The Spiritual Attitude Indispensible. It is of the utmost importance that the reader, or student, should approach the Bible in a reverent attitude of mind, regarding it as the inspired Word of God, and not as an ordinary literary production.
It may be read, or studied, in the same spirit as a volume of Milton, Shakespeare or some historical work and it will be found interesting and profitable; but the merely literary student, or critic, however scholarly and persistent he may be, will never discover its choicest treasures because he has an extinguisher on his light.
Paul says, "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned," See Spir. Discernment, Cyclopedia, 1007.
Conscious Need Essential. The Bible should be studied as eagerly as a hungry man seeks for bread.
The formal reading of a portion of "The Word" each day may have some value as a religious exercise, but in order that the full benefit may be received from its truths they must be appropriated to personal needs. The dilivery-man on a baker's wagon may handle a thousand loaves of bread a day, and yet go home hungry at night; so the Bible reader may peruse large portions of the Word of God with little profit, unless he makes it his own by personal appropriation and feeds upon it.
See "Word" as Food, Cyclopedia, 416.
First-hand Knowledge Best. Many Christians are satisfied to receive all their truth filtered through the mind of some teacher, minister or commentator, seldom, or never, going to the Book of Books for independent study. They inevitably become mere echoes of the opinions of others; they are not "grounded in the truth," hence they are liable to be "carried about with every wind of doctrine."
It is a great day for a little child when he learns to feed himself; so it becomes a new era in a believer's life when he forms the habit of goind daily to the original sources of spiritual truth for his own personal nourishment.
Study the Bible as a Traveller who seeks to obtain a thorough and experimental knowledge of a new country.
Go over its vast fields of truth; descend into its valleys; climb its mountains of visions; follows its streams of inspiration; enter its halls of instruction; visit its wondrous portrait galleries.
Remember that many doctrinal errors have grown out of a lack of spiritual perspective, or a narrow view of Scriptural truth. Tha Saviour says, "Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God." See Ignorance of "Word," Cyclo. 432.
Seek to Understand the Deep Things of God. Study "The Word" as a miner digs for gold, or as a diver plunges into the depths of the sea for pearls.
Most great truths do not lie upon the surface. They must be brought up into the light by patient toil.
See Search "The Word," 428.
1. The Topical Method consists of the selection of a subject and tracing it through the Scriptures. This is so fully illustrated in the Chain-Reference System that it is not necessary to enlarge upon it here.
2. The Biographical Method or the study of various Scripture characters, will be found to be intensely interesting and profitable. Illustrations, see Character Studies, Nos. 4289-4300.
3. Study of the Books. Select a book and endeavor to master it; ascertain its authorship, to whom addressed, the circumstances under which it was writted, its purpose, its main teachings, etc. See Nos. 4223-4228.
4. The Study of Chapters and Important Passages familiarizes the student with the gems of Scripture literature. See Golden Chapters, 4311.
5. Memorize Some Great Verses that they may be available for any sudden need or emergency that may arise. A ready-at-hand passage of Scripture is invaluable to the Christian many times. Like the apothecary, he needs to have his remedies and antidotes so arranged and labelled, in his memory cabinet, that they are available for instant use.
See Bible Mnemonics, No. 4315. The memorization of Bible truths puts a defensive and offensive weapon in the hands of believers.
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