Simple Bible Study Principles

Prayer and Bible study are the two most important ways we grow closer to God and become more like Jesus.

• In prayer, we humbly come before God, bringing Him our praise and supplications (humble requests or prayers).
• In study, we humbly receive His word, which was revealed by His Son and the writers inspired by the Holy Spirit.

By reading and meditating on God’s word, we learn the essential principles for Christian living.

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Paul’s Advice on Personal Growth

The apostle Paul gave young Timothy some valuable advice that we should all follow today. He told him to focus on reading, exhortation, and doctrine (1 Timothy 4:13):

1. Reading

Reading is simply reading the Word of God to know what it teaches. We must read and reread the Bible to plant its message deep in our hearts.

Even if we do not remember every single detail, our minds are still better off because we are filling them with the pure thoughts of God rather than the negative influences of the world.

2. Exhortation

Exhortation (encouragement and motivation to obey God’s commands) helps us apply scripture to our lives. We must meditate on what we read so we can bring our actions under God’s control.

We should feel encouraged by what we read, helping us endure hard times for our heavenly reward.

3. Doctrine

Doctrine (the official teachings and instructions about what we believe) forms the foundation of our faith. We must know the Bible well enough to defend our beliefs and recognize false teachings.

We can only do this when we know what God commands, which is why we must study His doctrine.

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Your Personal Responsibility

No one else can study the Bible for you. When we stand before God, we will each be personally accountable for how we prepared our hearts while on earth. This spiritual duty must not be shirked (avoided or neglected).

The more time you spend studying God’s Word, the more you will appreciate this wonderful book and look forward to reading it every day.