BIBLE STUDY AIDS - BOOKS

. . . I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. (Luke 10:21-24

There is something definitely mysterious in the eyes of Israel which see not and the ears which hear not.

They perceived themselves to be as a nation the one true seeker of God. Paul wrote,

Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness. (Romans 2:17-19)

However, what they perceived was not the way God saw them: ". . . all day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people" (Romans 10:21).

They were hearing, but they were hearing amiss and even obstinate in their faulty hearing. In fact, Paul adds, ". . . Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for . . ." (Romans 11:7). They actively sought God, but somehow in their seeking they did not find Him. They misunderstood the unique Christian principle that the seeking of God must be by the grace of God.

The Search for God

The question has been raised, "Canst thou by searching find out God? Canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection?" (Job 11:7). Paul in his Corinthian letter raised the same query: "Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God . . ." (1 Corinthians 1:20,21).

One of the foundational truths of Christianity is that the wisdom of the world is not capable of "finding out God." Regardless of how hard the mind of man may seek, the wisdom of man cannot cross the insuperable impasse into the mind of God. In fact, Paul recorded this statement of God to Moses: ". . . I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy" (Romans 9:15,16). The secret for anyone finding God lies not in the determination and effort of the person, but rather it rests in the mercy of God.

If man cannot "find out God" by his own seeking and searching, any knowledge of God that is acquired by man, then, has to come from God’s own revelation of Himself. If God chose never to reveal Himself, man could never come to know God or anything concerning God (see 1 Corinthians 2:10-16). For man to acquire any knowledge of God, God has to be the giver of that knowledge.

In other words, man learns of God as he encounters God through the revelation of God. God has revealed Himself in a self-opening out of His being. This is the statement of John when he wrote, "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life" (1 John 5:20).

If it had not been for the coming of Jesus Christ, the ultimate revelation of God, mankind could never come to "know him that is true . . . the true God." Man cannot find out God by his searching. But, thanks be to God, God chooses to reveal Himself by His grace.

Seeking that Is Not Seeking

Again, in his letter to the Corinthians, Paul gave additional insight into this great principle of the uniqueness of Christianity. Concerning the "hidden wisdom" of God, Paul wrote, "God hath revealed [it] unto us by his spirit" (1 Corinthians 2:10). The word "revealed" literally means "a drawing back of the veil."  That which had been concealed from man by a veil, which could not be penetrated by man’s wisdom, is now revealed or made known to those who respond to revelation.

The belief in the existence of God and His revelation are acts of response to God’s initiative. True, man receives the revelation of God as he encounters or experiences God, but the source of truth is not the experiences of man but the revelation of God. Revelation presupposes the existence of God and that God has chosen to reveal Himself to mankind.  All that man has or knows of God is a response to that revelation.

Moreover, Paul recorded an additional dynamic statement concerning this principle of "finding God."  He gave a statement of Isaiah who quoted God, ". . . I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me’ (Romans 10:20). This seemingly difficult statement lies at the very heart of understanding the unique Christian approach to God.

Over against this statement is the proclamation of Jesus: "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" (Matthew 7:7,8). These two seemingly contradictory statements (that God is found by those who do not seek him and that Jesus admonishes us to seek and we shall find) can be understood by recognizing that obviously there is a way to seek God that is not "seeking" Him.

Humble Openness to the Grace of God

Paul also seems to indicate that man’s effort to seek God by his own study, his own skills, or his own acts of wisdom may actually hinder the process of finding God. He wrote, "For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect (1 Corinthians 1:17). His own preaching was ". . . not with enticing words of man's wisdom . . . that . . . faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God" (1 Corinthians 2:4,5).

If man goes down in acts of humility, contrition, weakness, or "foolishness," then God has the opportunity to reveal Himself.  Man’s seeking God is not achieved by his climbing the ladder of his own skill, his own will, or his own determination.  Rather, man finds God by his coming to the realization that he stands naked before God, doomed to ignorance in the things of God, unless God Himself intervenes into his helplessness. Paul wrote:

But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:27-31)

God is found not so much in the upward seeking, but in the downward responding. The unique distinctiveness of finding God is that it occurs ultimately by the seeker’s responding to that which God has initiated. Jesus Christ is always revealed by the believer’s responding to the revelation and not by the believer’s seeking the revelation.

Jesus Himself said, ". . . I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter . . . the Spirit of truth . . . he shall teach you all things" (John 14:16-26), and "he shall testify of me" (John 15:26).  An atmosphere of humble openness to the grace of God that will allow the Holy Spirit freedom to reveal the ways of God is the pathway to finding God.  As mysterious as it may sound, there is a way of seeking God that is not seeking Him.  It is finding God through the grace of God and not through the work or mind of man.

To Study or Not to Study

To come to a clear understanding of this unique approach to Christian learning, you must accurately ascertain one of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible.  In 2 Timothy 2:15, Paul stated, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."  Many Christians understand this verse as a command or an admonition by Paul to Timothy to study the Word of God.

If the mind of man cannot comprehend the things of God, however, why would Paul encourage Timothy to attempt something that is impossible?  Any good English dictionary will give a beginning clue to understanding correctly what Paul is really saying.  All comprehensive English dictionaries give two shades of meaning for the word "study."  The first one is the more common understanding, "the use of the mind to gain knowledge."  The second one is "to apply the attention and mind to a subject."

The second definition comes closer to the meaning of the original language of the New Testament.  Paul is telling Timothy to apply his attention, his mind to the subject of being a workman approved unto God.  More specifically, Paul is telling Timothy not only to apply his attention but to make haste about it.  For in the original language, the word translated "study" means "to use speed, i.e. to make effort, be prompt or earnest."

With "to show" meaning, "to stand beside," the meaning begins to become clearer. Timothy is to "make haste to stand beside."  The entire verse will further illustrate the meaning.  The word "approved" in this context means "a workman who has been put to the test and, meeting the specifications, has won the approval of the one who has subjected him to the test."  This approval comes only to the one who has been put to the test and who has successfully passed the test.

Two obvious things are necessary if approval is going to be given.  First, there must be a test.  If there is no test, there can be no approval.  Secondly, the test must not only be experienced by the individual, but the test must be successfully completed.  Thus, Paul is actually telling Timothy, "Do your best to present yourself to God approved."

The real question is, "How do you do your best?"  If you can do your best to be approved, you will have no cause to be ashamed when you are inspected.  The reason believers need not to be ashamed is that they have rightly handled (literal meaning of "rightly divided") the word of truth.  In other words, rightly handling the word of truth will produce a workman who is approved by God.  You will not be ashamed of yourself or of your work for you will have the approval of God.  Amazingly, doing your best lies not in your actual effort to do but in how you handle the Word of God.

Needless to say, the right handling of the word of truth is important.  Equally important is the believer must be put to the test and meet all the specifications of the test.  If he does, he will stand approved of God.  Finally, the believer is urged on, to make haste in seeking this approval.  Thus, the "study" of this verse does not relate to the idea of the use of the mind to gain knowledge.  Rather, it is an admonition to make haste in the rightly handling the word of truth.

To study or not to study is a legitimate concern.  Sadly, because many do not understand the process of Christian learning, they actually "work" against themselves in their study of God's Word.  Man must get into the Word and come to understand the ways of God.  He must realize that understanding the Word, however, can come only by divine revelation and not by human ingenuity.  Grace is frustrated when man attempts to learn of God by his own ability, thereby preventing the Spirit of God from revealing the ways of God.

Christian Learning

Amazingly, as it may seem, the path to finding God and to understand His ways can never be found in man's attempt to reach God.  There is and always will be an insurmountable chasm between man, the creation, and God, the Creator.  Obviously, creation can never approach the thinking level of the Creator.  Man is in need of the grace of God.

God in His mercy has chosen to cross the chasm between Himself and man by opening Himself to disclose that which He desires to reveal.  Paul stated, ". . . eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man [the ways of God] . . . but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit" (1 Corinthians 2:9,10).  Paul added, "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God (1 Corinthians 2:12).  True knowledge can come to man only by the grace of God.

The knowledge of the Word of God, Christian learning, comes not from man's effort to study the ways of God.  Rather, man must be put in a position whereby the Holy Spirit can reveal the Word to him.  Man, in responding to the mercy of God, is humbled to the realization that he has no understanding and capability to pulled himself up to the revelation of God.  Being in "sackcloth and ashes," dying to his perceived ingenuity, God can reveal the knowledge of Himself and His ways.  Christian learning comes only by the revelation of the Holy Spirit.

It is the interplay of the Word of God and the Spirit of God that produces Christian learning.  It is the level of the knowledge of Jesus (the manifested Word of God) revealed by the Spirit of God that determines Christian growth.  It is not the product of man's study.

Christian learning occurs only by interaction with the Word of God.  This interaction can be put into two terms, if the words are not interpreted as the world understands them.  Experiencing Jesus, interacting with Him, occurs through reading and mediating.

Again, caution must be advised.  Reading and mediating upon the Word of God as the world understands the terms will not produce Christian learning.

In attempting to express the revelation of God in human language, words must be used.  The power of words, moreover, is not the word itself but the meaning behind the word.  Unfortunately, when two or more people see the same word, it may mean as many different things as there are different people seeing the word.  It is the transference of the truth represented by the word and not the word itself that is importance in understanding true learning.

In other words, in Christian learning it is the experiencing of the Living Word that brings understanding to the person.  Interaction with the Living Word and not just interaction with the written word is the only way to know truth.  Obviously, many have interacted with the written word and never come to know truth.  Or, as Paul stated, "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Tim. 3:7).

The written word is important (I believe it is inerrent and trustworthy) but ultimately Truth is not a collection of writings.  Truth is a person, Jesus Christ.  Paul stated, "In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3).  Experience Jesus and you experience the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  Conversely, true wisdom and knowledge cannot be ascertained if Jesus is not experienced.

Reading and mediating on the Word is the pathway to Christian learning.  Reading the Word is meant to imply a beginning interaction with the Word.  In listening to a conversation with a person, you are beginning to interact with that person.  Understanding the person begins with listening to the person.

Although we today were not there two thousands years ago when Jesus walked this earth, we do have recorded some of the things He said.  What He said, I believe, has been passed on to us accurately.  The sayings of Jesus are true.  However, they are the sayings of Jesus and not Jesus Himself.

Reading the written word is wonderful, but it does not compare to hearing Jesus Himself.  The good news is that we do have the opportunity to hear Jesus Himself because He is within us.  "Reading the Word" is the beginning opportunity to listen to Jesus.  In reading what He said two thousands years ago, we open ourselves to ponder what He really meant.

The Scriptures themselves imply that there is only one way to obtain the knowledge of God and His ways.  You must experience Jesus.  Moreover, experiencing Jesus is like experiencing anyone.  You must continually ponder or interact with him.  You must continually  "meditate" in the Word of God.

Christian learning occurs when the Holy Spirit reveals Jesus Christ.  As you know more about Jesus, not facts about Him but know Him, the treasures of wisdom and knowledge increase with His revelation.  Meditation in the Word, experiencing Jesus, is the pathway to the knowing of God and His ways. 

History has recorded the power of "meditation in the Word."  God told Joshua, as he prepared to lead the nation of Israel in the conquest of Canaan, to mediate in the Word and He would give him success.  God promised Joshua that meditation and the resulting power coming from experiencing the Word would make his way prosperous and provide good success (Joshua 1:8).

The word meditate here means "to murmur, to murmur in pleasure."  Joshua was to murmur constantly (day and night) the book of the law.  This engrafting of the book of the law upon the heart of Joshua would result in his way being made prosperous and in his having good success.  Although the success would not come by the act of meditation but rather by the revelation of the engrafted Word, Joshua received tremendous blessings as a result of his mediation in the Word.

The Psalmist knew of the great benefits of meditation.  He wrote that the man who meditates in the law of the Lord day and night will receive three great promises (Psalms 1).  First, the man who meditates in the Word will bring forth fruit in their season.  They will not only produce fruit, they will also live life to its fullest (their "leaf also shall not wither").  Finally, the unbelievable promise of "whatsoever he doeth shall prosper" is given to those who meditate.

The believer who will slowly ponder the Word of God over and over in his mind will bring forth fruit, will really live, and whatsoever he does it will prosper.  Again, it is not the meditation itself that produces the power.  It is the revelation of the Word of God that is allowed to come into the believer's heart.

The power of Christian learning, the process of meditation in the Word, is seen in Psalms 119:

O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.  Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.  I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.  I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts. (Psalms 119)

Meditation (here meaning "reflection with deep devotion) in the Word by revelation will make the believer wiser than this enemies, will cause him to have more understanding than his teachers, and will make him able to understand more that all the ancient wise men.  Once more, the power is in the revelation of the Word of God and not in the meditation process.

Finally, Paul told Timothy that if he would "meditate upon these things [the things Paul wrote], give [himself] wholly to them" (1 Timothy 4:15), he would receive a tremendous benefit.  Paul told Timothy that meditation in the Word would allow God Himself to become Timothy's public relations director.  If Timothy would meditate (here meaning, "to care for, attend to carefully, revolve in the mind:) in the Word, his ". . . profiting [would] appear to all."  When the interaction of the Spirit and the Word changes a man, it is a change that is visible to all.

One of the basic presuppositions of Christianity is this unique learning process.  Paul, perhaps the leading spokesman for Christianity, other than Jesus Christ, seemed to indicate this reality when he wrote to the Roman saints, "And be not conformed to this world: but be  ye transformed by the renewing of your mind . . ." (Romans 12:2).  After the believer has experienced the initial event of salvation (Romans 12:1), there is a process of Christianity that involves what Paul called the "renewing of your mind."

The implication is that the believer must, or be in the process of experiencing, an entirely new way of thinking.  True Christians simply do not think (both in the what and in the how) as the people of the world.  Christian learning is unique.

What tremendous promises the Word of God proclaims!  If an atmosphere can be allowed to exist in which the Holy Spirit has liberty to reveal the Word of God, the individual can experience a remarkable understanding of the God's ways.  Christian learning (experiencing the revelation of the Holy Spirit through meditation in the Word of God) is "the power of God unto salvation" (Romans 1:16).

Meditation in the Word of God allows the Holy Spirit the freedom to produce the miracle of understanding the ways of the Creator.  By allowing the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus Christ (through meditation in the Word), the believer can understand the ways of God and thereby experience abundant life: a prosperous way, good success, bearing much fruit, and the change from a withered lifeless corpse to being alive in the Spirit.

The description of the changes wrought by the Word of God and the Spirit of God is endless.  It is not an over simiplification to state that the key to Christian learning is experiencing the interplay of the Spirit and the Word in the life of the believer.  If the believer will carefully revolve in his mind, pondering, reflecting with deep devotion the Word (interacting with Jesus), the Spirit of God will cause the believer to experience ". . . all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him [Jesus Christ]" (2 Peter 1:4).  It is distinctively Christian learning by the grace of God.