Mastering the Discipline of Bible Study
Volume 1
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Christian Directives
“Christianity can be condensed into four directives: Admit, Submit, Commit, and Transmit.”
• In order to be in right standing with God as believers, we must first admit that we are sinners who transgress God’s Law (1 John 3:4) and fail to do what we know is good (James 4:17).
• In order to submit ourselves to Jesus Christ as his followers, we must recognize that there is only one Savior (John 3:16) who deserves our fidelity.
• In order to commit ourselves to God as his covenant partners, we must have faith in his word (1 Cor. 15:1‒4) and in Lord Jesus Christ—his life, sacrifice, death, and resurrection that brings forgiveness of sin and justifies us to God—and then be baptized in his name as part of repentance and remission of our sins (Rom. 10:8‒11).
• In order to transmit God’s divine message to others as Christian witnesses, we must share his word so that others can hear, believe, and enter into covenant with their Creator (Matt. 28:19).
These fourfold aspects of Christianity are realized when believers answer the divine call, enter into covenant, and live by love. The New Testament could rightly be called a treatise on covenant love. In addition, the Bible tells us that “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16); accordingly, this character trait infuses all of what God intends for his creation. The love commands neatly summarized his new standard regarding covenant obligations, while all four directives give ethical guidelines that are exclusively found in the character and conduct of God. These vital directives regarding love are to be enacted by every covenant Christians:
• “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment” (Matt. 22:37‒38; Mark 12:30; Luke 10:27).
• “And the second is like unto it. Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself [putting oneself in the place of another]” (Matt. 19:19; 22:39‒40; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27).
• “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matt. 5:44; see vv. 38‒48; 7:12; Luke 6:27–28, 35; see vv. 29‒36; Rom. 12:14)
• “A new commandment, I give unto you [the apostles without Judas Iscariot] that you love one another as I have loved you. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34‒35). “Love the brotherhood” [the brethren in the church of God who are following Christ’s example of love; the children of God]” (1 Pet. 2:17).
In the last book of the New Testament, the Bible gives four final spiritual directives that God requires of all covenant Christians (Rev. 22:6‒21). This final assurance and exhortation restates “these sayings are faithful and true” (v. 6). It is linked to the first verse of the Apocalypse: “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servant things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John” (Rev. 1:1).
Obey
Blessings will flow from keeping God’s word, “the saying of the prophecy of this book” (Rev. 22:7). By becoming Christians, we are to commit our lives to holiness, and make Jesus Christ Lord of everything in our life—Lord of our refrigerators, Lord of the bottle, Lord of the internet, Lord of our gaming and viewing machines, Lord of our addictions and obsessions—Lord of absolutely everything that touches our lives.
Worship
As the brethren of the church of God, we are to worship God alone; clearly, no angel, person, or thing can ever take the place of God in our lives (Rev. 19:10). Only God justly deserves to receive adoration. Mistaken loyalties that lead to elevating people or things above God will only result in tragic consequences. Truly, keeping “the saying of the prophecy of this book” is tantamount to serving God with the gifts he has given to us and applying his precious word to our lives (Rev. 22:9).
Yearn (Thirst)
After giving the last statement of entreaty for all unbelievers to take the opportunity for true repentance, the Spirit and the bride say “come” to all who “thirst” so they can take the water of life freely (Rev. 22:17; cf. John 7:37‒38). In essence, this is a directive to yearn for a deep understanding of God’s word, the return of Christ, and to be filled with the Holy Spirit so that the evangelism of the church of God can be effective.
Protect
Giving a warning at the end of a chapter was a common practice in ancient times (e.g., Deut. 4:2; 12:32). In this case (Rev. 22:18‒19), the warning is a clear directive to protect God’s word on earth. Christ testified (Rev. 22:7, 12, 20) that the saints can be assured of his return. Until that time, he has commanded us, as his agents, to continue his work by testifying to others about the precious message delivered to this world, but often not received. Our job as Christians is to let our voices be heard over the foul lies that plague the world today. In due time, God’s great praise will be given to each of the saints who fulfill these directives when he says, “well done, my good and faithful servants” (Matt. 25:21).
All these loving actions represent the hallmarks of true spiritual transformation.
Marana-tha”—our Lord, come! (1 Cor. 16:22)
Amen, and amen.
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About the Book
This work, along with the other volumes in the Foundational Knowledge of the Bible series, can help those who are young in the faith to seek a Christian relationship with God. All who choose to enter into the new covenant must concurrently embrace a new perceptual field. By heeding God’s call to service, believers embark upon a Christian journey to become wise from the application of spiritual knowledge. This is made possible with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit who guides covenant believers in the faithful word of God, which is the source of all spiritual truth in this world.
The intended purpose presented in this plan of action is to speak the truth of God in love so that the brethren can learn godly discernment, be equipped with sound doctrine, and grow together in all things according to Christ’s authoritative leadership (Eph. 4:15). By becoming covenant Christians set apart by God for his particular use, we can be diligent by precisely and accurately handling the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15).
This series can serve to edify and ground those who are new in the faith because the revelation of God provides all the essential answers to life’s pressing spiritual questions, whether general or specific. Accordingly, Christ’s disciples need to comprehend the questions before the answers can have real meaning. No greater reason can be given for studying the Bible. Therefore, the people of God are duty-bound to master this Christian discipline.
The first volume in this series is divided into three phases of Bible study: “Why” addresses the importance of knowing God’s word, study motivations, conditions for discipleship, Christian distinctions, and the attributes needed to study biblical truth. “How” covers preliminary actions, Bible versions, principles, study considerations, and necessary skills. “What” offers a unique sevenfold framework for understanding the Bible.
Divine power can move the Scriptures to be more than words on a page. It can become a life-changing force for good in the world. To that end, this resource directs the reader on how to inquire, search, and ask diligently concerning godly truth. Invaluable information, accessible resources, clear educational materials, and deep biblical insights will all quickly serve to establish beginning students in the Sacred Text. This work will also prepare the reader to receive the Scriptures by learning how to obtain a faithful accounting of spiritual truth.
To be sure, wisdom is the result of applying biblical knowledge to our lives. By speaking divine truth in love, believers can grow together in Christ as fellow workers who labor in the word of God. There is no greater work in this world than to share this life-saving truth with others. The obligation of receiving divine knowledge requires that it be shared. Truly, giving the hope and joy that is found in Jesus Christ, and the message he brought from the Father, is the greatest privilege of a human life.
Amen, and amen.
About the Author
The Bible directs its readers to consider how they might provoke one another to love and good works (Heb. 10:24). The Foundational Knowledge of the Bible series is one of the ways Dr. Jenai Rasmussen fulfills this aspect of her covenant obligations. The author has combined the wisdom learned from over four decades of examining the Bible along with the skills developed from obtaining a doctorate in Education from Columbia University. The result is a uniquely crafted curriculum for those who seek a framework to aid them in mastering the discipline of Bible study. This work is an expression of the author’s love for God, for his church, and for those who are young in the faith. The primary motivation in offering this foundational series is so that the reader’s understanding can grow into wisdom and be shared with others.