How to Study the Bible

How To Study the Bible

Developing a biblical worldview takes time and effort on our parts. If we want to
view the world as God does, then we must know God through His Word. Studying God’s
Word should be one of our most essential daily habits. I did some research on how to
effectively study the Bible in an easy to manage way. And for those of us who really
want to understand God’s Word this year, I think this blog will help.


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1. Salvation- This should go without saying, but if we are not saved, how can we
understand God’s Word? 1 Corinthians 2:14 tells us “But a natural person does
not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he
cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” When we
become Christians, we receive the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit that illuminates
God’s Word for us. “...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of HIm. I pray
that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the
hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the
saints...” (Eph.1:17-18). If you truly have a desire to understand God’s Word, you
must belong to God through salvation: repent (turn from) of your sins and believe
the gospel (Who Jesus is and what He did on the cross) (Mark 1:15).

2. Pray- Before reading God’s Word, pray and ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance in
understanding what you read. He wrote it and wants us to understand it correctly.
As Christians, we are required to handle God’s Word correctly. 2 Timothy 2:15,
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker who does not need
to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (emphasis added). The
Spirit will help us accurately handle God’s Word.

3. Observation- It is really important that we do not pull one verse out of a passage
and try to understand it. Instead, we must read the surrounding verses and
passages. This is called reading in context, and it is key to understanding
anything that we read, especially the Bible. Here is typically what I do when
reading and observing Scripture: I read and focus on one book of the Bible at a
time. I read and study that book all the way through. First, I gather background
information. I research some background information such as who wrote the
book, to whom did he write, when was the book written, and why was the book
written. (Many study Bibles have this information at the beginning of each book.)
Second, while reading, I try to notice key details: repeated words or phrases,
important words and phrases and themes. I also look at what is going on in the
passage.

4. Interpretation- When interpreting the Bible, we should keep in mind that the
Bible was not written about us, but it was written for us. This is where
understanding the historical context comes to play. I ask myself when interpreting
a biblical passage, what does this passage mean? What is the message that the
author is trying to convey? What does he want his readers to understand? It is
important to note that whatever the answer is to these questions will not
contradict other teachings of the Bible.

5. Application- The purpose of studying Scripture, of course, is to be able to
correctly apply it to our lives. Questions to consider for biblical application are:
How does this passage apply to my life? What lesson can I learn from this
passage? What do I learn about God in this section? Sometimes, for example, I
may learn that God uses trials in a believer’s life to work out His plan and
purpose but that He will be with the believer in the trial. I would apply that to my
life by recognizing that the trials in my life are allowed by God and He will be with
me during the trial. Then I live out my life in confidence, knowing that God is in
complete control over everything that happens to me, and somehow He will work
my life out for my good and His glory.

6. Use Resources- If something you are studying seems confusing or unclear, use
a tool such as a Bible commentary for help. Here are some free online resources:
www.bibleref.com, www.blueletterbible.org . Bible commentaries should not be
used instead of personal Bible study, but they are a tool to help with your
personal Bible study. Another great resource is www.stepbible.org which is
helpful in understanding the original languages of the Bible. The website is easy
to use even for a beginner Bible student.

I hope this blog is a helpful resource to use in going deeper into God’s Word this
year.

Angela Talbert
​Christian Life Academy Dean of Students

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