Over the years the Lord has provided me with several opportunities to share with people why they need to be in the Word of God for themselves. What that means is that they are not using secondary sources but directly reading and studying the Bible.
Secondary sources include but are not limited to:
Now before I explain why I encourage people not to use these, full disclosure, I have every one of those resources in my office and on my computer, in addition to some technical resources that I have not named. Further, I have at various times derived benefit from all those types of resources.
Why then, do I encourage people not to use them?
The answer is priority or sequence. These are appropriate after we have studied or attempted to study a passage on our own. If we pick up one of these at the beginning of our study or interaction with the Word of God, what is said in the resource will become a filter for what we see in the text. On the other hand, if we engage in the Word ourselves first, then when we utilize the resource, we are comparing what is said there with what we have seen. So instead of it becoming a filter, it then becomes a supplement, another set of eyes on the passage. Then we are in a dialog with the one who created the resource.
According to Jesus, and I will take Him at His word on this, one of the purposes of the Holy Spirit other than inspiring the Word of God, is to help us understand it, John 16:13 (here @ Bible Gateway). If when we are working through a passage we bail out of the text and go to secondary sources as soon as we hit something that challenges us, we are not leaving room for the Spirit to lead us into truth.
We need to let Him do what He was sent to do.
Secondary sources include but are not limited to:
- Notes in a study Bible
- Commentaries
- Devotionals
- Books about the Bible or Topics in the Bible
- Messages live or recorded
- Fill in the blank or other types of Bible Study guides.
Now before I explain why I encourage people not to use these, full disclosure, I have every one of those resources in my office and on my computer, in addition to some technical resources that I have not named. Further, I have at various times derived benefit from all those types of resources.
Why then, do I encourage people not to use them?
The answer is priority or sequence. These are appropriate after we have studied or attempted to study a passage on our own. If we pick up one of these at the beginning of our study or interaction with the Word of God, what is said in the resource will become a filter for what we see in the text. On the other hand, if we engage in the Word ourselves first, then when we utilize the resource, we are comparing what is said there with what we have seen. So instead of it becoming a filter, it then becomes a supplement, another set of eyes on the passage. Then we are in a dialog with the one who created the resource.
According to Jesus, and I will take Him at His word on this, one of the purposes of the Holy Spirit other than inspiring the Word of God, is to help us understand it, John 16:13 (here @ Bible Gateway). If when we are working through a passage we bail out of the text and go to secondary sources as soon as we hit something that challenges us, we are not leaving room for the Spirit to lead us into truth.
We need to let Him do what He was sent to do.
Thanks for the great instructions! It keeps God's Word personal (one of His means to directly communicate to us), while embracing the example of the Bereans (examining Scripture to determine if a teaching is true or false). Not sure that's the best analogy, but it's the best I can do right now. :-)
ReplyDeleteThat is a good one. You are right, frankly I need reminding on a daily basis to continue to engage personally.
DeleteA supplement, not a filter. An excellent encouragement. How sweet a truth taken directly from Scripture and whispered (or for me sometimes shouted) by the Spirit of God directly to my heart is then.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that is one of the great things about seeing people get it for the first time. Light bulbs are going off all over the place. They believe, for perhaps the first time, that they can actually understand the Word on their own.
DeleteDo any of you local Tulsa Bible discoverers want to get together online or in person to share your discoveries?
ReplyDeletekentfar@sbcglobal.net
I would be more than glad to help with that.
DeleteOkay! How about we:
Delete1. pick a passage
2. Use the tools
3. Post our findings on Google Drive
4. Schedule Zoom meetings to discuss our findings
Sorry I haven't replied to this before now... Looking at the date, I had six rounds of chemo start a week after you suggested this. I missed this post in the fog. I would be excited to do this. Give me a call when you get a minute.
Delete