The purpose of studying Scripture is to come to know the One who is truth and who is life.
The reformers knew that neither mind nor heart alone could be trusted to shape faith. The Bible is the standard against which all else is measured, so studying the Bible is important. Because the Bible is so important to us in the Reformed tradition, it is not surprising that through the ages there have been battles over the interpretation of Scripture.
Searching openly for the whole truth is more difficult than positing that one has all the truth in the bag.
Calvin's Guidelines for Interpretation
Unity of the Bible - get the big picture
Context - get the local picture
Good scholarship - get the facts as best you can - try to avoid jumping to conclusions
The place of the Holy Spirit - Illumination by the Spirit is necessary
Application - truths learned means truths applied
Devotional reading - aimed at relationship rather than knowledge
Becoming still before the text, quieting the inward distractions, and opening ourselves to God's presence and the leading of God's Spirit; meditating on the text; and prayerfully considering the text as we offer ourselves to God. We come to the text anticipating a surprise. What new thing will God reveal?
By seeking, sorting, noticing, critical truths and expressions of love in scripture, our minds better equip us for living in the truth and love.
Knowledge and understanding are means of grace, especially when founded on the truth of God's love expressed in scripture.
So, attachment to , identification with, pursuit of God‹loving God‹may naturally be expressed by studying Scripture.
By discerning truth from scripture and applying this truth to the real stuff of life now, we are employing one gift of God, our minds, to exploit another gift of God, scripture, to better live out our particular callings.
€Is everything God wants us to know clearly laid out in the Bible?
€ Is the amount of time spent studying scripture an indicator of our love for God?