Know Jesus Christ as Love

   1 John 5:1+ “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children, too. We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. Loving God means keeping his commandments, and really, that isn't difficult. For every child of God defeats this evil world by trusting Christ to give the victory. And the ones who win this battle against the world are the ones who believe that Jesus is the Son of God…” New Living Translation

   How will anyone know the love of God and know Christ as Savior without knowing who He is? How will anyone believe without studying the Word of God, the Bible?

   “There are many ways to study the Bible, and there are many excellent study aids available to help you with specific books of the Bible. But the most important thing you need to remember is that to find out what the Bible says, you need to read it yourself in a way that will help you discover what it says, what it means, and how you are to apply it to your life.” How to Study Your Bible by Kay Arthur.

   The following quotes are from www.joyfulheart.com. “A ‘deductive’ Bible study begins from a point that the teacher is trying to make, and then uses a number of scripture verses and examples to support that conclusion. Most sermons and Bible studies are conducted this way.

   An ‘Inductive’ Bible study, on the other hand begins with the raw text of scripture, and encourages participants to read the text and draw conclusions directly from the text itself… It trains people to ask questions which help them understand what is going on, what is being said, and how that relates to the rest of the passage.”

   Two authors who write on how to study using the inductive method of Bible study are Irving Jensen and Kay Arthur; or, how about searching the Web for more information.

   The site, shown to me by Al, www.e-sword.org is a great free Bible study. The following is a brief study using e-sword resources.

Analytical-Literal Translation

2Ti 2:15  Be eager [or, diligent] to present yourself approved to God [as] a worker with no need to be ashamed, cutting straight [fig., teaching accurately; or, interpreting correctly] the word of truth. 1965

1889 Darby Bible

2Ti 2:15  … cutting in a straight line the word of truth.

International Standard Version

2Ti 2:15  … handling the word of truth with precision.

New Living Translation

2Ti 2:15 …who correctly explains the word of truth.

Dividing G3718 Thayer Definition:

1) to cut straight, to cut straight ways

1a) to proceed on straight paths, hold a straight course, equiv. to doing right

2) to make straight and smooth, to handle aright, to teach the truth directly and correctly

Word G3056 Thayer Definition:

1) of speech

1a) a word, uttered by a living voice, embodies a conception or idea

1b) what someone has said

1b1) a word

1b2) the sayings of God

1b3) decree, mandate or order

1b4) of the moral precepts given by God

1b5) Old Testament prophecy given by the prophets

1b6) what is declared, a thought, declaration, aphorism, a weighty saying, a dictum, a maxim

1c) discourse

1c1) the act of speaking, speech

1c2) the faculty of speech, skill and practice in speaking

1c3) a kind or style of speaking

1c4) a continuous speaking discourse - instruction

1d) doctrine, teaching

1e) anything reported in speech; a narration, narrative

1f) matter under discussion, thing spoken of, affair, a matter in dispute, case, suit at law

1g) the thing spoken of or talked about; event, deed

Truth G225 Thayer Definition:

1) objectively

1a) what is true in any matter under consideration

1a1) truly, in truth, according to truth

1a2) of a truth, in reality, in fact, certainly

1b) what is true in things appertaining to God and the duties of man, moral and religious truth

1b1) in the greatest latitude

1b2) the true notions of God which are open to human reason without his supernatural intervention

1c) the truth as taught in the Christian religion, respecting God and the execution of his purposes through Christ, and respecting the duties of man, opposing alike to the superstitions of the Gentiles and the inventions of the Jews, and the corrupt opinions and precepts of false teachers even among Christians

2) subjectively

2a) truth as a personal excellence

2a1) that candour of mind which is free from affection, pretence, simulation, falsehood, deceit

“…But the people who know their God will be strong and will work.”

Daniel 11:32b

Blackmon, Selma, editor. The Exchanged Life News. Volume 3 Issue 1. January 5, 2003.