Study the Bible for Growth Week 11

Our How to Study the Bible for Yourself and Others looked at Using Biblical Resources such as Commentaries, Bible Studies, Conferences, and more this past Sunday.

There are many challenges in selecting Biblical resources.  We discussed several in the November 16 class.  The number of resources has been a problem.  So many different writers and ideas are out there in books.  This leads to the second challenge.  These ideas don't even need to be published in book form.  With modern publishing and the internet, it is easy to publish an ebook and even easier to start a blog (even I did 😀).  There are so many different and accessible resources out there.  Another challenge mentioned was varying opinions.  Not just views found in the resources, but also opinions found about the resources and writers.

Another challenge in selecting Biblical resources is a wrong view of their purpose.  So what is the purpose of Biblical resources?

Simply put, the purpose is to help people understand the Bible and think Biblically, and live Biblically, not to replace it.  

In Lit!  A Christian Guide to Reading Books, Tony Reinke writes, “Scripture is the ultimate grid by which we read every book. Scripture is perfect, sufficient, and eternal. All other books, to some degree, are imperfect, deficient, and temporary. That means that when we pick books from the bookstore shelves, we read those imperfect books in light of the perfect Book, the deficient books in light of the sufficient Book, and the temporary books in light of the eternal Book.”

Here are some basic resources selection helps:

• Always read your Bible; never let other books distract you from reading the Bible.
• As it relates to what we have been studying in class, be sure to spend a lot of time in the Seeing/Observing phase of study.  
• Biblical resources should help you understand the Bible, NOT replace the Bible

Biblical resource selection comes down to discernment.  It is not about finding the right website or person to make decisions for you.  A website and people can help grow your discernment, but discernment must always depend on God and his word.

Tim Challies offers the following definition of discernment.  "Discernment is the skill of understanding and applying God's Word with the purpose of separating truth from error and right from wrong." (For a detailed explanation of this definition, go to www.challies.com/articles/defining-discernment/)

In this upcoming week's class, we will look at practical tips for personal and corporate discernment.

In last week's class, we talked about Reading In Community -drodgersjr.blogspot.com/2025/11/study-bible-for-growth-week-10.html

Psalm 67

This week's Prayer Psalm is Psalm 67.

6  - 7 (six - seven) or 67 (sixty seven)

Read through the pop culture reference to get to the BIG Biblical truth.

This year's dictionary.com word of the year is six-seven.

If you are not aware of what six-seven means, here is what dictionary.com says about the meaning.  "Perhaps the most defining feature of 67 is that it's impossible to define.  It's meaningless, ubiquitous, and nonsensical.  In other words, it has all the hallmarks of brain rot.  

And here is video evidence of the 67 of the senselessness, from ESPN  -  https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/46884115

6, 7, in this contemporary slang, is meaningless.

However, Psalm 67, this week's prayer psalm, is filled with God-given purpose, praise, gladness, singing, blessing, and fear of the LORD.

The exact opposite of brain rot.

Psalm 67:1, 2 says

May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face to shine upon us, Selah
that your way may be known on earth,
your saving power among all nations.

The psalmist asks for God's grace for God's people 
so that His way and His saving power may be known among all the nations.

While words such as "people," "nation," "earth," and others like them fill the Psalm, the focus is on God and His glory.  Remember, God bless his people for his glory.

Let us live for God's glory in all we do so that God will be made know in all the earth.

Below are two songs, a Bible study video, and prayer items to help you, your family, and our church reflect on God and His glory as revealed in this psalm.

RESOURCES:

VIDEOS

Psalm 67 song
youtu.be/6QtP48vDl9g

Look at the Book
www.desiringgod.org/labs/god-blesses-you-to-bless-the-world

All creatures of our God and King
youtu.be/yk-185XGjPg

Trinity's Supported Workers page -

 PRAYER ITEMS:

General Prayer ideas from Psalm 67.

• Rejoice in the blessing promised to Abraham.
• Pray for missions.
• Pray for the salvation of the Jewish people through whom this blessing came.

Pray for our supported workers as they share the Gospel around the world - trinitybaptistgr.churchcenter.com/pages/supported-workers

Study the Bible for Growth Week 10

In today's (November 9) class, we wrapped up the book of Jonah by looking at shared truths and applications, then discussed Bible Reading in Community.

Here are some shared truths Ray Lubeck shared in the class notes.

1. God is ultimately in control of all natural and human events.
2. We cannot run away from God.
3. God's nature is gracious and loving.
4. God's people should be gracious and loving.
5. God cares about saving the lost, and so should we.
6. God will not tolerate wickedness forever.
7. God's word is powerful to save.
8. It is possible for people to repent (by God's grace).
9. God's prophetic word is principally designed to change people, not predict the future.

Here are some application points we talked about in class.

Bible Reading in Community

Reading is a must for spiritual growth.  
Reading the Bible is basic and necessary. 
Reading books that help you think biblically is very helpful.
Reading in general expands your world.  

In today's (November 9) class, we discussed how reading in community supports personal and corporate spiritual growth.

"An important fact obscured in English Bible translations is that almost all the second-person pronouns and commands in the epistles are plural.  Paul was writing to you all or y'all, not to you individualistically, which is how we tend to interpret them when we read individually."  Brian J. Wright,  Don't Just Read It Alone

The article Want to Read the Bible Well? Don't Read It Alone has this Thabiti Anyabwile quote: "If you don't need your Bible at church, then the Bible says you don't need that church."

Reading in community happens at Trinity Baptist Church in many different ways.  Some are more familiar than others.  Bible-based sermons are what most people think of when referring to Bible teaching in the church.  Other opportunities to read in community at Trinity are prayer sheets, Adult Christian Education classes, Bible studies, and book readings.  The weekly prayer sheet includes a Bible passage and, often, a related devotional, with an emphasis on praying scripture.  This prayer help can be used in small groups or in conversation with the TBC family.  During the fall, winter, and spring quarters, we offer three or more Adult Christian Education classes.  One is a straightforward Bible study.  The other courses look at a variety of topics and are rooted in the Bible.  For about ACE classes, go to trinitybaptistgr.churchcenter.com/pages/ace.  Bible studies and book-reading groups provide opportunities to meet in smaller groups to discuss scripture or a Bible-based book.

Reading in community happens at your home with family.  Each week, Trinity's children's ministry shares the lessons taught at tbcgrkidz.org.  There are family-focused books to borrow in the check-in area.

Finally, reading in community in so many other places. In One-to-One Bible Reading by David Helm, the following list of people who would benefit from reading through the Bible together is given: non-Christians who need to be saved, new Christians who need to be sanctified, and established Christians who are ready to be trained.

Study the Bible for Growth Week 9

This past Sunday, November 2, was on Bridging, Responding, and Jonah 1-4.

Lubeck describes Bridging as the missing link of Bible Study.  "Finding the shared truth is a key (but often overlooked) step in the process of Bible study.  This step focuses on the timeless truth - the main ideas - that the original author intends to share with his readers."  (p. 57)

A shared truth is eternal, universal, and reflects the author's original meaning of the text.

In class, we briefly discussed how we know whether a shared truth is valid.

Lubeck gives six questions to help in this process.

1. Is it an Old Testament teaching that is repeated in the New Testament?
2. Is the reason for a specific command given in the passage?
3. Is it a statement about God?
4. Is it a general statement about the character of humanity?
5. Is it a statement about the relationship of God and man?
6. If you are reading a narrative, does the writer pass judgment on what is happening in the story?

In addressing the concept of Bridging and Shared Truth, Lubeck helps clarify one of the problems people often face as they move towards the application part of Bible study.

The other part of last Sunday's class was on responding.  This is what most other plans refer to as Application. 

Here are some guidelines for responding.

Responding is based on the AUTHOR'S INTENTION.
Responding begins with prayerful self-evaluation and addresses real needs (RELEVANCE).
Responding involves LIFE CHANGE (THINKING, IMAGINATION, EMOTIONS, BEHAVIORS).

Bible Study is not done merely for the sake of head knowledge.
It is done help change sinful thinking, inappropriate passions, wrong living, and other sinful parts of our lives.

This upcoming Sunday, November 9, Reading in Community and Jonah 1 - 4.

Here are two articles about reading in community.

Don't Just Read It Alone
Want to Read the Bible Well? Don't Read It Alone

Most lesson material comes from Bible Study Basics:  Foundations for Interpreting and Applying Scripture by Ray Lubeck.

Study the Bible for Growth Week 6

Ezra's actions in Ezra 7:10 should be our actions.

Study the Law of the Lord.
Practice the Law of the Lord.
Teach the Law of the Lord.

This past week, October 12, we looked at Theologies, Interpretation, and Jonah 3.

To faithfully interpret Scripture requires asking the right questions.

In exegeisis, we are asking the Biblical author,

"What are you saying?"  (the grammar, text-criticism, and translation question)

"Why do you say it like that?"  (the genre, structure, argument, and historical and literary context question)

In theology, we are asking,

"What do you mean?" (the biblical and systematic theology question),

"What is the significance of this passage for us today? (the practical theology question)

UNDERSTANDING:
Biblical Theology:  Consider how your passage connects to the Bible's overall flow and message and points to Christ.

Systematic Theology:  Discern how your passage theologically coheres with the whole Bible, assessing key doctrines especially in direct relation to the gospel.

APPLICATION:
Practical Theology:  Apply the text to yourself, the church, and the world, stressing the centrality of Christ and the hope of the gospel.

Much of this information comes from:  
www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/interpreting-scripture-a-general-introduction/

From Reading for a Change by Ray Lube

Here is the schedule for the class:

September 7 - Basics of Bible Study and Basics of Studying Proverbs

September 14 - Introduction to the Class

September 21 - Seeing & Intro to Jonah

September 28 - Understanding Part 1 & Jonah 1

October 5 - Understanding Part 2 & Jonah 2

October 12 - Theologies & Interpretation and Jonah 3

October 19 - Narrative (Characters, Settings, Plot) and Jonah 4

October 26 - Narrative (Irony, Poetry) & Jonah 4

November 2 - Bridging, Responding, and Jonah 1 - 4

November 9 - Reading the Bible in Community

November 16 - Using Biblical Resources

November 23 - You Make the Class