In 1517 when Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of All Saints’ Church in Wittenburg he sparked a movement known as the Protestant Reformation. This was a movement that ultimately brought about the translation of the Bible from Latin to English. During these days there was a huge schism between the Catholic Church and the Reformers because the Catholic Church did not want the people to be able to read the Bible for themselves. The Reformers were adamant that the Bible be put into the hands of the people so they could read it for themselves and not depend on the priest to translate it for them. So, they coined a phrase that defined the movement; it was the Latin phrase Sola Scriptura—Scripture alone. This meant that the people did not need someone to interpret the Bible for them; the Scripture alone was enough for them—if it could be put in their language. The great Reformation was a call back to the Word of God.
I’m afraid many Christians today have figuratively returned to the days prior to the Reformation. Not because they do not have the Bible or have it in their language, but because they don't read it for themselves. They don't study it and meditate on it personally; they depend on the pastors, teachers, and radio preachers to tell them what the Word of God says. This is a great misconduct on the part of many today who are neglecting the great opportunity they have to hear God speak through the pages of His Word. For many, however, they simply do not know how to study the Bible for themselves. This can be corrected easily by learning some basic principles of Bible study and applying them through regular, personal devotion.
I’m afraid many Christians today have figuratively returned to the days prior to the Reformation. Not because they do not have the Bible or have it in their language, but because they don't read it for themselves. They don't study it and meditate on it personally; they depend on the pastors, teachers, and radio preachers to tell them what the Word of God says. This is a great misconduct on the part of many today who are neglecting the great opportunity they have to hear God speak through the pages of His Word. For many, however, they simply do not know how to study the Bible for themselves. This can be corrected easily by learning some basic principles of Bible study and applying them through regular, personal devotion.
That's why my next several posts are going to be on How to Study the Bible for Yourself. I want to focus on the three steps for effective, personal Bible study. Step one is observation where you ask and answer the question: what do I see? Step two is interpretation where you ask and answer the question: what does it mean? And step three is application: where you ask and answer the question: how does it work? Remember, God wants to communicate to you today in the 21st century. He wrote His message in a Book and asks you to study so you can hear from Him. The late professor Howard Hendricks once said, "The Bible was not written to satisfy our curiosity to conform us to Christ."
-Pastor Matt
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