Keys That Unlock Biblical Understanding

Keys to Understand Your Bible

-Using the rules in the Bible to understand the Bible-

 

I will begin this by sharing the end of a discussion I was having with a gentleman as to how to understand the Bible and continue from there so you can get a flow as to WHY I am writing this.  I am not asking you to INTERPRET what I right … just UNDERSTAND why I’m writing it …

 

“Joe ... what we are discussing ... a basic of spiritual growth ... is why I began my RU FIT Ministry this year. Christendom can't even agree that God inspired His words from nothing and preserved His words (exactly how we wanted) so that they could be accurately translated in any language under the sun.
Satan is doing what he has done from the beginning of mankind:

Gen 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

Satan has been attacking God's Word ever since. The core issue of our debate, and what is going wrong in Christendom, and why we are getting our butts kicked up and down the street, is that we really don't believe what God said. That's it in a nutshell. I AM NOT TO INTERPRET WHAT GOD SAID ... I AM TO BELIEVE AND UNDERSTAND WHAT GOD SAID.

I will leave interpretation up to those who are having issues with what God said. He said what He said and He means what He means ... STOP! Now ... it's up to whomever to believe and understand what He said. That IS NOT INTERPRETATION and if we continue to not simply believe, understand and live what He said ... we will CONTINUE TO GET OUR BUTTS HANDED TO US ON A SILVER PLATTER.

It's amazing how successful Satan has been in fragmenting the purpose of the church. He has primarily done this through casting doubt on what God said and being involved in endless debates as to WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE IT SAYS. It's not WHAT DO I OR ANYONE BELIEVE IT SAYS ... it's should be I BELIEVE WHAT IT SAYS. The church/spiritual leaders), for the most part, have failed in equipping the saints for the work of the ministry ... and being able to understand the Bible is key to that endeavor. God help us!

I think it is safe to say we disagree on this issue. There is much for people to digest and I am thankful we had this discussion for their benefit. Thank you!”

 

So ... without any further adue … I give you the keys that are in the Bible that help you UNDERSTAND … NOT INTERPRET the Bible:

1.  The Key of Context

 

            How to apply this key:                       

 

1.  Where does this book fit in relationship to the rest of the Bible?

2.  Where does this chapter fit in relationship to the rest of the book and God’s purpose in having written it?

3.  Where does this verse fit in relationship to the thrust and context of this chapter?

4. What do these words mean in the context of this verse, this paragraph, this chapter?

 

2.  The Key of Peoples         

 

            The Bible was written to three different groups of people: Jew, Gentile, and Church of God (I Cor. 10:32)

 

            How to apply this key:

 

            1.  You must take into account who the passage was primarily written to

            2.  ALL Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable

            3.  Understanding the context (not interpreting) is knowing the primary group of people the passage was written TO, and making a devotional application

 

            All of the Bible was written FOR you; not all of the Bible was written TO or ABOUT you.

            (2Tim. 3:16-17)

 

3.  The Key of Time

 

            The Bible is divided into different dispensations (periods of time) of God’s dealing with mankind – 2 Tim. 2:15 / I Cor. 9:17 / Eph. 1:10 / Eph. 3:2 / Col. 1:25

 

            Remember … heresy is truth misplaced; out of proper dispensational context.

 

            In the OT righteousness was imputed (Romans 4:22)

            In the NT righteousness is imparted (Romans 10:4-6 / 2 Cor. 5:21

 

4. The Key of Three Basic Applications of Scripture

 

            All Scripture has a single, obvious meaning rooted in the context of history, grammar, and literal usage – This is Historical Application.

 

            All Scripture has a doctrinal application – 2 Tim. 3:15.  This second application of Scripture is to discover what God is teaching through the historical words and stories recorded in the Bible as they relate to the Kingdom timeline and events.  Sometimes God uses a historical event as a prophetic teaching – Isaiah 7:14

 

5.  The Key of Measured Words

 

            Every event, phrase and word has a specific purpose – John 20:30-31 / 21:24-25

 

            It is not the thoughts or the message, but the words that are key.  The Bible is the preserved Word of God.  Your greatest tool for the Bible is a study concordance, because it ites together the Words of Scripture.

 

            Matthew 5:18 / Rev. 22:18 / Psalm 12:6-7 / I Samuel 3:19

 

            This is key to being able to compare scripture with scripture – I Cor. 2:9-16 and Isaiah 28:9-10

 

 

            The words and phrases God uses in the Bible are important to help you understand the Bible; become familiar with the key words and phrases in the Bible (appendix provided in class)

 

6.  The Key of Literal Understanding

 

            Always take the Bible literally until it is impossible to take it literally, or if Scripture clearly indicates the passage is symbolic.  Very few passages in the Bible are symbolic; and what symbols exist are always clearly defined in the immediate context or elsewhere in the Bible.  Don’t LOOK FOR “hidden” meaning outside those symbols clearly defined by comparing Scripture with Scripture.

 

            Examples – Matthew 13:1-23 / Revelation 1:12-20 / Ezekiel 20:49

 

7.  The Key of Full Mention

 

            Somewhere in the Bible God declares His mind fully in regard to issues of vital importance:

 

            The new birth – John 3:1-13

            The Resurrection of Jesus Christ – I Cor. 15

            Spiritual Gifts – I Cor. 12-14

            God’s love for man – John 3:16

            The human tongue – James 3

            God’s plan for Israel, past, present, and future – Romans 9-11

            The Law – Exodus 20

           

            Use that passage of full meaning as the foundation for understanding the different pieces that you find throughout the rest of Scripture

 

8.  The Key of First Mention

 

            Once a truth is established in the Bible, God does not deviate from it.  God’s word is consistent because God’s nature is consistent – Heb. 13:8 / Malachi 3:6

 

            Understand the books of the Bible do not appear in chronological order, so … find where it is first mentioned as the Bible was being written.

 

            Example:

 

            Gen 3:1 – The serpent is consistently associated with sin and satan

            Gen 3:1 – Satans strategy of casting doubt on God’s word is followed throughout the Bible and history

            Gen 22:5 – Worship is define as a life changing  encounter with God

 

9.  The Key of Spiritual Discernment by Comparing Scripture with Scripture

 

            This is vital to understanding this principle found in I Cor. 2:9-14

 

            Man’s wisdom vs. God’s wisdom – I Cor. 2:1-8

 

            God reveals truth to those who possess His spirit – I Cor. 2:9-12

 

            A Bible that can be understood by anyone is not the same Bible Paul mentions in I Cor. 2:13.  The Bible is spiritually discerned.  Not everyone can understand the Bible.

 

            Understanding the Bible IS NOT A MATTER OF INTERPRETATION. 

 

            At stake is not your interpretation or mine, but he interpretation of the very author of the Bible, the Holy Spirit of God – I Cor. 2:14 / 2 Peter 1:20

 

10.  The Key of Teaching by Similitude

 

            The most common form of teaching is by associating, contrast and comparison – Hosea 12:10

 

            This is simply teaching something that is known by drawing comparisons and pointing out similitude to things that are already known

 

            God’s truth is spiritual, heavenly, and eternal

            Man’s truth is carnal, earthly, and finite

 

            God communicates with his creation in terms we understand; physical manifestations of invisible things

 

            Pay attention to two keys words:  like and as.

 

11. The Key of Teaching by Word and Pictures

 

            The Bible is a picture book – John 5:45-47 / Acts 7 / Gen. 22 / Ex. 12:1-17 / Num. 21:4-9

 

12.  The Key of Teaching by Types

 

            Your understanding of this key will open your Bible like few things can

 

            A type is simply a foreshadowing, a picture, an illustration of another event, person, place, item, etc., which come to symbolize that person or thing.

 

            Example:        Sword (Heb. 4:12  Eph. 6:17 / Rev. 19:15-19)        

                                    Egypt (Ex. 22:21 / Heb. 11:13 / Isaiah 31:1 / Matt 2:15)

 

13.  The Key of the illustrative Teaching of Creation

 

            A clear statement of the truth involved in this key is in romans 1:20

 

 

            Example:  Trees, birds, fish, sun, moon, stars, weather, food, etc

 

14.  The Key of Clear Meaning in Scripture.

 

            Never violate a clear passage when trying to understand an obscure passage

 

15.  The Key of the Priority of Direct Statement over Questions

 

            Never base a doctrine on a question

 

16.  The Key of Confirmation

 

            Never base a doctrine on a single verse or passage – 2 Cor. 13:1

 

            Anytime God establishes a foundational truth, he confirms it in the mouth of two or three witnesses

 

            You protect yourself from bad teaching as you understand and apply this key

 

17.  The Key of Apparent Contradictions

 

            There are no contradictions in the Bible, only apparent contradictions

 

            These apparent contradictions have two purposes:

 

            1.   To give the skeptic a lie to believe – Ezek 14:1-11 / Isaiah 29:9-14 / 2 Thess. 2:7-12

            2.  To reveal hidden truth to the serious Bible studen  Matthew 13:10-23

 

18.  The Key of Spiritual Maturity in Biblical Understanding

 

            Learning the Bible is a lifetime process –John 16:12

 

            The goal of Bible study is not God’s knowledge, but knowledge of God – I Cor. 8:1 / Col. 1:10

 

19.  The Key of Submissive Attitude

 

            Always be prepared to change whatever you have always thought or been taught when it goes contrary to the bible.

 

            Never make the Bible line up with what you believe.  always line up your life to match the Bible

 

            You don’t go to the Bible to support your ideas; you go to the Bible to find your ideas

 

20.  The Key of God’s infinite Wisdom

 You will never completely understand God –Isaiah 55:8-9

 You do have the mind of Christ – I Cor. 2:16 / Philippians 2:5

 

21.  The Key of numbers

 

Just as every word of god is measured, his math is no less thoughtful

Where God uses numbers you can observe a specific reason that develops a purposeful pattern