GID2 Chapter 3 - Growing in God’s Word
Chapter Three
Introduction
‘The Bible is the most remarkable book ever written. The writing was done by about 40 men of several countries and many occupations. They wrote over a period of about 1500 years and in 3 languages — Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. Yet the Bible is a well-organized unity with one great theme and central Figure — Jesus Christ. All of this would be impossible unless the Bible had one supreme Author — and it did — the Holy Spirit of God.’
—Studies in Christian Living, Book 3 Chapter 2, The Navigators
Not only is the background so unique, but the Bible is also authoritative because it is inspired. Inspiration is ‘a supernatural influence exerted upon the sacred writers by the Spirit of God which caused the writings to be given divine trustworthiness’, according to renowned theologian Benjamin B Warfield. This doctrine is seen in two key passages of the Bible:
2 Timothy 3:14-17 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
In 2 Timothy 3:16, the term for inspiration is ‘God-breathed’ — a literal translation of the Greek word theopneustos.
What is the impact of inspiration in 2 Timothy 3:14-15?
What is the extent of the inspiration of the Bible as stated in 2 Timothy 3:16? Substantial, partial or whole?
NOTE The theological term for the extent of inspiration of the Bible is ‘plenary’. Look up a dictionary and write down what it defines ‘plenary’ (adjective) as.
Definition of ‘plenary’
From the above verses, what are some purposes for God to inspire the Bible?
2 Peter 1:20-21 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
According to the Apostle Peter, how did prophecy (another word for God’s Word to man) come into being if it did not originate with man?
Behind the storyline of Scripture is the story of how God, in his providence, gave his words to us. When God spoke, he ensured that it would be preserved through a process of writing, collecting, copying, translating, and printing. After thousands of years, the Scripture that began with the breath of God now comes to us in the Book that is worthy of our supreme trust.
—Dirk Jongkind, ‘How we got the Bible’
https://www.desiringgod.org
The Importance of the Word of God
The Word of God is fundamental in all the Christian life. The Bible is God’s self-revelation. Some of the wonders of the Word are sung about in Psalm 19. Here are some of its great treasures.
The Bible’s Central Figure
In Luke 24:25-27 and John 5:39, who is the central figure in the Bible?
Salvation
What can the eternal word of God give in 1 Peter 1:23-25?
In 2 Timothy 3:15, what can the Scriptures do?
Spiritual Growth
1 Peter 2:2 — The Bible is necessary for what level of maturity?
1 John 2:14b — Beyond strength built up over time, what is the secret of victory in this stage of growth?
In Hebrews 5:12-14, how does one grow from immaturity to maturity?
Discipleship
In John 8:31-32, what do those who claim to believe in Jesus need to do to demonstrate they truly are disciples?
What will God’s Word do for them?
Character Change
In 2 Tim 3:16, what are the ways the Bible changes our lives?
What did Jesus say God’s Word (God’s truth) can do for us in John 15:3 and John 17:17?
How can a young person keep pure? Psalm 119:9, 11
Ministry
What does the godly person require to be equipped for every good work? 2 Timothy 3:16-17
In 2 Timothy 2:15, what competency or skill does God’s workman require?
The Word Hand
This is a very valuable illustration which helps any Christian to be immersed in God’s Word and, in the process, be enabled to have a good grip of the Word. The Word Hand shows five ways the Christian can take in God’s Word, with increasing degrees of depth and retention, starting from the ‘pinkie’ to the thumb.
The Word Hand — five ways of taking in God’s Word
Hearing (Romans 10:17)
Hearing refers to secondary input from sermons by preachers or reading books by Christian writers. Like the pinkie, it is the weakest because after 24 hours, we retain only five percent of what we hear. However, in ancient days, hearing was very effective as most people relied on this.
Reading (Revelation 1:3)
Reading gives us an overview of the Bible and can be part of a daily quiet time. This is represented by the ring finger. We generally retain 15 percent of what we read. Today, we can directly hear God’s Word through digital means offered by You Version or The Bible Is, etc. Listening to audio Bibles is a great way to maximise commuting times.
Studying (Acts 17:11)
Studying the Bible requires personal investigation just like you are doing in this Bible Study booklet. The Bereans likewise checked the veracity of Paul’s teaching against the Bible. Studying the Bible deepens our convictions. It requires greater time and effort but results in deeper knowledge of the Bible. Most people retain 35 percent of what they study. This way of intake is represented by the middle finger.
Memorizing (Psalm 119:9-11)
God’s Word (the Sword of the Spirit — Ephesians 6:17), is given for us to overcome temptations. God’s Word in our hearts and minds keeps us from straying into sin. The index finger, our strongest finger, represents memorization. We remember 100 percent of what we memorize if we consistently review it.
Meditation (Psalm 1:2-3)
Meditation is the reflective process that accompanies each of the other four methods of Scripture intake. Only the thumb can touch all the other four fingers. Therefore, meditation is assigned to the thumb. By meditating on God’s Word as we hear, read, study, and memorize, we discover its transforming power at work in us.
Getting Started on Bible Reading
Your Bible study, as you are doing in this booklet, is an intensive way of intake of the Word. You will also need an extensive grasp of the Bible. This can be done by reading through the Bible in a regular way.
There are different Bible reading programs which can help you cover the 66 books (with a total of 1,189 chapters) of the Bible in one year. These plans are easily available online. One way is to cover two chapters of the Old Testament along with one chapter of the New Testament. This three-chapter regimen will help you get through the Bible in one year and the New Testament in nine months. At the same time, adjust your pace so that you do not rush through the Bible mechanically.
It is recommended that you read the Bible consecutively to get the flow of the themes. Bear in mind that the books of the Bible are not arranged in chronological order. To help you get a grasp of the books in terms of chronology and genre (type of book) the following pictorial summaries may help the reader have a sense of where each book fits in the scheme of things.
Pictorial Summary of the Old Testament
The Old Testament has 39 books consisting of 17 books dealing with the origin and development of the nation of Israel. These cover: Four Major Events (The Creation, The Fall, The Flood, the formation of the nations); Four Major Personalities (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph); the period of slavery in Egypt, the rise of Moses and the Exodus; the Covenant and the Wilderness Wanderings, entering and conquest of the Promised Land; the period of the judges followed by the period of the kings; the divided kingdom and exile into Assyria and again later into Babylon for 70 years; and the Return and rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem then the Temple.
There are 5 poetical books consisting of Job (the dating of Job is uncertain, but it is seen as the oldest book of the Bible), and the Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Songs. There are also 17 prophetic books written by the prophets.
Pictorial Summary of the Old Testament (by Wong Kim Tok)
Pictorial Summary of the New Testament
There are 27 books in the New Testament. These ‘books’ consist of 4 biographies of Jesus called ‘Gospels’, the growth of the early church (Acts) and the significant expansion of the church through the missionary movements beyond Israel to the then known world. The letters of the Apostle Paul and other Apostles make up a significant portion of the New Testament. The New Testament ends with the book of Revelation written to help the churches to persevere in the face of persecution. Some parts of it speak to the end of days, the second coming of Christ and His rule as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
Pictorial Summary of the New Testament (by Wong Kim Tok)
Application
Review the questions and answers in this chapter. Which of the ‘fingers’ (ways of Word intake) in the Word Hand are strong and which are weaker? What do you plan to do to strengthen the weaker ‘fingers’?
If you were to start your Daily Bible Reading Program, this will be the plan:
Number of Old Testament chapters I plan to read
Number of New Testament chapters I plan to read
I will be starting to read from (book)
I will start on (date)