TOOLS THAT REAP REWARDS

"Use Your Tools and Reap a Garden of Knowledge"

  Are you using a trowel, a shovel or a backhoe?

The most important thing a believer can do to protect their walk with the Lord is to be a Berean
They are mentioned in Acts 17:11, as a noble-minded bunch of eager believers who searched the Scriptures daily, because they wanted to be sure Paul and Silas were accurate in their teaching.  These believers wanted to be sure for themselves that Paul and Silas' teachings were coming from the word of God and not just some fancy preaching.

 We should NEVER believe or accept an explanation of God's word just because it sounds correct.  It is our obligation as believers to study and examine the word of God for ourselves so that we are not easily deceived.  "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth."  2 Timothy 2:15

Let's take this verse above as a small example of how to study (examine) God's word. This is just one simple illustration of my own approach to examining Scripture.  When I open up God's word  I concentrate on a few things- 1.) I pray and ask for the Holy Spirit's guidance. 2.) I stay in context.
3.) I Ask myself questions pertaining to the context. 4.) I allow scripture to interpret scripture, 5.) I focus on keywords. 6.) And I keep biases' out!  7.) Once I have pick out the key words I invite my 7 friends (who, what, why, where, when, how, and so what) to help me make sense of it all. (a more complete list of tools is listed at the bottom of this article)

Sample of keywords:

1.  Be Diligent
2.  Yourself
3.  Workman
4.  Accurately
5.  Handling

WHAT does #1 and #3 have in common?  Answer:  They both imply a constant examination or study of God's word.  A workman is someone on the job. A diligent workman is someone who is persistent, active, steadfast and tireless in his/her efforts.

keyword #2 "Yourself"- This word indicates that the Lord expects each of us to know His word for ourselves. It also shows that we are all capable through much diligence of coming up with the truth.  Keyword #5) "Handling"- This word implies that there is a proper procedure in coming to a specific truth.  Keyword #4) "Accurately"- This keyword suggests that the word of God can be interpreted and therefore has a specific intended meaning, whether it is prophetical, practical, typical, literal, allegorical or figurative... There is a specific intended meaning that can be ACCURATELY interpreted!  Paul is driving home the point that we are able to find the truest meaning.  He shows that there is a definite right interpretation and a definite wrong one.  It doesn't always come easy, but being diligence will always reward you in the end. 

Many have altered the intended meanings in order to avoid certain issues that are hard for them to accept. Even the people of Jesus' day did the same because they didn't want to accept the truth about who Christ claimed to be in order to be saved.

God has equipped every believer with the ability to understand His word.  Gifted teacher have been put in the body to help guide at times, but they should never be viewed as a way out of your own personal studies.  The Lord takes His word very serious and so should we.  Let us follow the example set before us by our early brothers and sister who were eager to search the Scripture daily and not wanting to just take someone's word!  Get to truly and personally know your God and Father and The Lord Jesus Christ by accurately handling the word and then to know how you should answer those that are searching.
  
What a wonderful Logos (the living Word) we serve!


Be Highly Blessed Today!
Rev Deb 


Ps. I have listed some useful tools below to help aid you in your studies:) Study on my fellow soldiers! Onward and Upward:)
_____________________________

Tool #1 - PRAY!!! Ask the Holy Spirit to clear your mind of preconceived notions and help guide you into the intended truth.  No matter how hard sometimes the truth maybe to accept. 

Tool #2 - Stay in context!  Pay close attention to antecedents...

Tool #3 - Use, Use, Use your 7 best friends.   These will lead you to a better understanding of the writers meaning,- Who, What, Where, When, Why, How, and So or So What.  Ask yourself questions.  Who was he talking too?  Why did he say that? What was the purpose of that?...  You would also be surprised what truths you can get out of using "So What" question, ie. So what the fig tree withered!  This leads to asking more questions like, for what purpose? or Why is that so important or how does that relate or have anything to do with me?  Our 7 friends force us to dig deeper. 

Tool #4 - Know your writers personalities, their occupation, their thematic usage of particular words, their purpose, who was it written to, who their audience was (ie. Roman, Gentile, Hellenist, Jewish, Samaritan, Pharisees, Sadducees or Christian believers), and their style of writing...

Tool #5 - Know dates and time frames of the writings.  Know whether it was under the law or under grace (ie. before Pentecost or after).  Know the historical backdrop...

Tool #6- Always use clear passages to interpret the obscure.

Tool #7 - Always allow Scripture to interpret Scripture.

Tool #8 - use types, parables, allegories, direct quotes from the writers themselves, early church father's writings, etc... to add guidance in coming to a proper understanding of the writers intended meaning.

Tool #9 - Use all available word definitions in their original and/or classical writings and usages to aid in more clarity.

Tool #10 - Research historical settings- such as, religious tensions, laws, cults of the day, treatments of slaves, women, men...

Tool #11 - Look to see if the writings under discussion were pre or post of the Lord's death, burial and resurrection. Were the apostle(s) in prison or out?

Tool #12 - Always take a literal approach, unless indicated otherwise by the writer.  Some indicators are - "like or as", parables, figures of speech, hyperbole's, allegories, idioms, slang's etc,...

Tool #13 - Use common sense and reason!

All of these tools help to keep preconceptions and misinterpretations at bay while allowing the truth to naturally surface.