Why is understanding the Bible important (or even possible)?

TheBible is more faithful than any other book ever published. THE Bible was written by God, who always speaks the truth. It is a book of reliable truths about eternal realities.

Jesus and the Apostles Viewed the Old Testament Scriptures as Revelation of God but also a revelation of God. They accepted the factual statements of the Bible and then saw the spiritual implications of its important truths.

In the Bibleyou find two types of facts: simple truths (easy-to-grasp facts) and complex truths (facts that are beyond your reach). You will never delve into the depths of the Bible’s complex truths because God’s thoughts far exceed the collective intellectual power of All humanity (Isaiah 55:8–9).

It’s no wonder God doesn’t claim to tell you everything (Deuteronomy 29:29). It is also ridiculous to think that you can contribute a microscopic atom of truth to what God knew before time began (Romans 11:33). He is God – we are not.

Here are four reasons why understanding the Bible is important and possible.

1. The Bible applies to all of life.

There word of God is relevant to everyone, everywhere and at all times. According to 2 Timothy 3:16–17, all Scripture is inspired by God and is useful, profitable, beneficial, practical and full of rewards to the person who studies it.

The Bible contains truths, commands, and examples that directly concern your heart and life today. It’s full of countless amazing truths about God, your life, And things to come.

Sometimes, though, the trick is trying to understand the Bible in a given situation. The problem? You are often in a hurry to know which direction to turn! How much better to slow down and check your God-given map for life. Better yet, why not map out your route in advance? After all, the road ahead is not about to move!

2. Asking questions helps you understand.

As you read and study the Bible, you want to remember that even the smallest details (for example, a person’s name) often have spiritual connotations.

This is where you become a journalist. Take out your press card and prepare to ask a barrage of questions worthy of the best journalist. By reading and studying the Word of Godyou can ask repeatedly: Who? What? When? Or? For what? And How?

You probably won’t ask all of these questions every time you read a Bible verse. But you can ask the most relevant questions that come to your mind after reading.

By asking a lot of Who? What? When? Or? For what? And How? questions, you have a much better idea of ​​what any passage in the Bible says. You also have a good idea of ​​what this is not say what you are not yet sure to say.

The exciting news in Scripture is that God promises to bless the person who reads His word, examines it carefully, understands it correctly, personalizes it, and then applies it (Psalm 1:1-2, John 16:13, John 14:26). Be that person!

3. God is not trying to fool you.

Fortunately, there is no secret code or formula for understanding the Bible. The world’s bestseller is written so that readers and listeners can understand what God is saying to them. Certainly, it is possible to misunderstand the Scriptures: men have been doing this since day one. Yet the Lord wants you know what he says!

The “golden rule” of biblical interpretation is that God does not try to play with your mind. The same goes for Moses, David, Ezra, Malachi, Matthew, Mark and all the other biblical writers. They expected listeners and readers to understand the meaning of what they wrote.

Granted, you can’t grasp everything the first time. This is the reason why you like to listen to a new favorite song again, you look forward to watching a sports broadcast and stop to re-read something deep: it is complex and interesting.

Because God doesn’t try to fool us, when you read the Scriptures, you shouldn’t try to “decode” them. Unless there is a compelling reason, you must accept the facts stated by the Bible and adopt the normal meaning of its truths.

4. Each verse has a specific meaning.

Like all great writers, God used metaphor, hyperbole, simile and other figures of language in the Ancient and the New Testament. It is therefore not surprising that during His time on earth, the Lord Jesus repeatedly used figures of speech whenever He spoke before the crowds.

It is true that figures of speech sometimes confuse listeners and readers. But they are memorable and often make readers wonder, What did Jesus mean? by this? Fortunately, his figures of speech almost always have a known meaning.

It is always important to remember that God had specific truths in mind for each passage of Scripture. The important question is not: what does he say Me? Instead, the question you want to ask is: what God mean?

Take Jesus’ famous statement: “The truth will set you free” (John 8:32). You could find any of a dozen misinterpretations of this verse. But ultimately it doesn’t matter what you want this verse to mean.

If you consider yourself an intellectual, you may want “the truth will set you free” to mean that the more you know and learn, the better your life will be. If you consider yourself an enlightened hedonist, you might want this to mean that you are free to do whatever you want whenever you want, as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone. But these popular misinterpretations are not what Jesus said.

Keep asking God: what did you mean by that?

As you read and study the Bible, you want to keep asking, What did God mean by this statement? If you’re not sure, that’s okay!

Studying the Bible is not about your interpretation. And not all statements in Scripture are clear. Some are so poetic that it’s hard to tell what the verse or paragraph means. That said, it is often as you continue to read and study the scriptures that you realize, Here is the answer to one of my questions!

Do your best to find out what God wants you to know. Most of the answers are there in His Word.

Ultimately, though, it’s good to have a list of unanswered questions. Ask God and he will answer you (Jeremiah 33:3). But in some cases you will have to wait until heaven to ask: “What did you mean by this?” or “What do you mean by that?” Imagine how awesome it will be!

David Sanford leadership coaches who are passionate about demonstrating the relevance of Jesus Christ in all areas of life. His book and Bible projects have been published by Zondervan, Tyndale, Thomas Nelson, Doubleday and Amazon. His speaking engagements range from UC Berkeley (California) to the Billy Graham Center at the Cove (North Carolina).

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