Simple As ABC

Introduction:

A. Some people are terrified by certain things.

     1. Some people are afraid of needles.

     2. Other people are afraid of heights.

     3. And, some people are afraid of flying.

B. I really do not see why anyone is terrified of any of these things.

    1. But, these things are terrifying to these people.

    2. Some overcome their phobias, while others never do, and spend the rest of their lives in fear of them.

C. Some people almost seem terrified to study the Bible, but there is no reason to be, for God says...

     1. Even a child can understand it - II Timothy 3:15.

     2. We can rightly divide it (or interpret it) (II Timothy 2:15).

What I would like for us to do is consider just how simple it is to study God's word, and correctly interpret it.

  I. One simple thing to keep in mind is Don't Build a Boat If You Are Not Told To Build a Boat.

      A. God told Noah to build an ark, but that does not mean that we need to build an ark.

           1. We all realize that this is true, and I have never heard anyone say, one of God's commands is to build an ark; therefore we need to build an ark.

               a. You might think...that's silly, but that is how simple it is to apply this principle.

               b. When we study the Bible we need to consider who it was written to, and if it applies to us.

               c. Building an ark applied to Noah, but it does not to us.

           2. We need to apply that principle when we study the Bible.

               a. If we do not, then we may be applying certain things to ourselves that were never intended for us.

               b. That is part of what is required to "rightly divide the word."

      B. But, many people fail to apply this simple principle.

          1. There are those who believe we need to keep the Sabbath (what they usually mean by this is Sunday).

              a. Sabbath was the 7th day, not the 1st (Sunday) - Ex.16:22-23.

              b. It was given to the children of Israel - Exodus 20:1-8.

              c. We are commanded to assemble with the saints on the first day of the week to worship God (Hebrews 10:25; I Corinthians 16:1-2; Acts 20:7), but that does not mean if we go out and pick up sticks on the first day of the week that we are sinning.

          2. On the other hand, there are those who try to use verses from the O.T., that do not apply to them, to justify things they want to do (using instrumental music in worship).

              a. It is true that they used mechanical instruments in worship of God in the O.T. - I Chronicles 15:16.

              b. Really, however, you do not see God even commanding them to use them, but even if He did, we are not under the O.T. law (Colossians 2:14; Ephesians 2:14-15; Galatians 2:16), and cannot appeal to it to do things we want to do.

              c. We are under the N.T. law, and we are told to only do what Christ has authorized (in the N.T.) - Colossians 3:17.

              d. What does He authorize?

                  1) Not mechanical instruments of music in worship.

                  2) Singing (a cappella) (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16).

  II. Make sure you have all the figures before you try to add it all up.

      A. Compare it to balancing your checkbook.

            1. What do you need to balance your checkbook?

               a. Beginning balance.

               b. Amounts of all the debits, and checks.

               c. Amounts of all the credits, and deposits.

               d. If you do not have all these things when you try to balance your checkbook you will not have an accurate total.

           2. The same is true in studying the Bible.

               a. You need to consider all that the Bible has to say on a subject before you try to reach a conclusion on what it says.

               b. If you fail to consider all it says you may reach a false conclusion.

      B. Many people make this mistake in studying the Bible.

          1. One of the most common examples is concerning what a person has to do to be saved.

              a. The Bible says we must believe to be saved - John 3:16.

              b. And, many people base their conclusion of what a person needs to do to be saved based on that one fact.

              c. But, the Bible says you must also:

                   1) Repent - Acts 2:38.

                  2) Confess - Romans 10:10.

                  3) Baptized - Acts 2:38; Mark 16:15-16; I Peter 3:21.

          2. Another inaccurate conclusion many people have reached, because they did not consider ALL the Bible says, is that once a person is saved, they cannot lose their salvation (in other words, once saved always saved).

              a. The Bible says: tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, and sword cannot separate us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35), and based on that many conclude that once you are "saved," you cannot lose your salvation.

              b. But, the Bible also says:

                  1) We can fall from grace - Galatians 5:4.

                  2) We can become castaways - I Corinthians 9:27.

                  3) We can fall away - Hebrews 6:6, and be like thorns and thistles that are rejected, which will be burned up (8).

                  4) We can escape the pollutions of this world and later on become entangled in them again, and our later end is worse than the beginning (II Peter 2:20-22).

                  5) If we want to receive the crown of life we have to be faithful unto death - Revelation 2:10.

              c. This does not mean that the Bible contradicts itself:

                  1) Romans 8:35 says no external thing can separate us from the love of Christ (take away our salvation).

                  2) But, we can cost ourselves our own salvation by not being faithful unto death.

III. Another simple principle is that a blind man cannot see.

      A. A lot of people are blinded by various things when it comes to studying the Bible.

          1. Things they have been taught that are not true.

              a. That men inherit sin from their parents.

              b. Therefore, they blindly see the scriptures teaching that infants were baptized in passages like - Acts 16:15.

              c. The Bible says sin is something we do, not something we inherit - I John 3:4.

          2. Traditions they have practiced since they were children.

              a. Such as the celebrating of Christ's birth on Dec.25.

              b. God has not revealed to us when His Son was born.

              c. Many people are so blinded by this tradition that they are convinced that it is a fact that He was born on December 25, but there is not one passage that supports it.

         3. The idea that if the majority believe something, it has to be right.

             a. The majority of people believe that when Jesus returns that He is going to set up a kingdom on this earth and reign on earth for 1,000 years (premillenialism).

             b. Because they are blind they do not see that:

                 1) His kingdom is already sat up (Mark 9:1; Colossians 1:13; Revelation 1:9).

                 2) When Jesus returns the earth will be burned up (II Pt.3:10).

         4. The idea that Bible scholars have to be right.

             a. There were Bible scholars in Jesus day, who did not believe in the resurrection, but they were wrong - Mt.22:29-32.

             b. There are Bible scholars that will tell you that the wars and rumors of wars going on now are signs of the return of Christ (based on Matthew 24).

             c. But these scholars are wrong, for Matthew 24 says that:

                  1) All the things mentioned in the first part of the chapter (including the wars, and rumors of wars) would happen in the lifetime of that generation (Mt.24:34).

                 2) And, His coming will be without warning (36f).

      B. When you study the Bible, don't allow yourself to be blinded.

           1. Don't just accept what somebody says, search the scriptures for yourself (Acts 17:11).

               a. The one teaching you may be: wrong, or lying.

               b. You are going to be judged by the word, so you need to make sure you understand it correctly (John 12:48).

           2. God has given you a mind that is able to understand His word.........use it - II Timothy 2:15.

                a. He says you can rightly divide it (understand it).

               b. But, you are going to have to work at it.

           3. Don't let preconceived ideas blind you - Romans 10:1-3.

               a. The Jews had preconceived ideas which blinded them to the truth, and cost them the hope of salvation.

               b. The same thing can happen to us.

Conclusion:

A. God has given us His word, and He wants us to understand it.

B. The things we have looked at are very simple things that can help us in our studying, and rightly dividing God's word.

    1. Don't build a boat if you have not been told to build a boat.

    2. Make sure you have all the figures before you try to add it up.

    3. Blind men cannot see.

C. God's plan of salvation is also simple.

    1. We have all sinned, and our sin seperates us from God.

    2. God sent His Son to die so our sins could be forgiven.

    3. To be forgiven through the blood of His Son, however, we must: believe, repent, confess, and be baptized.

If you have not done these things, you need to do so, and there is no better time than right now!