PRINCIPLES

Helping you stay close to God's Word.

A. W TOZER

“The Word of God well understood and religiously obeyed is the shortest route to spiritual perfection. And we must not select a few favorite passages to the exclusion of others. Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian.”

5 principles for Bible Study

1. Do not take verses out of context

"Avoid distorting God's Word"

This principle ensures the accurate and complete understanding and application of God's Word. It emphasizes the importance of considering the full context of a sentence or passage before giving conclusions about its meaning.

2. Use the Bible to interpret the Bible

"The Golden rule"

This principle helps us understand God's Word accurately and completely. It emphasizes the importance of using different parts of the Bible to clarify, explain, and reference one another.

3. Distinguish between the truth and life experiences

"The Safeguard"

The Bible is a special book that contains both teachings of the truth and the lessons derived from people, stories, and historical events. Having a clear distinction between these two is crucial to ensure we understand and apply God's Word accurately.

4. The Old Testament must be interpreted in the light of the New Testament

"The Lens of Comparison"

This principle is important for understanding the close relationship between the Old and New Testaments. It helps us gain a deeper understanding of God's Word by affirming that the New Testament reveals and explains what was previously revealed in the Old Testament in a more profound and complete way.

The Old Testament lays the foundation for God's story of salvation, such as creation, the fall of man, the history of the Jewish people, and God's covenant with them (the Old Covenant). The New Testament reveals the core event and meaning of salvation: the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

5. The truth in the Bible never contradicts itself

"Complete Unity"

This principle affirms that the core message and doctrines conveyed throughout the Bible are entirely unified and never contradict or confuse each other.
However, it is important to note that the Bible was written by various authors over a long period, with different writing styles and contexts. As a result, some apparent differences may exist in certain specific details. Nonetheless, this does not affect the core truths or the unity of the BibleInstead, these differences can be understood by considering these factors: context,literary genre,perspective,language, etc.

    The Principles of Studying through Genres

    The Principles of Studying through Genres

    Old Testament

    The whole Bible testifies to Christ – He is the central, unique, and complete plan of God’s salvation for mankind.

    In the first five books of the Bible (the Pentateuch), a total of 613 laws are recorded. These laws include detailed regulations regarding morality, rituals, and social conduct that the Israelites were required to follow. The laws not only guided the people in their daily lives but also showed them how they should live in accordance with God's will.

    The Book of Psalms is a collection of poems and hymns in the Bible, a rich treasury of poetic language, emotion, and worship toward God. Although Psalms is the main book of poetry, this literary form also appears in other books such as Proverbs, Song of Songs, Job, Ecclesiastes, and even in the prophetic books.

    The Book of Proverbs contains concise sayings about wisdom and describes how things work in life. These proverbs not only reflect common sense but also reveal the nature of God, guiding people to live according to wisdom and moral standards.

    The Historical Books in the Bible narrate events that occurred in the history of the Israelites, from the creation of the world to periods of war, nation-building, and exile. However, as we read these historical accounts, we must remember that they are selectively chosen by God to convey the truths and lessons He wants humanity to understand about Him and His great plan of salvation.

    Prophecy holds a significant and indispensable role in the Old Testament, where prophets were chosen by God to serve as His spokespersons. They conveyed commands, promises, and at times acted as prosecutors, holding the Israelites accountable for failing to keep their covenant with God. Prophecy often included warnings of judgment or promises of future deliverance. Therefore, God revealed His mercy, as well as His holiness and justice in dealing with sin.

      New Testament

      Shows the fulfillment of Old Covenant prophecy through the coming of the Messiah – Jesus Christ.

      The Gospels are testimonies of the life, teachings, and actions of Jesus Christ. The four Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John – were written to introduce who Jesus is and to call people to believe in Him. In the Gospels, Jesus often used parables to teach. These stories follow specific interpretive principles and reveal profound truths about God and His Kingdom.

      The Book of Acts is a historical account of the formation and growth of the early Church after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. This book also describes how the apostles of Jesus obeyed the Great Commission, especially in their work of spreading the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Through the Book of Acts, we are encouraged by the faithfulness and trust in the power of the Holy Spirit in the mission of evangelism.

      The Epistles in the New Testament, including those written by Paul and other apostles, were addressed to churches and individuals to provide teaching, resolve issues, and encourage faith. These letters address specific problems faced by the early church and contain practical advice for Christian living. When reading the Epistles, it's important to consider the context of the recipients to better understand the message before applying it to oneself.

      The Book of Revelation is the final prophetic book in the Bible, filled with symbolic imagery depicting the spiritual battle between good and evil, along with the promise of Jesus' ultimate victory. While there are various approaches to interpreting it, the main purpose of Revelation is to encourage believers to stand firm in trials, affirming that Jesus has already triumphed and will return to judge the world and establish a new heaven and a new earth.

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      THE METHODS OF STUDYING THE BIBLE

      “The principles of studying the Bible” help you stayed close to God’s Word.
      “The methods of studying the Bible” serve as tools that bring you closer to His Word!

      Bag of Bread

      “Where do we start?”

      From the Great Commission, we are taught to obey everything Jesus has commanded. And above all, the Bible is the ultimate authority, so we can begin to obey God by reading – studying – understanding the Bible now and every day.