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You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it give light to all in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.  Matthew 5:14-16

INVALUABLE GUIDELINES FOR BIBLE STUDY

§         First, collect all subject related scriptures and begin establishing facts from those that are specific, clear and easy to understand.

§         Understand the chronology and historical setting of when the narrative was written.

§         Let Bible scriptures interpret and prove Bible scriptures.  Don’t approach your study with a mindset of searching for limited points you can use to prove your own opinion; look at what the scriptures actually say.

§         Get the contextual setting clearly in mind by searching for the subject under discussion in the verses before and after, and the chapters before and after.  Is your understanding of the scripture (or scriptures) in harmony with the rest of the Bible?

§         Always check the original word usage in Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek.  If possible, determine the voice, case, tense, etc. of the word(s) used.  Exercise caution when using helps, lexicons or concordances to establish dogmatic doctrine.  All can be helpful, but are generally written with their own frame of reference and can be extremely biased.  Remember, scriptures are written as defined in Isaiah 28:10—“for precept must be on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little.”  The original Hebrew, Aramaic or Greek Scriptures will not contradict each other.  Where apparent contradiction occurs, expand the depth of your study.

§         Establish specifically what the scripture does say.

§         Establish specifically what the scripture does not say.

§         Establish to whom the scripture was written.

§         Establish who wrote it.

§         Establish who said it.

§         Put aside your own individual assumptions and preconceptions when reading scripture and developing conclusions.  Always test your understanding to be sure it is in agreement with all related scriptures!

§         Always validate your study with scriptural knowledge you have already proven and understand.  Are the current study scriptures corroborated by what you know up to this point?

§         Never make conclusions based on statements, inconclusive facts, unsubstantiated information, opinions and/or speculation of others.

§         Independent of how strongly we feel about our opinions or tenets we have been taught, they are worthless unless validated by scripture.

If we use these guidelines, we will possess an improved framework to gain a better understanding of Scriptures and improve our relationship with Our Father and His Son.

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