Mentoring Men for the Master

LEARNING TO USE YOUR BIBLE ON MONDAY

For most Christians the Bible is a Sunday book.  They hear it on Sunday when they need it least, but do not know how to use it on Monday to answer specific problems.

Most Christians growing up in Sunday School know the story of Jonah and if they listened closely they know a “big fish” not a whale swallowed Jonah.  But they don’t have the slightest idea how to use the Book on Monday when faced with a problem.

Is the Bible practical?  Listen to Paul’s answer in 2 Timothy 4:16-17.  “At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.”  This verse states that the Bible is “breathed out by God”.  To what does this “breathed out” refer?  To speech. Paul is saying God speaks to us in the Bible.  If you want to hear what God has to say, listen to the Bible.  “And the Bible’s words are just as much His speech as if  you were able to hear Him speak audibly.  If you were to hear God speak audibly, He would say nothing more, nothing less, and nothing different from what He has said in the Bible.  No wonder then that He calls it useful.  It is as useful for daily living as if God Himself were with you, audibly answering your questions day by day.”[1]

But what does God say in the Bible which makes the Bible useful and practical.  4 Things:

  1. “Teaching – The Scriptures teach us all that we need to know about God, man, and the creation to be able to live a life that is pleasing to God.  They set the standard for faith (what we must believe) and for practice (what we must do).
  2. Conviction – The Spirit  uses the Scriptures to convict us of our sins, as in various ways, we fail to measure up to the standards set forth in them.  All change from sinful practices to those that please God must begin with conviction of sin.
  3. Correction – The Scriptures show us how to repent and find forgiveness of sins and how to begin life afresh.  They help us get out of the messes we so often get ourselves into.
  4. Disciplined training in righteousness – The Scriptures also show us how to stay out of those messes in the future, and they point us to biblical alternatives to our sinful ways.  They discipline us in order to make these new ways a habitual part of our everyday living.”[2]

The Bible not only points us to Jesus for salvation but shows us how to live in ways that please Him.  The Old Testament shows the practical purpose of the Bible as well as the new.  “This book of the Law must never depart from your mouth; you must meditate on it day and night, so that you may keep living in accord with all that is written in it; for then you will make your way successful, and then you will prosper.

The Bible was for living so that one might be successful and proper in God’s ways.  And its use was not confined to one day; every day and night it was to be used to guide one in daily living.”[3]

Since the Bible is practical we need to know two things:

  1. General Content of Each Book – which can be summarized in one sentence:
    1. Matthew – written by a Jew to Jews to show the Jews that Jesus is the Messiah promised by the New Testament.
    2. Mark – Jesus, busy Servant of God
    3. Luke – Designed for Gentiles, pictures Christ compassion for the poor and sinful.
    4. John – Theological portrait of Christ from eternity past to eternity future.
    5. Acts – the continual act of Jesus by the Holy Spirit through His followers.
    6. Romans – the need and plan of salvation and requirements of godly life., etc.
  2. Specific Verses which  addresses specific problems.
    1. Anger
      • Matthew 5:22
      • Mark 3: 5
      • Ephesians 4:26-32
      • James 1:19,20
    2. Assurance
      • Hebrews 4:16; 6:11
      • 1 Peter 1:3-5
      • 2 Peter 1:10
      • 1 John 5:13, 18, 19
      • John 10:28-29
    3. Body
      • Romans 12:1,2
      • 1 Cor. 3:16, 17; 6:18-20:15
      • 2 Cor. 5:1-4 
  1. Church
    • Ephesians 4:1-16
    • Hebrews 10:25
    • 2,3
  1. Cleansing
    • John 13:10; 15:3
    • 1 Cor. 6:11
    • 2 Cor. 7:1
    • James 4:8
    • 1 John 1:7, 9

[1] Jay E. Adams, What to do on Thursday,   Hackettstown, NJ: Timeless Text, 1982, p.  6.

[2] Ibid, pp. 6-7

[3] Ibid., p. 8