As a young Christian I pondered much about this question, ‘What is the Word of God?’ Is it words written down for me to analyze with my own mind? Or should I depend on the highly educated religious men of history who have, through the art of textual criticism, determined what God was trying to say to me?
Questions, … questions, … and more questions, clouded my mind. Why are there different types of Bibles? Does it matter which one I read, or should I read them all? Why are there different Christian denominations? Which denomination should I belong to?Are they all right, … or is only one right, … or all they all wrong?
There was one thing I knew for sure, I needed wisdom, instruction, and understanding. I found wisdom, instruction, and understanding in the book of Proverbs chapter one.
Proverbs 1
1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
And the Spirit opened my eyes to a pattern which I follow to this day.
Proverbs 1
1 The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;
3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;
4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
Note the pattern:
To know…
To perceive…
To receive…
To give…
To know… [I must know what the scripture says, that is, I must read it].
To perceive… [I then must comprehend and understand what I read]
To receive… [I then must believe it and apply it to my life].
To give… [Then I must give it to someone else, I don’t keep it to myself].
It is a remarkably simple outline, but yet, a very powerful outline. So I made a promise to God that if he taught me something I would teach it to someone else. This principle I have followed faithfully.
My fear is this, If I do not teach what he has taught me, then he might not teach me something else.
As a result, I have taught things which I know to be true but are not well received by the brethren. But so be it. As I continued reading, I noticed in verses 5 & 6, that I should always keep an open mind to allow the Holy Spirit to teach yet more on any given subject.
5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
As I continued reading, I noted six things that were necessary if I was going to find wisdom, instruction, and understanding.
Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
Proverbs 1:23 Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.
Proverbs 2:
1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
Proverbs 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
Proverbs 2:4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
Verse 5 is the result of receiving and applying those six things.
Proverbs 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
I pray God will bless your reading of His Word as He has mine.