A Comprehensive yet Simple Approach to Bible Study
by Orlando  Vázquez

How to Understand The Bible
These guidelines are designed both for the new Christian and the teacher who will be giving the lessons, in other words the Disciple and the Discipler. The Scripture references must be read out loud to aid in the pronunciation and absorption of the Bible truth disclosed therein. Also as a mnemonic device, these basic lessons will help you to memorize Scripture.

The Discipler or teacher should know the Bible verses by heart and must have sound “hermeneutics” or a correct interpretation for each one of them. This is imperative to avoid a chain reaction of biblical heresy that will be passed on and on. Incidentally, that's how para-religious groups and cults are born: a misinterpreted Bible truth is taught and passed on. Each time, like a snowball, it gets bigger and bigger, collecting a variation as it gets passed on. In this fashion a term like "gospel" may end up meaning Country and Western music. So, to get a correct interpretation, three valuable key concepts must be taken into consideration:

1. Observation - what the Bible verse says. If a verse says that "they broke bread," you're primarily concerned with the fact that they broke bread, took a piece of bread and broke it, period, whatever that might mean. So, what it says, is actually the words that you read

2. Interpretation - what the Bible verse actually means. This is one of the most critical parts of Bible study, for it requires the consideration of concepts such as context (passages before and after that relate to the one you are studying), history and culture of that time, usage of the original tongues and maybe the particular translation that you are using, and even the original manuscript that it was taken from. Remember that churches and denominations have split and wars were fought on the grounds of Bible interpretation alone.

3. Application - how to apply the Scripture to your daily life or what the Bible verse is requiring from you. In other words, what you must do now that as a believer you have observed and interpreted a passage of Scripture.

As an element of practice, the teacher should emphasize these three principles throughout these lessons. After a while, interpreting Scripture will become a natural process.

“Get thee behind me, Satan!” (Luke 4:8)
The 5 Basics - (1 Peter 5:8-9)

The devil, like a roaring lion, waits for a moment of our weakness in which we are most likely to yield to sin. Christians who don't have a solid foundation in Bible doctrine are more likely to fall prey to the "lion". By "solid", I mean to get grounded in the basic doctrines of the Bible. You must be immovable, like the martyrs who were thrown to the lions in Rome.

These are basic teachings that are the same to all Christians of all denominations and your belief in them will secure your position in the Kingdom of Christ, no matter if you transfer membership from one church to another. The fundamentals must be believed. It is commonly agreed that anyone who does not believe the basics, is most likely unsaved. LOST and going to HELL! Simple.

1. The Bible is the inerrant (without error) Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). "What Scripture says, God says--through human agents and without error." NO MISTAKES!

2. The Virgin Birth of Christ (Matthew 1:18-25). - Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary without the process of sexual intercourse. This was possible by the miraculous intervention of the Holy Spirit. Believe it. Period.

3. The Deity of Christ (John 1:1-3; Hebrews 1:8, 8-10) - Jesus is as much God as the Father or the Holy Spirit. That’s throughout the whole Bible.

4. The Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) - Jesus died a vicarious or substitutionary (in your place) death on the Cross and rose from the dead to give you eternal life. That’s it!

5. The Pre-Millennial Return of Christ (Revelation 20:1-4) - Jesus, now in Heaven, will return again to set up His Kingdom for 1,000 years with us, His followers, to reign with Him. Case closed.

There's a divine and logical link between these doctrines that confirm each other's truth. Hit the adage, which is true: "Scripture interprets Scripture."

III. The New Birth - (John 3:1-7.)
a.) Born again to see - John 3:3
b.) Born of water and spirit to enter - John 3:5.
The "born again" experience happens when one, enlightened by the power of the Holy Spirit, is ushered into a "new life" in Jesus Christ. This new life will be in conflict with the "old life" (the life one has been living up to that point). The apostle Paul describes this in 2 Corinthians 5:17 and Colossians 3:9-10.

Therefore, the experience of the New Birth . . .
1. . . . happens when you decide to follow Christ - (Luke 9:23).
2. . . . happens through Christ's death on the cross - (1 Peter 3:18).
3. . . . happens when you repent from your sins - (Acts 17:30).

IV. How to Grow in Christ -
It is important for one who is a new Christian to grow in Christ. A large portion of the New Testament is specifically aimed at helping us achieve a healthy growth. The following are just some of these extremely important portions of Scripture.
1. After you are born again, you must do what is right regardless of feelings - (Galatians 5:19-22).
2. After you are born again you must also become "good ground" and bear fruit for Christ - (Mark 4:3-8, 13-20).
3. After you are born again you must join the local church - (Acts 2: 42-47; Hebrews 10:24-25) and be baptized (Acts 8:36-39).

V. Further Growth in Christ -
1. Read your Bible daily – Hebrews 4:12
2. Pray daily – 1 Thessalonians 5:17
3. Tell others about Christ – John 1:40-42

VI. Maturity in Christ -
1. Give a tithe of your earnings to Christ trough your local church Malachi 3:8-10; 2 Corinthians 9:6-8
2. Become a minister of the Gospel – 1 Peter 4:10
3. Participate in Communion – Mark 14:22-24
4. Temptation — 1 Corinthians 10:13
5. Backsliding — 2 Peter 2:20 --- Heb. 6:4
 

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“Live in such a way that no one blames the rest of us 
nor finds fault with our work.” —(2 Corinthians 6:3)