In revisiting my beliefs, I found my journey first starting with the Bible. I'll be honest, I was a bit surprised by this being the first car in the train. As I reflect on this, I see why this makes the most sense.
I would have thought salvation, sin, redemption, the Deity of Christ, etc., would be first on my list of topics to explore. Instead, I pondered the Bible and how I approach the Scriptures. This now makes sense in my mind, as everything we know about God starts and ends with His Word. This is especially important as I explore prophesy and some of the so-called Charismatic gifts.
I've found that, in some ways, I've tried to make the Bible fit me, not allow the Bible conform me to the image of Christ. Much of that came from how I approach the Bible. If I don't read the Bible appropriately - and apply it correctly - it will lead to all sorts of unusual views, such as those that use poisonous snakes in worship services.
What I have learned is how to better read the Bible. I found that I was ignoring the totality of Scripture when I read the Bible. Sometimes I dismissed passages, sometimes subconsciously, because I didn't understand the tapestry woven into the scriptures. Sometimes, I would take a passage I really liked, but I didn't apply it correctly; this was especially true with promises I really liked. Sometimes I chose to ignore cultural or linguistic nuances, and that led to wrong interpretations.
I would have thought salvation, sin, redemption, the Deity of Christ, etc., would be first on my list of topics to explore. Instead, I pondered the Bible and how I approach the Scriptures. This now makes sense in my mind, as everything we know about God starts and ends with His Word. This is especially important as I explore prophesy and some of the so-called Charismatic gifts.
I've found that, in some ways, I've tried to make the Bible fit me, not allow the Bible conform me to the image of Christ. Much of that came from how I approach the Bible. If I don't read the Bible appropriately - and apply it correctly - it will lead to all sorts of unusual views, such as those that use poisonous snakes in worship services.
What I have learned is how to better read the Bible. I found that I was ignoring the totality of Scripture when I read the Bible. Sometimes I dismissed passages, sometimes subconsciously, because I didn't understand the tapestry woven into the scriptures. Sometimes, I would take a passage I really liked, but I didn't apply it correctly; this was especially true with promises I really liked. Sometimes I chose to ignore cultural or linguistic nuances, and that led to wrong interpretations.
What I now understand is that the Bible was written as a total package - the entire book is God's Word. I cannot discount the parts I don't like, I cannot "cherry pick" the verses I like, and I have to understand the context in which it's written. This has greatly expanded my vision of the Word, has deepened my love for the Bible, and has placed more weight on the Written Word as a trusted authority.
There are lots of good resources, such as "How to Read the Bible for All its Worth", and I would recommend something like this resource for further research, so I won't go into great depth here.
As I close, here is an acronym to help spur Bible study: SPECKA. I heard this a couple of months ago, and, while I've applied it informally for some time, I'm more conscious of it now. After reading a passage carefully, debrief using the following questions:
S - Sin. Is there a sin to avoid?
P - Promise. Is there a promise to claim?
E - Example. Is there an example to follow?
C - Command. Is there a command to follow?
K - Knowledge. Is there knowledge to store up in your heart and mind?
A - Application/Action. Is there an application or action to follow through?
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