My children often tell me things they have heard and believe as fact, but not wanting them to take everything they hear as truth, my question to them usually is, "Where did you get your information?" I don’t want to take things that are said for granted, nor do I want them to be puppets that are played along the game of life who do that either. Instead, I want us to be able to give an answer for what we believe in all things, to be critical thinkers, to find sources that support our beliefs, and to make sure they are credible before we pass along information that could be detrimental if not investigated. In essence, I want proof. For us, that proof will always fall back on the truth of the Bible and its authoritative absolutes for everything concerning life.

But here is where there can be problems when studying Scripture and this gives rise to a second argument that we hear quite often about the Bible: You can "prove" anything with the Bible that you want to. I agree! If certain factors exist, then there may be as many interpretations of Scripture as there are people in this world.

First of all, when we start OUTSIDE of Scripture and go to what God has written to try to interpret it on the basis of our own ideas, then we can basically prove anything from the Bible that we want. In going to the Bible with a premise first and trying to "prove" that point is a deductive way of studying. This deductive study is good only if the premise you begin with is biblical; however, if it is not, then you can certainly "prove" virtually anything with the Bible in support of your agenda. This is why it is so important to be careful in studying this way. If there are discrepancies in interpretations of passages in the Bible, then we certainly should not be using this approach.

Secondly, anytime we take Scripture out of context, there is a possibility that we’ll misinterpret what Scripture is really saying. Knowing the context of who is writing, to whom that person is speaking, what they are saying in full, the historical aspects of the culture, how it is relevant as truth for today, and why it is written can usually be found within the context of a passage of Scripture. But take it out of that context, and just as any politician knows, words can be misconstrued.

Thirdly, if the Holy Spirit is not indwelling a person, many times the Bible does not make a whole lot of sense. This does not mean that God will not use His Word to save people from their sins. Of course, many have come to Him through the reading of His Word. It has the power to transform lives. But deep studying without the "Teacher" guiding us, can sometimes be perplexing.

Fourthly, even though we may have the indwelling Holy Spirit within us, we can sometimes stifle the Holy Spirit in His work of sanctification and teaching. If we still selfishly put our own thoughts, needs, desires, and idols before God, even though we’ve accepted Jesus in our hearts, then the Holy Spirit’s work will be suppressed.

Depending on the situation obviously, I believe a more appropriate and beneficial way of studying the Bible in an in-depth and on a long-term basis is by an inductive study as this process allows the indwelling Holy Spirit and Scripture to teach us. This method needs no help from an outside fallible source such as man. When studying in this way, one allows facts through observation, meaning through interpretation, and actions for one’s life through application to be sought out of the text of Scripture itself without any help from an outside source or any prior impressions, ideas, or concepts to infiltrate the mind. Thus, we should begin our study with God’s Word first, and then prove or disprove outside sources accordingly.

This leads me to a second thought. I also challenge the notion that we must depend on priests, preachers, or pastors to teach us or to interpret Scripture for us. All too often we place our trust in man (pastors, counselors, biblical scholars) instead of the infallibility of God, and put them up as idols because of their degrees, awards, achievements, or position. But I say that God is big enough to teach us solely if He so desires. This is not to say He will not use pastors and teachers to educate us about His Word, as His Word has a place for them in our lives. Nor does it mean we cannot use other means such as books or other resources to aid in our understanding of Scripture at times, but extra Biblical sources must be secondary to the Word itself, and even teaching from pastors and preachers should be weighed against the Word of God always.

John 14:26 says "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." Let us remember this PROMISE...and that it is the HOLY SPIRIT to whom we should be listening and God’s Word by which we should be testing everything. And just how do we receive the Holy Spirit so that He may teach us? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved!

Consider your approach to Scripture. Did you ever wonder how many people would actually fall away into deceptive cults, and even different denominations, if only we would truly have allowed God to teach us Himself through His Word without any extraneous noise? Where does your trust lie? Be like the Bereans and search the Scriptures daily to see if these things be so (Acts 17:10-11).