Oftentimes we can approach the Scriptures with fear and trepidation.
It can feel intimidating.
It can feel boring.
It can feel outdated.
It can seem confusing.
Sometimes I feel that way, too.
I hear comments from people - sometimes on a weekly basis - such as, "I've never been to seminary...I'm lost in the Bible" or "I don't even know where to start" or "I just flip open my Bible and start reading, but I don't even know what I am supposed to be doing." With great regularity I hear this significant and foundational question: "How do I study my Bible?"
If you have asked these questions before, you are not alone.
For the past several years I have used five basic questions when I read the Bible.
I forget where I got these questions but they have been valuable tools for studying Scripture.
I think it works for me - and others - because of their simplicity.
These questions can be used by seminarians and scholars, as well as with those confused about the Bible and those who have never studied the Bible before. (A few weeks ago I taught a new believer to use these five questions when he reads his Bible).
They can be asked when reading a few verses or entire chapters.
They can be utilized in personal study times or in a Bible study, house church or faith community.
Consider using these questions as you explore the Scriptures:
(2) What do I like about this passage?
(3) What do I not like about this passage?
(4) What does this passage teach me about the character and the nature of God? of Jesus?
(5) What can I take away from this passage and apply to my life specifically in the next seven days?
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