalonians because they studied the Scriptures for themselves to see if the things being preached (and that by the apostle Paul! -- though they didn't know him from Adam) were actually so (Acts 17:11).

Also, the emphasis on Jesus death, burial and ressurrection is right on. That's the central element of the faith (see, for example, Acts 2:14-47, Romans 1:14-17, 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, 15:1-7; 1 Peter 2:21-25, 3:18). Everything tied to it is of highest importance. And two of the commandments tied directly to his death that we need to give close attention to are baptism (Romanos 6:1-14, Mark 16:15-16) and the Lord's Supper (Matthew 26:26-30, Acts 20:7).

Speaking of commandments, I appreciated also the emphasis on receiving the gospel by faith and not trying to earn our salvation by works (see Ephesians 2:1-10). Paul is clear on that in Romans and Galatians. No one is good enough to get God's approval.

At the same time, it's important for us to realize that works of righteousness are very different from obedience to the gospel commands. As one small example, here's Hebreus 5:9: "and, once made perfect, he [Jesus] became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him." Jesus, I think most will agree except the univeralists, does not save everybody. He can and desires to save all. But he won't against our will. This verse affirms that, like 1 Timothy 4:10, God "is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe." He can save all. He will save those who believe. The text cited above from Hebrews brings us the truth also that believing implies obedience. Jesus saves those -- and only those -- who obey him. That means I need to know what he did on the cross, what my sins do to me, and what I need to do to receive the gospel.

Now, I've been giving you some passages of the Bible, because everything I do in the gospel has to have a basis in Scripture. We have to let Scripture speak for itself, and not depend on some person's interpretation, as Gail well said. Of course, even the devil quotes Scripture, so somebody reeling off a bunch of passages is no guarantee. We have to check (concordance again) how the Bible uses its own words, the context, who's speaking, all that common sense stuff so often ignored.

So I hope these words will encourage you not to take anybody's word for it, not even mine. This subject of faith is so serious, more so than many would let on. It's not like picking a car to buy, because a Ford or Chevrolet or Honda or whatever will (usually) get us there. But because of the eternal nature of the gospel, let's make sure we've got the real thing (Galatians 1).

This post is lengthy, but I trust it may be helpful to you. Be sure my prayers go up in your behalf.

by Randal Matheny

Knowledge is power. Time is money. Sex is ... well, sex. Like translating matter to energy, man takes the gifts of God and turns them into monsters.

God made everything good. He stopped at intervals during creation and saw that his handiwork was good. When he finished, he stood back and looked and saw that it was very good.

There are those who misuse and abuse God's good gifts. God made everything for the right place and time. Knowledge to appreciate better God's work in the world and to walk with him. Power to earn one's living, care for one's family, and serve one's neighbor. Money for the fair exchange of goods and services. Sex within marriage for intimacy and procreation.

Then there are those who, perceiving the abuse of these good gifts, think forbidding their use will remedy it.

Paul spoke of the hypocrisy of those who "forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods, which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth" (1 Tim. 4.2-3, NASB).

The present scandal among Catholic priests seems to present one case of the futility of religious laws against enjoying God's blessings within their proper bounds. But this is just the hem of the garment.

The world howls at the Catholic Church for covering up these horrible crimes, and rightly so. At the same time, those same finger-pointers are up to their elbows in power struggles, money grabbing, fame games, and multiple marriages. And their religions, if they have any, rubber-stamp it all with a veneer of respectability.

Where does that leave you and me? With opposite-end reminders that God's gifts are not to be lavished for one's own appetites, nor nailed shut to keep anybody from spoiling them.

Paul continued his argument above. "For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer" (v. 4-5).

The prayer of thanksgiving made in harmony with God's revealed truth knows, by means of God's will, the proper use of the gift, be it food, the marriage bed, money, or power.

So holiness is not aceticism. Neither is true liberty found in libertinism.

by Emmett Smith

Luke’s account of Jesus’ casting out the demon called Legion uses an interesting phrase to describe the man afterwards. In Luke 8:35 we’re told that people from the entire region “went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind”. He had run wild, naked, and uncontrollable. Now they found him sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed, and in his right mind.

Let’s focus on that last phrase – “in his right mind”. The influence of the evil one had deprived this poor man of his senses for a long time! Without delving further into the details of demon possession, then and now, let’s remember that the devil still works to prevent people from being right-minded. And the only way we become truly right-minded is at the Master’s feet! In his insightful Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis postulated that the evil one and his angels are able to place thoughts directly into our minds.

Certainly, human minds are accessible to God, as the many descriptions of visions in both Old and New Testament accounts attest. He knows our thoughts, and He can place content within our minds at will. And Satan accessed Judas’ thoughts according to John 13:2 (see also the case of Ananias in Acts 5). Thus, Lewis’ Screwtape hypothesis is not necessarily that great a stretch. But even if you don’t accept that idea, it must be conceded that Satan uses many different media to invade our hearts and minds, whether conscious or unconscious. And the Bible plainly states that we’re to guard against that invasion.

Solomon said “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23). The apostle Paul, reminding the Corinthians of the spiritual nature of our conflict, said “For we overthrow arrogant `reckonings,´ and every stronghold that towers high in defiance of the knowledge of God, and we carry off every thought as if into slavery -- into subjection to Christ;” (2 Corinthians 10:5, WEY). Obviously, as Christians we must exercise thought control!

But what does this mean to us as a practical matter? Paul’s language leaves little doubt does it? Just how serious are we in guarding our hearts? Is that seriousness reflected in the choices we make? What about movies, TV, music, novels, web surfing, etc.? God won’t force us to make the right choices, but He most certainly will hold us accountable! The first chapter of Romans discusses this very issue after verse 17, citing vain imaginations and darkened hearts as reasons for God’s wrath against unrighteousness. Verse 28 says “God gave them over to a reprobate mind” because of the thoughts they chose to entertain.

That’s quite a contrast isn’t it? A right mind versus a reprobate mind. The battle for our hearts and minds is real. Ironically, we’re the ones who determine its final outcome.

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.