November 10, 2004
"Living By the Book"
"Living By the Book"
Dear Friends,
Last Sunday at Barker Avenue Primitive Baptist Church in Evansville, Indiana, my husband (recently elected pastor at Barker Avenue) began a sermon series on our Articles of Faith. His sermon last week was an outline, or overview, of the Articles of Faith. In studying for this series, Travis pulled up from the Internet the Articles of Faith that are used in various churches in different parts of the country and discovered that they're not all worded exactly the same (though the general thought is for the most part harmonious.) In the Association Minutes for the Highland Association (to which we previously belonged), they aren't even referred to as "Articles of Faith" but as "Abstract of Principles". The first "abstract"/article is "We believe in only one true and living God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Deut. 4:39; Isaiah 45:5-6; Mark 12:32)." The second one is "We believe that the Scripture of the Old and New Testaments are the word of God, and the only rule of faith and practice." (II Tim. 3:16-17). As to how these "articles" or "principles" of belief were reached, Travis first illustrated a wrong approach of those who penned untruthful "belief systems" (supposedly using Scripture), by relating a story that was told to him by a friend from India. The man said that some descriptions and teachings could be deceiving, and he related the story about three blindfolded men who were each led to a different part of an elephant, told to touch the animal and then asked "What is an elephant?" Each man described the elephant differently depending on what part of the elephant that he was touching (the ears, the side of the elephant, the trunk of the elephant). Travis (in his typical humor) then made the point that, first of all, if you want to know something don't ask "blind" men. Then he cautioned us to read the Bible prayerfully, meditatively, thoughtfully, etc. so that we can gain understanding, as had the framers of the articles of faith, and so that we can recognize those who are speaking truthfully to us about the Bible.
For Christians, of course, we are "People of the Book". Our authority for belief and practice is the Bible, and while all (even those who know the Truth) don't agree on everything, we must acknowledge that there are "differences that make a difference, and differences that don't make a difference." There are levels of understanding among us, and we all have a lot yet to learn. We all also have a lot of "growing" (Spiritually) to do. We must read, study, meditate upon, pray, and apply the Truths within that Glorious Book, The Holy Bible. Another illustration Travis used was from his own past ... his eighth-grade geometry teacher pointed out to their class that "sleeping with the geometry book under your pillow won't transmit the understanding of geometry into your brain -- you have to work the problems to "see" and understand the principles of geometry." You have to "live the Word" /"walk the talk" to gain any true and deep understanding of the teachings of Scripture on obedient living of the Christian life, and faithful following of the Saviour. This "living the Word"/"walking the talk" must always be in the context of our third Article of Faith, "We believe in the doctrine of original sin (total depravity.)" (Romans 5-12), and also our fifth article of faith "We believe in man's impotency to recover himself from the fallen state he is in by nature, by his own free will and ability." We must also never forget the promises in Scripture where Jesus tells us "I will never leave you nor forsake you", and the promise of the Holy Spirit to comfort, guide, help us in our daily walk.
As to choices, we must be led by the words of the Bible and the leading of the Holy Spirit in tandem. Both together can lead us to make decisions that not everyone, even other Christians or fellow church members, will applaud. Travis told of the counsel given him by Brother J. D. Shain (Salem PBC, Madisonville, KY) many years ago concerning the patience required of a preacher in this context. Brother Shain told of an association in East Kentucky that had become shunned by other associations because of some heresy regarding the new birth that they had adopted. All of the preachers in the neighboring associations wouldn't have anything to do with the churches in error, except for one preacher. It took about twenty years, but eventually every church in that association had forsaken the heresy and were back on solid Scriptural ground. This preacher who stayed had made a real difference in this situation. Travis then asked Brother Shain, "How do you know when to leave and when to stay?" Brother Shain just smiled, knowing that the leading of the Holy Spirit is very individual in a person's life. When the Holy Spirit leads, formulas won't work. God leads His children individually, not always "en masse". The anchor of Holy Scripture keeps our following of the Holy Spirit within God's will. We can, and should, go directly to God for specific answers to our questions, then read an meditate on His Word as we "wait on the Lord" (see how many times that phrase is in Scripture).
Travis also seriously cautioned against reading the Bible by "phrases" . . . context and full teaching should always be considered in Bible study. For example, the teachings of Paul come to us principally through his letters, and a letter is meant to be read from beginning to end in order to get the full understanding of what the letter-writer is communicating. While certain sections, even individual verses, can be taught/read as a study, if it's taken from an epistle then the epistle should be read in whole for understanding pertinent to the section/verse. To illustrate the ludicrous depths to which *not* doing this can lead, Travis used as an illustration a sermon preached by an unnamed preacher from the long-ago past which was related to him as "The Top-Knot Sermon". The preacher used Matthew 24:17 as his text. "Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:" This preacher's sermon topic? Women shouldn't wear their hair in topknots, a way women wore their hair at that time in which they twisted their long hair around and around and secured it on the top of their heads, the "fashion" in that long-ago time, and a hair fashion that this preacher didn't like, so he attempted to make His point from Scripture (using a Scripture which was related to something else entirely) by saying that it is written in the Word of God that "top knots should come down".
"The Word of God is our first, our final, our only authority for faith and practice" and the Holy Spirit has been given to (among other things) guide us into all truth (John 16:13 "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:..."). For any Christian commited to following the Savior, His Holy Word must be studied prayerfully, thoughtfully, meditatively . . .
A book that we have found very helpful in learning about Bible Study is titled "Living By the Book", by Howard and William Hendricks (Moody Press, Chicago. 1991). In his remarks in the Foreword to this book, Charles Swindoll speaks of how helpful the principles of Bible Study outlined in this book have been for him and his wife Cynthia. He states, "the fog that had surrounded the Scripture slowly began to lift. Those puzzling passages no longer seemed so intimidating...I realize now that [the Bible] was becoming "a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path" (Ps. 119:105). ... Dr. Hendricks convinced us that the Bible could be understood. Unfortunately, it often seems intimidating to the average person; it is a long book with lots of fine print and very little visual interest. [Dr. Hendricks gave us] "techniques that, when perfected by practice, opened up the Bible to us. Before that year had passed, the mystery dissolved into meaningful and reasonable truths. I soon discovered that my wife, Cynthia, and I were not merely talking about God's Book, we had started living by the Book." Later in the Foreword, Swindoll states, "God has given you a mind and a frame of reference. That is why Living By the Book is so helpful--it gives you a framework for studying the Bible at your own pace. It is practical, readable, and applicable." Travis liked this book so much that he bought a copy for everyone who came to Wednesday night Bible Study and went over some of these principles in the book with them.
In his Preface to this book, Howard Hendricks wrote: "Teaching others how to study the Bible for themselves is like leading a tour through mountain grandeur. Every feature is virtually indescribable. One can only feel the greatness. Though we climb the hills and breathe the air, we struggle for words to describe the adventure. Yet whereas the awesome magnitude of the biblical terrain belittles our security blanket of pride, its attraction never pales. Exposure to that powerful message never ceases to stir our spirit." Later in this preface, he writes: "It's with a sense of deep privilege that I share my life's passion on paper--that believers who rest their eternal salvation on Christ will hear and heed His written revelation. The study of the Bible is de rigueur for the Christian. More than a duty, it provides protection for the daily battle, comfort for dashed hopes, and continuing education for a life that is worth living."
Regarding the need to "sit under the teaching of God's Word" (as in church services), he writes: "...there's no question that believers need to sit under the teaching of God's Word. But that ought to be a stimulus--not a substitute--for getting into it for ourselves." In Chapter 2, "Why Study the Bible?" (Chapter 1 is titled "Why People Don't Study the Bible"), Hendricks points out that "Bible study is essential to growth", and he quotes 1 Peter 2:2: "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:" He suggests "three words to unpack the truth contained here: Attitude, Appetite, and Aim". You'll have to read the book to understand further what he's referring to here, but as to the "Aim" of these verses, he states that, "The text tells us: in order that you might grow. Please note, it is not that you may know. Certainly you can't grow without knowing. But you can know and not grow. The Bible was written not just to satisfy your curiosity but to help you conform to Christ's image. Not to make you a smarter sinner but to make you like the Savior. Not to fill your head with a collection of biblical facts but to transform your life." Later in this section, he touches on this further: "The mark of spiritual maturity is not how much you understand, but how much you use. In the spiritual realm, the opposite of ignorance is not knowledge but obedience."
The next Scripture that he quotes in this section is 2 Timothy 3:16-17: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." and comments thusly on these verses: "Paul says all Scripture is profitable. But profitable for what? He mentions four things. First, for doctrine,... That is, it will structure your thinking. That's crucial, because if you are not thinking correctly, you are not living correctly. What you believe will determine how you behave. He also says the Bible is profitable for rebuke. That is, it will tell you where you are out-of-bounds... It tells you what is sin. It tells you what God wants for your life. He provides your standards. ..." For Hendricks's further comments on this verse, I encourage you to get a copy of this book and read further.
There is simply too much good information in this book for me to synopsize in a post this size, but I will take a little space to give you an idea of how the book is organized. There are three sections or "steps": Observation, Interpretation, and Application. Under these headings are such things as (for example) under Observation are sub-headings "Six Things to Look For: Things That Are Emphasized...Repeated...Related...", etc. Under the subheading of Interpretation are "Five Keys to Interpretation...Content... Context...", etc. Under "Application" are (among other things), "Four Steps in Application...Nine Questions to Ask ... Three Suggestions to Get Started...", etc. There are also blue-highlighted related topics scattered on pages throughout the book that have a lot of very helpful and motivating information (including some "exercises" to help with "practice" of some of the principles introduced.) For example, in the section "The Value of Observation", there is a two-page excerpt from Arthur Conan Doyle's book (Sherlock Holmes) titled "The Sign of the Four" in which the renowned detective learns a great deal about an individual through very careful "observation" of his pocket watch. This excerpt reveals the benefits of close observation, which is applicable to careful Scripture study.
I've barely touched on the importance of individual Bible study, but hope you have received some "food for thought" here. At the end of this book, Hendricks laments that "I'm afraid too many churchgoers today are ... spectators, not students. They are passive, not participating. Why? Because we who teach often give them cut flowers that easily fade and wilt, rather than showing them how to grow plants for themselves--to discover firsthand the truth that God has revealed in His Word." Let us take responsibility for our need to learn, understand, apply Scriptural truths, to the end that we may be profitable servants in our Father's Kingdom and bring glory to Him who loves us.
In Him,
Elaine
Last Sunday at Barker Avenue Primitive Baptist Church in Evansville, Indiana, my husband (recently elected pastor at Barker Avenue) began a sermon series on our Articles of Faith. His sermon last week was an outline, or overview, of the Articles of Faith. In studying for this series, Travis pulled up from the Internet the Articles of Faith that are used in various churches in different parts of the country and discovered that they're not all worded exactly the same (though the general thought is for the most part harmonious.) In the Association Minutes for the Highland Association (to which we previously belonged), they aren't even referred to as "Articles of Faith" but as "Abstract of Principles". The first "abstract"/article is "We believe in only one true and living God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (Deut. 4:39; Isaiah 45:5-6; Mark 12:32)." The second one is "We believe that the Scripture of the Old and New Testaments are the word of God, and the only rule of faith and practice." (II Tim. 3:16-17). As to how these "articles" or "principles" of belief were reached, Travis first illustrated a wrong approach of those who penned untruthful "belief systems" (supposedly using Scripture), by relating a story that was told to him by a friend from India. The man said that some descriptions and teachings could be deceiving, and he related the story about three blindfolded men who were each led to a different part of an elephant, told to touch the animal and then asked "What is an elephant?" Each man described the elephant differently depending on what part of the elephant that he was touching (the ears, the side of the elephant, the trunk of the elephant). Travis (in his typical humor) then made the point that, first of all, if you want to know something don't ask "blind" men. Then he cautioned us to read the Bible prayerfully, meditatively, thoughtfully, etc. so that we can gain understanding, as had the framers of the articles of faith, and so that we can recognize those who are speaking truthfully to us about the Bible.
For Christians, of course, we are "People of the Book". Our authority for belief and practice is the Bible, and while all (even those who know the Truth) don't agree on everything, we must acknowledge that there are "differences that make a difference, and differences that don't make a difference." There are levels of understanding among us, and we all have a lot yet to learn. We all also have a lot of "growing" (Spiritually) to do. We must read, study, meditate upon, pray, and apply the Truths within that Glorious Book, The Holy Bible. Another illustration Travis used was from his own past ... his eighth-grade geometry teacher pointed out to their class that "sleeping with the geometry book under your pillow won't transmit the understanding of geometry into your brain -- you have to work the problems to "see" and understand the principles of geometry." You have to "live the Word" /"walk the talk" to gain any true and deep understanding of the teachings of Scripture on obedient living of the Christian life, and faithful following of the Saviour. This "living the Word"/"walking the talk" must always be in the context of our third Article of Faith, "We believe in the doctrine of original sin (total depravity.)" (Romans 5-12), and also our fifth article of faith "We believe in man's impotency to recover himself from the fallen state he is in by nature, by his own free will and ability." We must also never forget the promises in Scripture where Jesus tells us "I will never leave you nor forsake you", and the promise of the Holy Spirit to comfort, guide, help us in our daily walk.
As to choices, we must be led by the words of the Bible and the leading of the Holy Spirit in tandem. Both together can lead us to make decisions that not everyone, even other Christians or fellow church members, will applaud. Travis told of the counsel given him by Brother J. D. Shain (Salem PBC, Madisonville, KY) many years ago concerning the patience required of a preacher in this context. Brother Shain told of an association in East Kentucky that had become shunned by other associations because of some heresy regarding the new birth that they had adopted. All of the preachers in the neighboring associations wouldn't have anything to do with the churches in error, except for one preacher. It took about twenty years, but eventually every church in that association had forsaken the heresy and were back on solid Scriptural ground. This preacher who stayed had made a real difference in this situation. Travis then asked Brother Shain, "How do you know when to leave and when to stay?" Brother Shain just smiled, knowing that the leading of the Holy Spirit is very individual in a person's life. When the Holy Spirit leads, formulas won't work. God leads His children individually, not always "en masse". The anchor of Holy Scripture keeps our following of the Holy Spirit within God's will. We can, and should, go directly to God for specific answers to our questions, then read an meditate on His Word as we "wait on the Lord" (see how many times that phrase is in Scripture).
Travis also seriously cautioned against reading the Bible by "phrases" . . . context and full teaching should always be considered in Bible study. For example, the teachings of Paul come to us principally through his letters, and a letter is meant to be read from beginning to end in order to get the full understanding of what the letter-writer is communicating. While certain sections, even individual verses, can be taught/read as a study, if it's taken from an epistle then the epistle should be read in whole for understanding pertinent to the section/verse. To illustrate the ludicrous depths to which *not* doing this can lead, Travis used as an illustration a sermon preached by an unnamed preacher from the long-ago past which was related to him as "The Top-Knot Sermon". The preacher used Matthew 24:17 as his text. "Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:" This preacher's sermon topic? Women shouldn't wear their hair in topknots, a way women wore their hair at that time in which they twisted their long hair around and around and secured it on the top of their heads, the "fashion" in that long-ago time, and a hair fashion that this preacher didn't like, so he attempted to make His point from Scripture (using a Scripture which was related to something else entirely) by saying that it is written in the Word of God that "top knots should come down".
"The Word of God is our first, our final, our only authority for faith and practice" and the Holy Spirit has been given to (among other things) guide us into all truth (John 16:13 "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:..."). For any Christian commited to following the Savior, His Holy Word must be studied prayerfully, thoughtfully, meditatively . . .
A book that we have found very helpful in learning about Bible Study is titled "Living By the Book", by Howard and William Hendricks (Moody Press, Chicago. 1991). In his remarks in the Foreword to this book, Charles Swindoll speaks of how helpful the principles of Bible Study outlined in this book have been for him and his wife Cynthia. He states, "the fog that had surrounded the Scripture slowly began to lift. Those puzzling passages no longer seemed so intimidating...I realize now that [the Bible] was becoming "a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path" (Ps. 119:105). ... Dr. Hendricks convinced us that the Bible could be understood. Unfortunately, it often seems intimidating to the average person; it is a long book with lots of fine print and very little visual interest. [Dr. Hendricks gave us] "techniques that, when perfected by practice, opened up the Bible to us. Before that year had passed, the mystery dissolved into meaningful and reasonable truths. I soon discovered that my wife, Cynthia, and I were not merely talking about God's Book, we had started living by the Book." Later in the Foreword, Swindoll states, "God has given you a mind and a frame of reference. That is why Living By the Book is so helpful--it gives you a framework for studying the Bible at your own pace. It is practical, readable, and applicable." Travis liked this book so much that he bought a copy for everyone who came to Wednesday night Bible Study and went over some of these principles in the book with them.
In his Preface to this book, Howard Hendricks wrote: "Teaching others how to study the Bible for themselves is like leading a tour through mountain grandeur. Every feature is virtually indescribable. One can only feel the greatness. Though we climb the hills and breathe the air, we struggle for words to describe the adventure. Yet whereas the awesome magnitude of the biblical terrain belittles our security blanket of pride, its attraction never pales. Exposure to that powerful message never ceases to stir our spirit." Later in this preface, he writes: "It's with a sense of deep privilege that I share my life's passion on paper--that believers who rest their eternal salvation on Christ will hear and heed His written revelation. The study of the Bible is de rigueur for the Christian. More than a duty, it provides protection for the daily battle, comfort for dashed hopes, and continuing education for a life that is worth living."
Regarding the need to "sit under the teaching of God's Word" (as in church services), he writes: "...there's no question that believers need to sit under the teaching of God's Word. But that ought to be a stimulus--not a substitute--for getting into it for ourselves." In Chapter 2, "Why Study the Bible?" (Chapter 1 is titled "Why People Don't Study the Bible"), Hendricks points out that "Bible study is essential to growth", and he quotes 1 Peter 2:2: "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:" He suggests "three words to unpack the truth contained here: Attitude, Appetite, and Aim". You'll have to read the book to understand further what he's referring to here, but as to the "Aim" of these verses, he states that, "The text tells us: in order that you might grow. Please note, it is not that you may know. Certainly you can't grow without knowing. But you can know and not grow. The Bible was written not just to satisfy your curiosity but to help you conform to Christ's image. Not to make you a smarter sinner but to make you like the Savior. Not to fill your head with a collection of biblical facts but to transform your life." Later in this section, he touches on this further: "The mark of spiritual maturity is not how much you understand, but how much you use. In the spiritual realm, the opposite of ignorance is not knowledge but obedience."
The next Scripture that he quotes in this section is 2 Timothy 3:16-17: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." and comments thusly on these verses: "Paul says all Scripture is profitable. But profitable for what? He mentions four things. First, for doctrine,... That is, it will structure your thinking. That's crucial, because if you are not thinking correctly, you are not living correctly. What you believe will determine how you behave. He also says the Bible is profitable for rebuke. That is, it will tell you where you are out-of-bounds... It tells you what is sin. It tells you what God wants for your life. He provides your standards. ..." For Hendricks's further comments on this verse, I encourage you to get a copy of this book and read further.
There is simply too much good information in this book for me to synopsize in a post this size, but I will take a little space to give you an idea of how the book is organized. There are three sections or "steps": Observation, Interpretation, and Application. Under these headings are such things as (for example) under Observation are sub-headings "Six Things to Look For: Things That Are Emphasized...Repeated...Related...", etc. Under the subheading of Interpretation are "Five Keys to Interpretation...Content... Context...", etc. Under "Application" are (among other things), "Four Steps in Application...Nine Questions to Ask ... Three Suggestions to Get Started...", etc. There are also blue-highlighted related topics scattered on pages throughout the book that have a lot of very helpful and motivating information (including some "exercises" to help with "practice" of some of the principles introduced.) For example, in the section "The Value of Observation", there is a two-page excerpt from Arthur Conan Doyle's book (Sherlock Holmes) titled "The Sign of the Four" in which the renowned detective learns a great deal about an individual through very careful "observation" of his pocket watch. This excerpt reveals the benefits of close observation, which is applicable to careful Scripture study.
I've barely touched on the importance of individual Bible study, but hope you have received some "food for thought" here. At the end of this book, Hendricks laments that "I'm afraid too many churchgoers today are ... spectators, not students. They are passive, not participating. Why? Because we who teach often give them cut flowers that easily fade and wilt, rather than showing them how to grow plants for themselves--to discover firsthand the truth that God has revealed in His Word." Let us take responsibility for our need to learn, understand, apply Scriptural truths, to the end that we may be profitable servants in our Father's Kingdom and bring glory to Him who loves us.
In Him,
Elaine
| "Living By the Book" | SBGA | Elaine Housley |
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"Jerusalem's Daughters" - Elaine Housley