Study and Rightly Divide the Bible

Neglect of the Word
Most Christians have never developed a discipline of Bible study. Few Christians, including ministers, read and/or study the Bible through on a regular basis. Of those who do profess to study Scripture, most do so from a perspective of private interpretations and traditions of men. Rather than allowing the Holy Spirit to speak truth to them, they read into the Word their preconceived interpretations.

This rampant neglect of true disciplined study of God's Word of truth has produced a Church which is biblically illiterate and full of internal problems. Yes, most internal problems within the Church can be traced to a neglect of knowing and living by the Word. Christians just do not know the Bible. Therefore they are unable to rightly divide Scripture. They are unable to discern between good and evil.

Two of our major internal problems are immaturity and division. We can not unite in faith because we are divided into so many sects. Things have been this way for so long that most Christians do not know of or expect anything else or different.

Let's Go On To Maturity
The Holy Spirt through the writer of Hebrews not only defines the problem but gives the solution (Hebrews 5:12-6:2). The problem was that those who should be teaching and helping others grow to maturity in Christ were still babies themselves. The solution was to study the six basic biblical doctrines until they were firmly established in them and then to go on to maturity.

All new disciples should quickly be taught the six basic doctrines found in Hebrews 6:1-2. Make sure that you and your family know them backwards and forwards. They are (1) repentance from dead works, (2) faith toward God, (3) the doctrine of baptisms-note baptisms is plural, (4) the laying on of hands, (5) the resurrection of the dead, and (6) eternal judgment. These are the elementary or milk doctrines. No one can or will ever go on to full maturity in Christ and His Word without being thoroughly trained in these milk doctrines. No one will ever have their senses fully trained to discern both good and evil without first being grounded in these six doctrines (see Hebrews 5:12-14).

Become Humble, Teachable and Discerning
Stay humble and teachable, but be careful of who you learn from. Always check out everything anyone says with the Word. I often tell people to check out everything I say with the Word, and to do so with all people including ministers. Always require chapter and verse, chapter and verse in context and rightly divided. No private interpretations and traditions of men are allowed; they are off limits.

Everyone really needs to become a student of the Word. Make it a normal part of your life to study through the Bible on a regular basis. Let the Holy Spirit teach you and never read into the Word. What do I mean by never reading into the Word? I mean that as you study the Word do not make it say in any shape or form what you or others want it to say. I mean do not ever read any private interpretation into the Word. There is no place for personal opinions, personal preferences or private interpretations. Those are three of the major culprits that have caused the Church to be divided in to so many parts rather than being sanctified by truth and united in faith (see John 17:17, 20-22 and Ephesians 5:26, 27).

It is alright to read study books and have Bibles with notes, but be careful of the notes. For one example, there is a reason that there is a Bible called "Scofield's Bible." It has Scofield's notes, and many people end up believing and teaching what Scofield said rather than believing and teaching what the Bible said. This principle is true for every Bible with notes. The notes may be helpful, but know Jesus Christ and His Word so that you can discern the notes.

Conclusion
My heart grieves because Christians have not usually been trained properly after being born again and baptized in the Holy Spirit. They are really born again and really Spirit filled and then are taught mixture of truth and personal opinions, personal preferences and private interpretations which stymies and hinders their growth, prevents maturity and causes division rather than unity of faith. These are a few reasons why the Church as a whole needs restoration. Thank God for Luther, Wesley and others, but full restoration requires going not back to them, but back to Jesus Christ and His Word.

The Bible has all the revelation we need; we just need the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him and His Word. The restored Church will train new disciples correctly from the very beginning and they will mature quickly. The result will be a Church as pictured in Ephesians 4:11-16 and 5:26, 27.