This Sunday: Learning and Growing in Community

This Sunday we will be discussing the importance of learning, studying, contemplating, and discussing Scripture, and how we can help and encourage one another in those activities.  Our study breaks the lesson down like this:

We engage truth
We seek to understand
We put our learning into practice

The goal of our studying the Bible together must not only be information but transformation.  In Romans, Paul gave the following command:  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and pefect (Rom. 12:2).

We engage truth

As Christians who profess belief in the truth and authority of the Scriptures, we must engage the text with minds and hearts that are open to receiving that truth, even when it seems to conflict with our pre-existing beliefs.  We cannot hold up the Scriptures that we like and ignore the texts that challenge our beliefs or are difficult to understand.  If we believe that the Bible is God's revelation of Himself to humanity, then we must believe that all of Scripture is worth learning and studying.

The sum of your word is truth,

and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.

Psalm 119:160

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching,

but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers

to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening

to the truth and wander off into myths.

2 Timothy 4:3-4

Our affections for and worship of God must be grounded in the truth of the nature and character of God.  Otherwise, we are not worshipping the true God of the Bible, but a god of our own imagination.  Understanding the nature and character of God and His work in the gospel is critical to right worship of Him.

But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers

will worship the Father in Spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking

such people to worship him.  God is spirit, and those who worship him

must worship in spirit and truth.

John 4:24

 

We seek to understand

We must seek and ask for understanding.

My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my
commandments with you, making your ear attentive
to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;
yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for
understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for
it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the
fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.  For
the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come
knowledge and understanding

Proverbs 2:1-6

The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge,
but the mouths of fools feed on folly.
Proverbs 15:14

Understanding of the Scriptures comes from hearing/reading the word.

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through

the Word of Christ.

Romans 10:17

Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore,

I hateevery false way.  Your word is a lamp to my feet

 and a light to my path.

Psalm 119:104-105

Understanding of the Scripture will not come without the help of the Spirit.

And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom

but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths

to those who are spiritual.

1 Corinthians 2:13

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean
on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge
him, and he will make straight your paths.  Be not wise in
your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.
Proverbs 3:5-7

Who has put wisdom in the inward parts or given
understanding to the mind?

Job 38:36

But it is the spirit in man, the breath of the Alimighty,
that makes him understand.
Job 32:8

 

We should desire and pray for other believers to understand, as well.  Paul prayed that for the Colossians.

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to
pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge
of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to
walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him,
bearing fruit in every good work.

Colossians 1:9-10

We put our learning into practice

The end result of our learning and understanding should be the bearing of the fruit of the Spirit.  We are not saved by our works, but our faith should produce evidence of our faith...the fruit of the Spirit.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,

goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such

things there is no law.  And those who belong to Christ Jesus

have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.  Let us not

become conceited, provoking one another, envying on another.

Galatians 5:22-26

And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and
knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains,
but have not love, I am nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:2

Whoever says, "I know him" but does not keep his commandments

is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word,

in him truly the love of God is perfected.  By this we may know

that we are in him: whoever abides in him ought to walk in the

same way in which he walked.

1 John 2:4-6

But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need,

yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?

Little children, let us not love in word or talk, but in deed and truth.

1 John 3:17-18

"Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them

will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  And

the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat

on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded

on the rock.  And everyone who hears these words of mine

and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his

house on the sand.  And the rain fell, and the floods came,

and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell,

and great was the fall of it.

Matthew 7:24-27

 Teach me your way, O LORD,

that I may walk in your truth;

unite my heart to fear your name.

Psalm 86:11