May 23rd: Personal Bible study

Speaker: Chris Laws

The Bible’s own approach to personal devotional reading unlocks the riches of God’s Word. A study from the Baptist Confession, chapter 1.

Chapter 1 of BCF is called The Holy Scriptures, and the very first proof text is:
“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” (2 Tim 3:16-17).
Properly studied, the Bible is rich and sufficient for all our needs. Should not be dry in our hands.
BCF chapter 1 provides an approach for how we should go about personal Bible study.
Believers need more than CHS’s Morning and Evening, or James Smith’s Daily Remembrancer.
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Col 3.16).

ENCOURAGEMENT
BCF 1.6 “We acknowledge the inward illumination of the Spirit of God to be necessary for saving understanding…”
At conversion our minds were opened by the indwelling Spirit. A mark of grace.
We have been equipped, and should expect to be greatly blessed as we read the scriptures.
“The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God…neither can he know them” (1 Cor 2.14).
“But ye have an unction from the Holy One” (1 John 2.20).
“God…hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God” (2 Cor 4.6).

IT IS A DUTY
BCF 1.8 “All the people of God…are commanded to read and search them”.
“Search the scriptures…for they are they which testify of me” (John 5.39).
The Bereans “searched the scriptures daily” (Acts 17.11).
Don’t just pay lip service to the Scriptures with a cursory reading. WWII soldiers would carry a pocket NT.

NOT JUST FOR HEAD KNOWLEDGE
Love of doctrine isn’t enough: “that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished…”
Essential, not an optional extra.
We are in a warfare. We need “the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God” (Eph 6.17).
“We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers…” (Eph 6.12).
We need guidance, discernment, to grow spiritually and be motivated to service.
The approach we need to take is laid down in BCF.
Pray “open thou mine eyes.”

SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES WITH EXPECTATIONS
Modern thinking tells us to go a passage with no preconceived ideas. Eg many study Bibles.
Three Bible texts from BCF give us another approach – LIST

[A] – (BCF 1.6). “Search the scriptures…for they are they which testify of me” (John 5.39).
Expect to see Christ throughout the OT as well as the NT.
He is everywhere in the OT. Don’t skip the OT – ¾ of Bible. Riches.
Look for Him in your daily passage. You may not see Him there straightaway, but look.
“Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it and was glad” John 8.56.
“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning” (Rom 15.4).
Abraham said to the rich man in hell, “They have Moses and the prophets…” Enough for salvation.
On the Emmaus road, “Beginning at Moses and the prophets, he expounded to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24.27).
He is “in all the scriptures”. Go expecting to find Christ, the Gospel, Calvary.
Modern thinking tells us He isn’t spoken of much in the OT. They effectively close the Scriptures.
“Don’t read NT truths into OT passages!”

Expect to find Christ: John 5.39 “they are they which testify of me”
Christ – Is there anything on: His Being?
On His work on Calvary? The Gospel?

[B] – (BCF 1.1). 2 Tim 3.16-17 “All scripture…is profitable for doctrine”
Doctrine – build up your grasp of the fundamentals of the faith. Anything on:
The Being of God & the Trinity?/ God’s providence?
The Fall of man?/ The law of God?
The covenant of grace?/ The doctrines of grace?
The church?

Reproof
Any warnings?
Coldness of heart?/ Laziness, lack of disciplined living?

Correction
Guidance when off course?

Instruction in righteousness
Duty?/ Separation from the world?/ Worship?

[C] – (BCF 1.1). Rom 15.4 “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope”

Patience
Encouragement when discouraged by the world?/ Help to face long wait for blessing?

Comfort
Any promises to grasp?

Hope
Any view of Heaven to make me look upwards?

[D] – Heb 4.12 “is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”.

My heart
Am I keeping my heart?/ Outwardly doing well, but not well in heart? Pharisees.

PRACTICAL HELP
Keep your list in your Bible.
Ryle on the Gospels – read the passage, then use your list to try to see the applications.
Then read Ryle’s comments. Good training.

GET INVOLVED IN CHRISTIAN SERVICE
You will have needs – and will automatically be looking for help from the passage.
Focuses the mind. “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (Jas 1.22).

START TO USE COMMENTARIES
Matthew Henry – for warm application (£85 six vol, £22 single or Kindle £5).
Matthew Poole – for problem or puzzling passages (Amazon £15).
AW Pink – Gleanings in Joshua
Modern commentaries and study Bibles generally don’t expect to see Christ…

REFERENCE BOOKS
Alleged Discrepancies of the Bible/John Haley (£10). John Haley made it his life’s work to address every known discrepancy or alleged biblical contradiction he could find.

LEARN YOUR DOCTRINES
BCF
Thomas Watson, A Body of Divinity. Homely.

IS THERE…

A view of Christ?
A word of salvation?
A doctrine?
A reproof or warning?
A correction?
A duty?
An encouragement?
A promise?
A view of Heaven?
A view of my heart?
A view of the church?