Increasing Knowledge: the Bible

This mini-series about increasing knowledge was prompted by a recent incident. Various factors had curtailed my preparation time for a children's class at church. Someone who heard the lesson and knew about the limited preparation time expressed amazement over the positive result. I don't advocate "winging it" when teaching God's Word, even for simple lessons to young students. I share the story because both the observer and I recognized that a redeeming factor in this less-than-optimal preparation was a previously established foundation of Biblical knowledge.

I have not always had that foundation, nor have I yet achieved ultimate success. As I reflect on my past position, however, I can definitely see a vast difference. I can easily remember times of great frustration and seasons of near despair regarding accessing the Bible's help. It was troubling to be in positions of desperately needing help for overwhelming situations, believing the Bible had the answers, yet having little or no idea of how to find those answers.

Probably the most troubling aspect of such situations was the sense of needing immediate answers. The situations often felt like crises. With a little bit of training, practice, and guidance, nearly anyone can study out a passage or a topic and can gain helpful truth - if he has the time to do that. I remember needing answers NOW and realizing that it might take me weeks or months or longer of random study to stumble across those answers.

While I still have far to go on my journey, I can now look back and realize that I finally enjoy a significant foundation that I longed for in the past. The foundation was established deliberately and gradually. The process could be compared to a couch potato who decides he wants to run a marathon (or even a 5K). He takes a long-term approach. He knows he will not be ready in a week or a month, maybe not even in a year. If he doesn't start taking steps, however, he will never be ready. He starts to regularly take steps, recognizing them as the pathway for achieving his goal. Although the goal is future, his actions must be regular and consistent in the present.

There is logic and simplicity behind the consistent actions needed to acquire a strong Biblical foundation. While tactics will vary individually, the basic premise is simply learning more and more of the Bible. Most often this is through personal Bible study: reading through the Bible systematically, studying a particular book of the Bible, restudying the same passage more than once, doing a word study, examining a topic, memorizing a verse, writing out a verse card, looking up a word meaning, linking one passage with another, and so on. These individual efforts gradually yield a stronger foundation.

Personal study can be supplemented by regularly attending church, listening to sermons, taking a Bible course from a fundamental institution, attending retreats, reading sound books, and doing similar activities. Whether personal or guided, each of these activities adds another brick to the foundation. No one will become a Bible expert overnight, but everyone can gradually grow from where he is.

In time (and perhaps without actually perceiving the change) one will realize that he is much better established in the Bible than he was previously. In my case, I can see tangible results such as writing a devotional book, writing this blog, having answers for patients I visit in my chaplain ministry, knowing a verse to share with someone who is struggling, and knowing where to find help for myself in my own struggles. At times I even have the conscious thought, "Ten years ago I would have been lost and helpless to find the answer. Now I knew exactly which passage to turn to."

That doesn't always happen. I don't have all the answers yet, which is why I can never abandon those deliberate and gradual steps toward increasing my knowledge of the Bible. My biggest problem now is not that I have no idea where to turn, but that I forget to focus on the truth I know. I can minimize the value of God's truth, thinking, "Sure, that's a verse that helped me in the past. I already know that." Well, if it helped in the past, it ought to be able to help now. I can't abandon the truths that created the foundation that I enjoy. For my increasing knowledge to have real value, it cannot be knowledge for knowledge's sake, but it must be as a current resource that I actively rely on for everyday life. Knowledge of the Bible does have benefit, and increasing knowledge only increases the benefit.

"And that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work" (II Timothy 3:15-17).

"Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever mine. I have more insight than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my mediation. I understand more than the aged, because I have observed Your precepts. The unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple" (Psalm 119:98-100, 130).

"The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul;

The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether.
They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great reward" (Psalm 19:7-11).