LESSON FIVE - YOU AND YOUR BIBLE
How to Increase Your Knowledge of God and His Word
A newborn infant's dominating desire is for his mother's milk. As a Christian you should have an insatiable hunger for the Word of God. The Bible is your spiritual food, and knowing it is essential for spiritual growth and strength. How well do you know your Bible? Better yet, how well do you know your God? The purpose of studying the Bible, God's complete revelation of Himself, should be to know God so that you can be more like Him. Before you begin this lesson, read II Peter 3:18. Study this lesson carefully, for it will lead you to a healthy appreciation of, and approach to, the Holy Bible, our spiritual milk and meat.
What is the Bible?
The Bible is the complete, authoritative revelation of the truth of God to mankind. It is all that man needs to know about who God is, about who man is, and about how man can be restored to fellowship with God.
1 What authority is to control man's life? (Matthew 4:4)
____________________________________________________________
2 John 17:17 says, "Thy word is ____________________________
3 The Bible is complete. In Revelation 22:18-19 God promises great judgment upon the person who shall _______________ unto God's Word and upon the person who shall ___________________ from God's Word.
4 What four purposes for the Bible do the following passages reveal?
II Corinthians 3:18a ________________________________________________________________
II Timothy 3:15 _________________________________________________________________
II Timothy 3:17 _________________________________________________________________
James 1:23-25 _________________________________________________________________
5 The Bible describes itself in many terms. Match these comparisons to the verses where they are found, and take a moment to consider how the Bible and the object compare to each other.
C Fire
F Mirror
A Lamp
D Milk
I Meat
E, H Sword
G Seed
C Hammer
B Water
A. Psalm 119:105
B. Ephesians 5:26
C. Jeremiah 23:29
D. I Peter 2:2
E. Hebrews 4:12
F. James 1:23-24
G. I Peter 1:23
H. Ephesians 6:17
I. I Corinthians 3:2
6 How long will the Word of God last? (I Peter 1:23) ______________________________________________
How Did We Get the Bible?
The Bible uses the word inspiration to describe how we got our Bible. Inspiration means God-breathed. Just as air is breathed out of living creatures, so the words of Scripture flowed directly out of the living God. Inspiration is the supernatural process by which God used men to write down without error the exact words that God chose to communicate His truth to mankind.
7 Who controlled the men who spoke and wrote the Scriptures? (II Peter 1:21)
___________________________________________________________________________________
8 How much of the Bible is inspired? (11 Timothy 3:16)
___________________________________________________________________________________
Why Should We Study the Bible?
9 What is the most important reason God wrote the Bible? (John 20:31)
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
10 In II Timothy 3:16, find four ways in which the Bible is profitable:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
11 How do Joshua 1:8 and Psalm 1:2-3 describe the life of a person who meditates on and obeys the Bible?
__________________________________________________________________________________
12 How valuable is the Word of God? (Psalm 19:10)
________________________________________________________________
How Should We Study the Bible?
13 How often should you meditate on the Bible? (Joshua 1:8)
________________________________________________________________________
14 What does it mean to meditate?
________________________________________________________________________
15 Why should you memorize God's Word? (Psalm 119:11)
________________________________________________________________________
16 James 1:23-25 says that we must not be just a bearer (or reader) of the Word but also a ____________ of the Word and of the work.
17 Who must you depend upon to help you understand the meaning of Scripture? (I Corinthians 2:12-16)
__________________________________________________________
As you read a passage of Scripture, the following questions will assist you in personally applying the truth of God:
Are there any commands I should obey?
Are there any promises I can claim?
Are there any sins I should forsake?
Are there any principles I should apply?
Are there any warnings I should heed?
Are there any examples I should follow?
MEMORIZE
Psalm 119:11 Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.