Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. (NASB)
We are told to be a workman. What exactly is a workman?
Webster defines it like this:
1. (n.) A man employed in labor, whether in tillage or manufactures; a worker.2. (n.) Hence, especially, a skillful artificer or laborer. *
Bible study is work. It is not easy knowledge plopped on you. We are to labor at it.
In fact, when the word labor is heard, often what springs to mind is physical, sweat-producing labor. Think of a woman in childbirth. She is said to be in labor.
So, when we read our bibles just to get chapters under our belt, it is not really labor. No, we are to dig and search out the meaning of each chapter.
Guess what? If we do the work of searching the scriptures, we can become that second meaning of the word workman: skillful. We can become skillful at applying the scriptures to our lives.
We really have no excuse. If you are reading this blog, then you have access to a plethora of online bible versions, commentaries and dictionaries.
You have trouble comprehending the King James Version? No problem. Go to BibleGateway.com and you can click on any version you feel makes the Word clearer to you for FREE!
Still don't understand a passage? Find a commentary that will give clarity. My personal favorite? Enduring Word Commentaries by David Guzik. However, there are a wealth of good material online.
How do I study the bible? Here is my favorite formula for bible study: How S.O.A.P. Changed My Life. I've adapted her ideas to something I like better: instead of studying verse by verse, I apply the S.O.A.P. method to each passage. Your bible often groups scriptures into sections for you.
I challenge you, as well as myself, to really work at bible study in 2016. We live in a dark world in a culture that is increasingly sinful. We need the Light of Scripture to saturate us so that we can be bearers of the gospel to a lost and dying world.
*Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
This post was written in response to this week's prompt at The Loft:
- January 13 ~ Bible Study - the how, when, who, what and why of it
How about you? Are you a Workman? Tell us all about it, or link up your own post here.
I'm also linking this post to the Grace and Truth community at Arabah Joy:
Satisfaction Through Christ
The Brown Tribe
Arabah Joy
A Divine Encounter
Sharing Redemption’s Stories
Dawn Klinge – Above the Waves
I'm also linking this post to the Grace and Truth community at Arabah Joy:
You can link up your own posts at any of these hostesses' blogs:
Very timely this post, as we were discussing this at study last night. I was encouraging the ladies not just to come to study to "talk" but to study out and search the word for themselves.
ReplyDeleteI've done the SOAP; that is a great system for Bible study. I've also taken a verse and wrote it out and then broke it up into sections to help study it. So important to be in the word.
ReplyDeletebetty
Somehow I missed seeing this SOAP method but I like it. Thanks for sharing it here.
ReplyDeleteOh I use bible gateway often!!! LOVE it!! Great post Jerralea. And yes, I'm finding i'm digging even deeper into Scriptures these days :)
ReplyDeleteTruth!! There are so many resources for Bible study these days. I use indepth studies as my primary method. I done so many and have learned something from each one. I'm so glad you linked this post up at The Loft. Such encouragement to go deeper.
ReplyDeleteThis is so great and realistic because YES, it is work to study and to understand the Bible. Something I'm learning - very recently - is that I need to sit for while with my questions rather than rushing off to grab a commentary. God the Holy Spirit wants to be my teacher, and HE may have insights for me that will come in the midst of my ponderings. I'm guilty of running to the experts as soon as I get stuck!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jerralea for your timely words.
ReplyDeleteComing to you from the Loft!
I used the same verse in my post! Though, I loved that you focused on "workmen" and "skillful" Good post! I'm glad I read it! Coming to you from The Loft!
ReplyDeleteHi, Geralee. I was thinking about that verse too before I wrote my post (coming to you from the Loft - a little late, sorry). You said it well. May every reader by encouraged. Chris
ReplyDeleteI'm visiting from Grace and Truth today. I love the SOAP method as well. I've discovered that digging deep into the Bible to gain understanding can certainly involve work, time and effort and it is certainly rewarding to know the Biblical truth.
ReplyDeleteJerralea, I've just been reading some of Tozer's thoughts on prayer, and he points out the labor involved in prayer. I think you're exactly correct that Bible study requires the same kind of labor. How good our God is, to grant each of us the strength to labor well in those things that matter most! Thank you for sharing this with us at Grace & Truth!
ReplyDelete