How to Understand the Bible | Part 1

How can we truly understand the word of God.

Listen to Adrian Rogers, ever so often somebody says well, I've studied math I studied geometry I have studied physics. I've studied the history I'll study the word of God. I am going to master the Bible he may get the words, but he will never get the music they may learn about the kings of Israel, but he'll never know the King of Kings. That way you see this is grass being. It is going into the Bible to extract the truth many feet have approached the word of God.

That way, and they have failed. If you would understand the Bible, you must learn to welcome the work welcome to find leaks cannot grow as Christians, we are not actively studying God's word and it's not enough to know if ask about Scripture, pastor, teacher and author Adrian Rogers said a study of the Bible gives you knowledge out God. Obedience gives you knowledge of God. We go to the Bible to extract truth, we fail rather we need to receive the truth and welcome it. James chapter 1 reveals four ways to welcome the word of God and if you have your Bible turn there now is Adrian Rogers shows us how to understand the Bible. James 121 always is to better understand the word of God. Now look at your will and verse 21 wherefore lay off part all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the engrafted word that is able to save your soul. This is written to Christians and he's telling Christians how to be safe. Be receive with meekness the engrafted word that is able to save your souls will pastor I thought we were already saying what we all been why does he say receive the word so you can save your soul what you need to understand that salvation comes to us in three tenses past tense present tense and future things the past tense of salvation happened when you receive Christ as your personal savior and you were saved from the penalty of sin, you will never have to die and go to hell because your sin has been washed wider than snow with the blood of Jesus Christ. A Sunday school teacher asked the little girl, I'm told, is there anything that God cannot do that little girl wisely said yes teacher there's one thing God cannot do. God cannot see my sin through the blood of Jesus Christ. Thank God for that. That is, salvation in the past tense. That's from the penalty of sin, but there salvation in the present tense. That is from the power of sin, even though will not go to hell. But that was not ceased working on us and Sam still has its allurement and its attraction.

If we're not careful and Sam is working everyday and you know that is true. So not only do we need to be safe past tense. We need to be saved, present tense from the power of sin one day when Jesus comes. That's future salvation.

Where going to be safe from the possibility of sin by God but that day is not here yet and so it is the word of God that is able to save our souls. The Greek word for so is the word psyche able to say your site your mind, your emotion, your well that's what the soul is your mind, your emotion and your will needs to be controlled by the word of God.

When your mind and your emotion and your will, your psyche is controlled by the word of God and you're living in victory, may I give your testimony, the thing that keeps me going is not primarily how I feel it is what I know from the word of God. I've been on the trail long enough to look back and analyze and say what is it that keeps me. What is it that holds me is God sanctify them through thy word by word is truth.

Now the Bible says we are to receive the word of God. Now notice in verse 21 receive you see it receive with meekness the word of God are two words in the Greek language for receive one is the word Lum Bono and that means to grasp to reach out and take take. He doesn't use that word here because you can just reach out and snatched the word of God.

You can't just take it ever so often somebody says well I studied math I studied geometry I have studied physics.

I've studied history I'll study the word of God, so he gets the Bible and he gets into some lexicons and it gets them a concordance and it spreads the Bible out and he takes his mind and he takes his dwelling he takes his determination and his intellect and he says I am going to master the Bible he may get the words, but he will never get the music they may learn about the kings of Israel, but he'll never know the King of Kings. That way you see this is his self prompted taking it is grass being. It is going into the Bible to extract the truth.

Many people have approached the word of God. That way, and they have failed. But there is another word for receive and that's the word that is used in verse 21 is not Lum Bono. It is Deco my which means to welcome to receive as though you would receive somebody into your house as you receive a guest welcome mat.

If you would understand the Bible, you must learn to welcome the work you're never going to take you intellect. You never going to take your mind and your determination and go into the Bible and roll truth out.

But if you open your heart, open your mind and welcome the word I've had the joy of preaching overseas in different countries and one of the countries is in China and when I went to China. The guide said now when you go to the Chinese to their home. They are the most gracious and hospitable of all people. The Chinese are wonderful people. If you know the Chinese you will love them.

They are so wonderful and so gracious and when you come into a Chinese home.

They want to serve you something they want to give you something. It is an honor for them to have you to come under that roof. They know how to welcome you here was that you are welcome in our home and they want to serve you something you ought to receive the show that you accept their hospitality but I guide said when they serve you something. If it is T, for example, never reach out and take it with one hand that implies your grasping take it with both hands. Then you receive when you receiving about that. We don't just reach out take.

We lift our hands to him and we welcome the word we received the word. We just take the word by faith and by grace and let God's word come into our heart.

Now, having said that, I want to mention to you for ways to welcome the word four-way and so in order to help you to understand them where going to let all four of these ways, begin with the letter R how do you welcome the word number one. Welcome word with a repentant heart, welcome the word with a repentant heart. Look again in verse 21 wherefore lay parked all thinness and superfluity of this and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your soul. Now there is a moral qualification understand the word of God, not primarily an intellectual qualification primarily a moral qualification. It is not enough to know Greek and Hebrew, and I have a Bible dictionary now you must lay aside what the Bible here calls the superfluity of note in the snow that's a word we use allotted. That's the reason that some say again, James is hard to understand what does the word superfluity of naughtiness mean it literally means that which remains of that which is left over, it means residual sin you when you got saved you repented of your saving.

You receive Christ as your personal Savior and Lord as best you knew how, but you were you are a new Christian there was a lot that you did not know about Jesus and a lot that you did not know about you, and so when you got saved you are very much like Lazarus who came out of the grave and Jesus said to Lazarus when he raised him from the dead, Lazarus, and Lazarus came but how to become full. He was dressed in the grave close of the old life estate-ish of the old life was upon them that he had received life he had come out of the grave, but he still has the grave close old and Jesus said, loosen, and letting go nowhere is take that off, which remains that superfluity of naughtiness take a grave close of the old way off of him. Now what does that mean to you what you maybe say and on your way to heaven. But you've got some superfluity of monotonous.

You got some hangover sins you got some something that remains. I would tell you something.

I repented of my sin when I received Jesus Christ as my personal savior. But I have done far more repenting. After I got saved than I ever did. When I got saved and that's about you. I've done far more repenting. Why, because after I got saved.

I learned so much more about me and I learned so much more about the Lord Jesus Christ and so the Bible says you lay aside that superfluity of naughtiness and filled tenants.

Now the word filled thinness below what the root of the word filled thinness is can you be surprised your wax earwax. The word Rufus means earwax know what it says is if you want to hear you got to clean out your ear physically you can hear a few ears are stopped up.

And God says that sin in your life is like wax in your ear just get rid this in friend to hear God. There is a moral qualification is so simple and yet it is so profound. The reason that many of us do not understand the Bible when we read it. The reason that God's truth does not come into Los Angeles that we got hangover sin that superfluity of naughtiness. We got spiritual wax and I use and therefore it is absolutely important that when you study the Bible the very first thing you do is make a full confession of sin and ask God to search your heart and see if there be some wickedness and you get your heart clean, get your heart right with God that you're going to garden before you plant the seed you we the garden.

That's what it's all about.

Just get your heart right so many times we sing that song fill my cup, Lord I lift up Lord well you think he wants to fill a dirty cup. Maybe we ought to say, and cleanse my cup, Lord. I've messed it up, Lord. After God cleanses the Fill the cup after we leave the scene will grow after we get the wax out. We can hear the stand that receive the word welcome the word with a repentant heart. Secondly, not only should you welcome the word with a repentant heart. Verse 21, but welcome the word with a receptive heart. Verse 21. Look at that also wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness and we see with BC this next word received with look at it received with me this mess. The engrafted word, which is able to save your soul. Welcome the word with meekness.

What is maintenance.

Meekness is a teachable spirit to be me means to be teachable in olden times I've told you this, when we praise to the Beatitudes.

When people would take a stallion full of fire and power and strength they want to be able to ride that stallion. They have to break so they could put a bridle and the bets in the saddle on him when that powerful animal had been broken, not crippled, broken, not crippled, broken the fire, the stamina, the strength is still there but when he is broken, not crippled, broken. They said he had been me. He been made me that was the word I'm going to make a horse that means I'm willing to break this course. Did you know that God wants to be able put the bridle and the bit own you. Did you know that God wants to take you and bring you under his control and make you sensitive to his commands.

That's a mix. That is a receptive spirit. Now you say I want to learn the word of God question. Are you me first question I clean second?

You make a teachable spirit. I will give you a promise from the word of God and I want to listen to it.

It is John chapter 7 and verse 17 Jesus said if any man will do God's will he show no.

If any man will do God's will, he will know the doctrine you see it is the way all that comes the well must be surrendered is not primarily the mind is off our goal all I want to know God says if you will to do my will. You will know that Dr. you received the word with a repentant spirit you receive the word you welcome the word with a receptive spirit.

Have you got it. Now here's the third way to understand the word of God. The third OR is you welcome the word with a responsive spirit with a responsive spirit look in verse 20 2B of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own hearts. You see, wants you get your heart clean. Once you surrender your will. If you would understand the word of God began to obey what God tells you if you do not respond to what you hear. The Bible says you are self deceived, be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. No man is a bigger fool than the man who self deceived and what's wrong with so many folks today they come to church they sit so and sour. They never apply what they hear you like a sponge. Use it, so can sour before long you think you've got to give out what comes in.

You received the word with a responsive spirit. Did you know that if you hear truth and don't act on truth you what Jesus calls you because you fool. In Matthew chapter 7 verse 26 Jesus said, and everyone that hear the sayings of mine, and do it than not, I will liken him unto a foolish man, when a man hears any doesn't do again Jesus said in Luke chapter 11 verse 28 Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it's not enough to hear every now and then people will complement my preaching. I think a bridge is lying. If he says he does like to hear you got a compliment for me. Help yourself. It's all right about what I want to say this the best complement you can give my preaching is to live what I say, not just to hear my just to say well what you pastor that was good. What music want what happened. All the best complement that you can give to the word of God is to obey the word of God to live it out. Be as of the word and not hearers only. Years ago I heard of an actor famous actor who was in a crowded theater but come to hearing in a fire had broken out in the wings that the manager came to the act and said we could have a bad situation here is a fire it's not out of control but if the people smell smoke if the people here were fire. They all had for the exit. It could be a disaster.

They have come to hear you. I suggest that you go out on the platform and you tell them about the fire but tell them in such a way that they would leave in an orderly fashion. This great actor according the story came to the platform. They applauded him.

He said ladies and gentlemen, I have an announcement to make. Give me attention. I don't want there to be any undue alarm, but I want to listen carefully.

A small fire has broken out in this theater. There's plenty of time for all of us to lead. Simon asked that right now we stand, and in an orderly way we vacate the premises. They applauded wonderful, wonderful, finite, they thought was part of that just a story, but it illustrates how many people hear the word of God. The common listen to a preacher preach the word, although it met five God but God says yourself.

The you read the word word Endo were being to not hearers.

What a convicting reminder in today's lesson from the book of James to be doers of the word and not hearers only to hear the powerful conclusion of this message coming up tomorrow. I hope you can join us then. Do you have a prayer request you'd like to share that love worth finding is one of our greatest owners to come alongside you, and pray with you and for you if you can go to our website homepage@lwf.org/radio and scroll down to find our prayer wall. Find the option there to either submit a prayer request or pray for others. This resource is one of our favorite ways to keep the ministry in the community praying continually for one another's needs. We can't wait to hear from you today again go to LWF.org/radio and scroll down to our prayer wall if you like to order a copy of today's message. Call us at 1877 love God and mention the title how to understand the Bible. This message is also part of the insightful back to the basics series for the complete collection all 18 powerful messages: number 1877 love God or you can order online@lwf.org/radio or write us at love worth finding box 38, 600 Memphis, TN 38183. Many of the messages in this series are also featured in a new resource that what every Christian ought to know study you can find that tool it LWF.org/radio. Thanks for studying God's word with us today. Are you actively receiving the word of God with a repentant heart and a receptive spirit.

Study the Bible with Amicus. Today, ready to welcome it in and act upon which revealed to be sure to tune in tomorrow for part two of how to understand the Bible right on love with Calista reached out recently and said this, I listened to one of Adrian Rogers messages every morning and it's a highlight of my day. No one can explain God's word to us like he can't. He's one of the greatest Bible teachers of our time who gives life changing advice that stirs the soul in the good we are happy to share these profound messages simply stated by Adrian Rogers at love worth finding. We believe it's more important now than ever to keep Christ at the center of our lives and in our homes. Want to send you art it takes a family booklet collection is bundle features for powerful booklets to deal with family matters from a godly perspective so you and yours can honor God in the home. Request this bundle when you call, with a gift right now.

In 1877 love God will give online@lwf.org/radio again thanks for your generous support of love worth finding