Lightbearer.org

  Hesitant yet Open

It is heart-warming to meet Christians who may balk at the idea that one of their assumptions and cherished beliefs could be based on human tradition - the commandments of man - instead of supported by a Thus saith the Lord.

The Bereans may well have been hesitant yet open to the apostle Paul.

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

- Acts 17:11

There is nothing wrong with receiving someone's Word study. It may or may not be in harmony with the whole Bible. Receiving one's message, be it at the pulpit or a casual exchange of ideas, must not stop there. We should go back to the Word and trust the Word alone.

Here's a simple guide:

Start with prayer - Always ask God for guidance and illumination and for the resolve and strength to believe and live according to His Word.

Claim God's promises that we will find what we seek and that we will know the truth and the truth shall set us free.

Compare scripture with scripture - Make sure that we try to read all the possible passages we can find about a particular subject. If one passage seem to contradict another, then it's our understanding that needs to be adjusted because the Word is in harmony with itself.

Harmonize all related scripture about a subject - The One God subject matter, for example. In this subject, there are exactly seven passages in the Word that contains the exact phrase one God. From here, other related subjects can be pursued like the fact that the one God is the Creator.

End with a prayer - Thank God for a clearer understanding of truth that is in His Word.

Remember, God will never lead you to error.

Posted May 24, 2003 07:38 PM

Trackback Pings

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.lightbearer.org/cgi-bin/mt-tb.cgi/59