Unleashing God’s Word In Your Life: Putting It All Together, Part 9
Unleashing God’s Word In Your Life
Lesson 9—Putting It All Together
- The interpretation and application of Scripture is crucial to life decisions.
- The importance of “cutting it straight”
- “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing (lit. “cutting it straight”) the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15)
- Hermeneutics—the science of Bible interpretation.
- To escape faulty hermeneutics, avoid these basic errors:
- Making a point at the price of proper interpretation.
- Spiritualizing, or allegorizing, Scripture.
- Putting it all together inductively.
- Step One—Observation.
- As you read, observe what is being said and take notes.
- Who? What? When? How? Where?
- Step Two—Interpretation.
- Do your own work before consulting others.
- Underline key words and phrases and define them in terms of the context.
- Paraphrase each verse or section.
- List the divine truths and principles.
- Cross reference.
- Step Three—Evaluation
- Compare your conclusions with commentators and other scholars—don’t assume you are wrong and they are right.
- Step Four—Application
- What changes does this demand I make in my life?
- Step One—Observation.
