HOW TO STUDY GOD’S WORD.
By Mike Gurganus

1. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." II Timothy 3:16,17
    

2. "Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven." Matthew 7:21
    

3. Seeing that God has communicated to us His inspired word for the purpose of making us complete and that entrance into heaven will be based upon our compliance to His word, we should and must see the importance of studying His word.
    

4. But how does one go about studying God’s word?
    
    

1. WE MUST STUDY GOD’S WORD WITH AN UNDERSTANDING.

1. One must understand that God’s word can be understood.

1. We read in the Bible that the scriptures can be understood.

1. "by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)," Ephesians 3:4

2. "and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;" Colossians. 1:9

2. Would it make any sense for God to give us His inspired word that will one day judge us (Jn. 12:48) and we would be unable to understand it.

3. The Bible can be understood and God expects us to use His book to become acquainted with His character and gain a knowledge of His will; but it will require an effort on our part.

1. We must realize that for any relationship (marriage, friendship, job, God) to be successful, effort must be exerted to accomplish this.

2. If we are to be successful in our relationship with God, then we must put forth an earnest effort.

1. II Timothy 2:15, "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

2. I Peter 2:2, "As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby."

2. One must understand that God’s word can be understood correctly.

1. One might ask, "What has studying God’s word correctly have to do with where I will spend eternity? Plenty In II Peter 3:16, Peter would write of those who twisted scripture "to their own destruction."

2. Often times we hear when it comes to studying God’s word, "Well, that is just your interpretation, this is my interpretation."

1. We all need to realize that when it comes to studying God’s word there is no such thing as "my interpretation" or "your interpretation", but there is only God’s interpretation.
    

2. Therefore we are either studying God’s correctly or incorrectly.
    
    

2. WE MUST STUDY GOD’S WORD RESPECTFULLY.

1. Respect is a feeling of appreciative, often deferential regard, esteem.
    

2. Why is it important to have a deep respect for God’s word?

1. Why is it important for a child to respect his parents?
    
2. Why is it important for a citizen to respect his government?
    

3. Why is it important for a student to respect his teacher?
    

4. Why is it important for an employee to respect his employer?
    

5. Why is it important for a person to respect God?

3. Where there is no respect there is no recognition of authority.

1. God and His word are the source of authority and we must respect that.
    

2. We must realize that if we fail to do things God’s way that we are in essence showing our disrespect to God. Ecclesiastes 12:13

4. Much of the religious division and confusion that exists be traced back to a lack of respect for God’s word.

1. Jeremiah 10:23
    
2. Matthew 15:9

1. It does a person no good if he fails to apply that which he has study to his life.
    

2. The Bible speaks to the fact that we must do the will of God if we are to please Him.

1. "Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven." Matthew 7:21
    

2. "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." James 1:22
    

3. " And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who the will of God abides forever." I John 2:17

3. Acknowledging what God says to do and actually doing what God says to do are two different and distinct actions. Hebrews 3:16-4:2

1. Acknowledging that God wants us to be saved (I Timothy 2:4) and actually doing what He teaches us to be saved (Hebrews 11:6) are two different things altogether.

1. Believe that Jesus Christ is God’s Son. John 8:24
    

2. Repent of our sins. Luke 13:3
    

3. Confess with our mouths that Jesus Christ is God’s Son. Romans 10:9,10; Matthew 10:32,33
    

4. Be baptized for the remission of our sins. Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16

2. The same is true of our worship of God. Acknowledging that God wants us to worship Him a certain way (John 4:24) and actually worshipping how God has decreed are two entirely different things (Matthew 15:9)
    

3. The same is true of our loyalty to God. Acknowledging that God wants us to be loyal to him (Matthew 22:37) and actually being loyally to God ( I John 2:15-17) are two entirely different things.

4. We must realize that it is pointless to acknowledge what God say to do and not do what God says to do.

1. Luke 6:46, "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?"
    

2. Matthew 7:21-23, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name? And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'"

1. May we seek to understand God’s word.
    

2. May we seek to respect God’s word to the point that we recognize it’s authority.
    

3. May we most of all seek to make application of God’s precious truths to our lives and be blessed in so doing.