Inductive Bible Studies from Word Within » Easy-To-Learn Inductive Bible Studies

The True Meaning

Gail Knox — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 15:50:14 +0000

We can never know all the answers to the questions we have about the Bible until the day we are standing face to face before Christ. And when that time comes, we probably won’t even care about the answers nearly as much as we thought we would! Until that day, however, many of us who delight in the Word of God will continue to have unanswered questions that we pursue throughout our lives.

An example of one of these difficult questions might be the issue of loss of salvation. Inductive Bible Study teachers in general are not dogmatic about the answer to this question because they know there are as many verses “for” as “against” the argument.

This presents a problem for serious students who are trying to determine which position to believe.

Studying the meaning of the original language is just one way that can help us interpret difficult-to-understand passages such as the one mentioned above: whether or not a person can lose salvation.

In II Corinthians 6:1 we read, “And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain.” This statement follows a passage which tells us that “if anyone is in Christ he is a new creature” and that “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might be-come the righteousness of God in Him.” In other words, this is a passage on salvation.

Now in II Corinthians 6:1, Paul says not to “receive that grace (or salvation) in vain.” The Greek word translated vain here is kenos. Its definition in English is “nothing vain, or without cause.” The implication here is that some people receive salvation without cause. If you receive salvation “without cause” what does that seem most likely to mean? It could mean that you aren’t actually saved. You may have been caught up in emotion, followed the crowd by repeating some words, or joined a church—but the truth of the matter is you received everything in vain; that is, you received nothing. And we deduce from all this that loss of salvation is not what Paul is talking about here. But instead, he’s actually pointing out that if you receive the grace/salvation in vain, you were not actually saved in the first place.

Greek word studies can illuminate our understanding of other passage as well. Word Within Interna-tional is committed to teaching others how to use tools such as this to assist in understanding the true meaning of God’s Word.

We hope you’ll prayerfully consider joining us for the Winter semester of our Easy-to Learn Inductive Bible Study and the study of Habakkuk. Class begins January 25 and ends March 29. Keep an eye on this publication for additional information.

Understanding the True Meaning

A Publication of Word Within International, Inc.

Studying the meaning of the original language is just one way that can help us interpret difficult-to-understand passages such as the one mentioned above: whether or not a person can lose salvation.

Now in II Corinthians 6:1, Paul says not to “receive that grace (or salvation) in vain.” The Greek word translated vain here is kenos. Its definition in English is “nothing vain, or without cause.” The implication here is that some people receive salvation without cause. If you receive salvation “without cause” what does that seem most likely to mean? It could mean that you aren’t actually saved. You may have been caught up in emotion, followed the crowd by repeating some words, or joined a church—but the truth of the matter is you received everything in vain; that is, you received nothing. And we deduce from all this that loss of salvation is not what Paul is talking about here. But instead, he’s actually pointing out that if you receive the grace/salvation in vain, you were not actually saved in the first place.

The Parables of Our Lord

Gail Knox — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 22:47:57 +0000

New class meets every Sunday Morning at 8:00 and 10:50 at Asbury United Methodist Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

If you’ve ever found it difficult to determine exactly what Jesus is wanting you to see in a parable, come worship with us on Sunday mornings as we work our way through many of the parables in Matthew, Mark and Luke.

In this Sunday morning class, you will learn straight-forward and simple principles that will aid you in interpreting parables on your own.

SonRisers at 8; Bible 101 at 10:50. Both meet in Room 2821 “At the Top of the Stairs”. Use South Entrance.

Seven Principles for Interpreting Parables

Gail Knox — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 22:42:19 +0000

1. A PARABLE MUST BE TRUE TO LIFE. By definition, the parable is not an historic event, but must use characters and situations that could happen in ordinary life.

2. IMMEDIATE CONTEXT SHAPES INTERPRETATION.

The situation giving rise to Jesus’ telling of the parable is relevant to its meaning.
Jesus’ explanation of the meaning or any application He makes rules over anything else.
When one of the above is not given, it is inferred from the other.

3. A PARABLE HAS ONLY ONE CENTRAL POINT. Having one central point of emphasis is the chief feature that distinguishes a parable from an allegory, which may have a number of significant parallels between the story and the spiritual teaching. In the parable, we cannot treat each detail as having a spiritual application.

4. RELEVANT DETAILS. There are certain parts of the story that are essential to the making of the Central Point. These details are intended to teach truth and therefore may be interpreted and applied.

5. IRRELEVANT DETAILS. A parable has many details that do not pertain to the Central Point and are not intended to teach truth at all. No spiritual meaning can be attached to them.

6. PARALLED AND CONTRASTING PASSAGES ADD VALUABLE INFORMATION. Some parables are similar to one another and can be compared for additional teachings on the same subject. (Example: the five parables dealing with readiness for Christ’s return.)

7. PARABLES ARE NOT BASIS FOR DOCTRINE. Parables may contribute to the understanding of doctrine, but only if caution is exercised. Since parables often contain figurative language, other scripture must be examined for consistency before doctrine is formulated on the teaching from the parable.

Parable of the Friend who Came at Midnight

Gail Knox — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 22:36:50 +0000

Jesus taught many spiritual truths using the literary form of a parable. Initially the disciplines found these parables difficult to understand and asked Jesus for an explanation. As Jesus helped with the interpretations, they soon learned how to listen with a different set of ears. If we want to learn from sitting at the feet of the Master, we must do the same.

There are 3 parts to a parable: (1) the reason for Jesus’ telling the parable; (2) the story itself; and (3) the explanation of the meaning of the parable, usually given in the form of an application.

□ Read the passage Luke 11:5-8. In your own words describe what the story is about.

□ Read Luke 11:1-4. According to these verses, what is the reason why Jesus tells the parable? [Hint: What did the disciples ask of Him?]

□ Now we need to determine the explanation or application that Jesus gives for the parable. Read Luke 11:9. What does Jesus say they are supposed to do?

The words that are translated by the English “ask,” “seek,” and “knock” are in the Greek present tense. This verb tense denotes an action performed in the present that continues into the future. It is something that is repeated. Based on the use of present tense in this verse, how should you understand Jesus’ imperative that we ask, seek and knock?

□ Read Luke 18:1-8. What was the reason given in v.1 for Jesus’ telling of this parable of the unjust judge and the persistent widow?

□ Read Luke 18:6-8 again. How did Jesus tie the parable about the widow’s persistent request to the believer’s persistent prayer?

□ Now let’s return to the parable of the friend who came at midnight. Read Luke 11:11-13. What additional teaching does Jesus give here concerning prayer?

Through His own life-style, Jesus demonstrated the value of prayer and He made it clear in His teaching on the subject that we should be persistent in our requests. Ask and keep on asking!

How Will You Use What He Has Given You?

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:53:33 +0000

Toward the end of His ministry, Jesus’ disciples asked Him to tell them about the signs of the end of the age. In answering their question, Jesus told several parables that illustrated what believers should be doing as they awaited His return. He told The Parable of the Ten Virgins to teach believers to be ready for when it will happen and The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats to teach us to be willing to aid His people during the time of the Great Tribulation.

In this study, we want to now examine The Parable of the Talents and see how it fits with the other two.

_Read Matthew 25:14-30. Keep in mind that a “talent” was a monetary unit of those times. It is believed to have a worth of more than one thousand U.S. dollars today.

Now that you’ve read the entire passage, what would you say is the main teaching that Jesus wants us to learn?

_Re-read vv.14-18. List below who received what from the man when he left on his journey.

1.
2.
3.

Now, beside each of the three listed above, record what that person did with what he received.

_Re-read vv.19-21. What did the man who received five talents receive when he returned it and his earnings to the master?

_Re-read vv.22-23. What did the man who received two talents receive from the master when he returned the two plus what he had earned?

_Re-read vv.24-27. What did the man say who had received only one talent and had earned nothing with it?

What did the master call him? Why?

_Re-read vv.28-30. What punishment did the man who earned nothing with his sum of money receive at the hands of his master?

What happened to his money?

What happened to him?

NOTE: The “darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” is a reference to hell — only unsaved persons go there.

Conclusions: In this story, the master gives money to his bond-servants and rewards those who put the money to work to earn more, but punishes the one who doesn’t put the money to work. In our lives, God gives Spiritual gifts to His people. In what ways can we use these gifts to create “returns” that we can give to Him?

How does God reward believers who use their gifts to serve Him?

Do you know what your Spiritual gifts are? Are you using them to glorify God? When he calls, will you answer with “Here I am, Lord. Send me”?

You Still Have Time to Sign Up

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:43:12 +0000

Gail will begin teaching a new study on Tuesday nights beginning March 2. Through the pen of His servant Paul, God has given us the standard for walking in the footsteps of Jesus, which He outlines in a letter to the church at Philippi. In this ten-week course, you will not only be aided in your personal walk with Christ through practical reminders from the Apostle Paul, but you’ll be improving your study skills at the same time. A section has been added to the course workbook that outlines simplified instructions on how to study the Bible inductively.

Preparation for each class involves one to two hours of outside study, which is laid out for you in your personal workbook. Classes involv interactive lectures that allow for asking questions and discussion. The aim of this course, as it is with all Word Within Easy-to-Learn Inductive Bible Studies, is to be able to apply the Word of God to our everyday lives. We believe that it doesn’t matter how much you know about the Bible, but how much you apply the Bible to your daily walk.

If you would like to join us in this exciting new study, call 918-492-0945 to tell us you plan to attend. It is helpful if we know how many participants to prepare for.

Malachi Starts in September

admin — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:22:25 +0000

Last words usually have special significance, no matter the speaker. This is especially true for the last words of God before He closed out the times of the old covenant and commenced His 400-year period of total silence. Today, we hear what God had to say in those last words of His when we read the last book of the Old Testament—the book of Malachi. In it, God speaks to us through His prophet Malachi.

This short book is the focus of the latest study in the Easy-To-Learn Inductive Bible Study series from Word Among Us Ministries, Inc. In this upcoming class, you will gain insight into the extent of God’s love for His people during a time when their behavior displeased Him immensely. What could be more relevant to our lives today as our country and our world seem to go out of their way to displease God in every way imaginable?

Mark your calendar now for Tuesday, September 8 and the subsequent nine Tuesdays.

Class will meet in Room 2820 at Asbury UMC, beginning at 6:30 in the evening and ending at 8. We hope you will join us as we take a close look at these significant “last words” from God. There is outside work to be done in this class; however, it is anticipated to be lighter than other book studies in the Easy-To-Learn Inductive Bible Studies, making this an especially good place for new students to get involved.