RP 301 HOW TO STUDY THE WORD OF GOD
#1. WHY STUDY THE WORD OF GOD?

Introduction 1

When we first become believers in salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ, studying the word of God is essential in order for us to grow, to be set free from sin, and to consolidate our faith. The malefactor on the cross (Luke 23:39-43) died within a few hours of becoming a believer in Jesus, and had no time to study the word of God or do anything more than confess his belief, and endure to the end. Although this was God’s will for him, it won’t be for most of us, so when God, by his grace, gives us more time than this, he will undoubtedly expect us to use it to find out his will for our lives, and to do it. Our sincerity will be proven by our willingness to study God’s word and conform our lives to be obedient to it. Six hundred thousand Israelite men came out of Egypt with the promise of the promised land (Exo 12:37), and all except two failed to receive it because of disobedience (Num 14:26-30). In the same way, those of us who are saved out of the world and given the promise of the kingdom of God, will fail to receive it if we are disobedient. All of us who can see, read and hear, will be expected to use our abilities to enable us to grow spiritually by studying the word of God, so that God can fulfil his purpose in our lives. Our fate if we do not is revealed in the parable of the talents (Mat 25:14-30, Luke 19:11-27), so we need to consider carefully these reasons for studying the word of God.

#1.02 BECAUSE GOD WROTE IT

JOHN 8:26-28, 38 (Jesus)
26 I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.
27 They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.
28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
38 I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your Father.

JOHN 12:50 (Jesus)
50 I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

JOHN 14:10 (Jesus)
10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

ACTS 1:16 (Peter)
16 Men and brethren, this scripture must needs be fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.

2 TIMOTHY 3:16 (Paul)
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

HEBREWS 1:1-2 (Paul)
1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

2 PETER 1:20-21
20 Knowing this first, that no prophesy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21 For prophesy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Note: If Jesus spoke only those things which the Father gave him (John 8:26-28, 38; 12:50; 14:10), so that God “Hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son,” (Heb 1:2), David prophesied through the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:16), and God “spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,” (Heb 1:1), who “spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Pet 1:21), then truly the writing of Paul, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God,” (2 Tim 3:16), is thoroughly verified by the other scriptures. Thus scripture must be just as if God had picked up a pen and written it himself. It is considered a great compliment to an author to say when we meet him, that we have read his book, but if we haven’t read it, we are just expressing our indifference to what the author has to say. The audio tapes of the whole bible have a playing time of just over 86 hours. How many of us professing to be Christians have never even read the bible once, let alone studied it? What excuse will the Lord accept on the day of judgement? Why do so many of us seem to spend endless hours reading the thoughts and opinions of people, who could not even create one grain of sand, and ignore the words of God who created the heavens (Gen 1:1; Psa 96:5), the earth (Gen 1:1; Psa 119:90), the sun and moon (Gen 1:14-18), and every living creature on this earth (Gen 1:21-27)? Why spend our lives learning the wisdom of men, which is “foolishness with God:” (1 Cor 3:19), and ignore the perfect wisdom that comes through God’s word (Psa 19:7; Pro 1:1-5; Pro 19:20)? If God is so great that he can do all these things, then surely what he has to say must be worth taking note of.

#1.04 IN ORDER TO ENSURE SALVATION

MATTHEW 4:4 (Jesus)
4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

2 TIMOTHY 1:10 (Paul)
10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

2 TIMOTHY 3:15 (Paul)
15 And that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

JAMES 1:21
21 Wherefore, lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

Note: Nobody has salvation yet in a manifested sense, that is still future according to the word of God:
(Mark 16:16) “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved ;”
(Acts 15:11) “But we believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved , even as they.”
(Rom 13:11) “now is our salvation nearer than when we believed .”
(Phps 2:12) “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
(1 Pet 1:5) “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time .”
(1 Pet 1:9) “Receiving at the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls .”
We receive salvation now through faith (Eph 2:8; 1 Pet 1:5), but as “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb 11:1), we cannot see it in a manifested sense as yet, but we hope to receive it when our dead body is resurrected at the second coming of Jesus (1 Cor 5:5; 15:50-57; 1 Thes 4:15-17; Heb 9:28). The scriptures make it clear that studying the word of God is essential for salvation. Jesus said, “every word” (Mat 4:4), and James said, “the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.” (Jam 1:21); engrafted meaning that it should be in our hearts. The Israelites in the wilderness received the law of Moses engraved on “tables of stone” (Exo 31:18) by the finger of God, but we today should receive the “law of Christ” (Gal 6:2), engrafted onto the “fleshy tables of the heart” (2 Cor 3:3), with the Holy Spirit. This is not received automatically when we first believe, but it is a gradual process performed by the Holy Spirit as we study God’s word the way he tells us to study it (See #1.28 Note), so how can we ensure our salvation without studying the word of God?

#1.06 IN ORDER TO OBTAIN HOPE

ROMANS 15:4 (Paul)
4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

Note: Clearly we cannot be saved without hope, for Paul said, “We are saved by hope” (Rom 8:24), and as one way that hope comes is through patient study of the scriptures (Rom 15:4), how can we ensure our salvation if we don’t study the word of God?

#1.08 IN ORDER TO AVOID DECEPTION

MARK 13:5
5 And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest any man deceive you:

EPHESIANS 5:6 (Paul)
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

COLOSSIANS 2:8 (Paul)
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

2 TIMOTHY 3:13 (Paul)
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

Note: There are many warnings in the word of God to guard ourselves against deception, and it is clear from scripture that if we fail to recognise error, and follow false teachers, we can certainly be lost:
(Isa 9:16) “For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.”
(Mat 15:14) “Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”
There are hundreds of denominations in the world, all teaching different things, and all believing that they are right. How can we know which one is the true church of God? Jesus only established one church, and as “God is not the author of confusion” (1 Cor 14:33), it must be obvious that the others are under an evil influence in some areas. There are some genuine Christians currently in various denominations, but they will transfer to the true church before Jesus returns, as he said:
(John 10:16) “Other sheep I have which are not of this fold: them also must I bring and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”
If our reason for believing that we have the truth is just an inward knowing in our hearts that we are right, then we need to be warned!
(Jer 17:9) “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
(Pro 28:26) “He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.”
(Pro 14:12; 16:25) “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
To walk wisely (Pro 28:26), and to discern error when it is taught, we need to have God’s word in our hearts, but as we cannot do this if we don’t study the word of God, how can we ensure our salvation without studying it?

#1.10 IN ORDER TO OBTAIN FAITH

ROMANS 10:17 (Paul)
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Note: Studying the word of God is not the only requirement to retain or increase our initial faith, but it is the first essential step. Just as natural babies will die if they are not fed, so as new-born “babes in Christ”, we will die spiritually if we do not “desire the sincere milk of the word” (1 Pet 2:2), which is our spiritual food. Faith is very important to God, we cannot please him without it (Heb 11:6), and “whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” (Rom 14:23). As God obviously wishes us to please him and avoid sin, he has called Christians everywhere to “live by faith.” (Hab 2:4; Rom 1:17; Gal 3:11; Heb 10:38). Faith is very important to us too, because through faith we can obtain justification (Rom 3:28; 5:1), freedom from sickness for ourselves (Mat 9:22; 9:29; Luke 17:19), and our loved ones (Mat 8:13; 15:28). Faith is the most important part of our spiritual armour to resist the devil (Eph 6:16; 1 Pet 5:8-9), but above all else, it is through faith that we obtain our salvation (John 3:16; Eph 2:8-9; 1 Pet 1:9). As “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom 10:17), how can any of us survive if we do not feed our spirits with the word of God?

#1.12 IN ORDER TO OBTAIN ANSWERS TO PRAYER

PROVERBS 28:9 (Solomon)
9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

JOHN 15:7 (Jesus)
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

Note: Obtaining answers to prayers is very important in order to give us an assurance of the reality and presence of God in our lives. One of the conditions to obtaining answers is that the words of Jesus abide in us (John 15:7), and they won’t abide in us until we meditate them in through studying the scriptures. God is gracious to many new born babes in Christ, and answers their initial prayers (sometimes through the faith of others), but they may find that the answers don’t continue to come if they refuse to study God’s word; “his prayer shall be abomination.” (Pro 28:9).

#1.14 IN ORDER TO PLEASE GOD

HEBREWS 11:6 (Paul)
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Note: We know that “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Rom 10:17), but if we fail to hear the word of God our initial faith will die, and as we cannot please God without faith, how can we please him without studying the word of God?

#1.16 IN ORDER TO SHOW OURSELVES APPROVED UNTO GOD

2 TIMOTHY 2:15 (Paul)
15 Study to show thyself approved¹ unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Note: The adjective translated approved¹ (Gr. do&kinoj, Gtr. dokimos) means to be proved, or tried, like metals are by fire when they are purified. The same Greek word is used by James, “for when he is tried¹, he shall receive the crown of life” (Jam 1:12), and shows that if we are approved or tried, we will be saved. It is also translated “approved” (Rom 14:18, 16:10, 1 Cor 11:19, 2 Cor 10:18, 13:7). The opposite “unapproved” (Gr. a)do&kimoj, Gtr. adokimos) means also unworthy, worthless, rejected, or castaway, and is translated “castaway” (1 Cor 9:27), “rejected” (Heb 6:8), “reprobates” (2 Cor 13:5-7, 2 Tim 3:8, Titus 1:16). It seems clear that we will not be saved if we are unapproved, and as we need to study to show ourselves approved unto God, how can we ensure our salvation if we fail to study the word of God?

#1.18 IN ORDER TO CLEANSE/PURIFY OUR SOULS THROUGH OBEDIENCE

PSALMS 119:9
9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.

JOHN 15:3 (Jesus to his disciples)
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

JOHN 17:6 (Jesus to the Father)
6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.

ROMANS 6:16-18 (Paul)
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

1 PETER 1:22
22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.

Note: Once we become believers, we need sin to be cleansed out of our hearts in order to become justified (See #1.22 Note), sanctified, and allow the spirit of Christ to grow in us. This is done as we conform our lives to obey the word of God from the heart, as these scriptures show, and is not manifested in our hearts the day that we first believe. Every one of us, who is a true believer, will obtain the forgiveness of our sins because we will conform our lives to obey God’s word; we will overcome the world (1 John 5:4-5), receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit (John 7:37-39), and do the works of Jesus (John 14:12). These thing will come to pass in our lives, if God gives us the time, but not all on the day that we first believe.

#1.20 IN ORDER TO BECOME WISE

PSALMS 19:7 (David)
7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

PROVERBS 8:33 (Solomon)
33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.

PROVERBS 23:19 (Solomon)
19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way.

2 TIMOTHY 3:15 (Paul)
15 And that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Note: Not only did Paul say that the scriptures could “make thee wise unto salvation” (2 Tim 3:15), but Solomon also said, “keep sound wisdom and discretion: so shall they be life unto thy soul,” (Pro 3:21-22), “The wise shall inherit glory:” (Pro 3:35), and “wisdom giveth life to them that have it.” (Ecc 7:12). In the parable of the ten virgins (Mat 25:1-13), the unwise virgins were unprepared when the Lord returned, and were shut out of the marriage feast (Mat 25:10). They were not allowed entrance after (Mat 25:11-12), which is equivalent to being unsaved, so obtaining God’s wisdom is very important. As God’s wisdom comes through studying the scriptures, how can we ensure our salvation if we don’t do it?

#1.22 IN ORDER TO LEARN RIGHTEOUSNESS

ISAIAH 26:9
9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgements are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

2 TIMOTHY 3:16 (Paul)
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.

Note: Justification or righteousness (which are just different translations of the same Hebrew and Greek words) can be claimed by any Christian, but this does not mean that it is immediately manifested in our lives. Justification is a promise which we receive by faith (Rom 3:28; 5:1; 9:30; Heb 11:7), and faith is “the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb 11:1). The manifestation of it in our lives is brought about through chastisement (Heb 12:11), as we seek for it (Psa 24:5-6; Zep 2:3; Mat 5:6; 6:33; Gal 2:17), as we learn it through the scriptures (Psa 119:7; Pro 2:1-9; Isa 26:9; Rom 1:16-17; 1 Cor 15:34; 2 Tim 3:16), and as we obey God’s word from the heart (Deut 6:25; Isa 48:18; Eze 18:5-9; Rom 2:8; 6:16-18). Clearly if we are righteous we will be saved (Psa 15:1-2; 37:29; Pro 10:2; 11:4; 12:28; 21:21; Mat 25:46; Rom 5:21), but as Paul said “the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God.” (1 Cor 6:9), how can we ensure our salvation if we do not study the word of God?

#1.24 IN ORDER TO BECOME SANCTIFIED

JOHN 17:17 (Jesus)
17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

ACTS 20:32 (Paul)
32 And now, brethren, I commend you unto God,and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

Note: Just as part of the consecration of the priests under the law of Moses, was to eat “the flesh of the ram, and the bread ... those things wherewith the atonement was made, to consecrate and to sanctify them:” (Exo 29:32-33), so we must eat the flesh and the bread with which our atonement was made. Jesus said:
(John 6:48-58) “I am that bread of life.
Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
... Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father; so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.”
To become spiritually sanctified, we must eat the spiritual food, “the living bread, and the flesh of Jesus,” who is the word of God (John 1:1, 1:14, Rev 19:13). As Jesus said, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17), how can we become sanctified if we do not feed on this spiritual food, which is the word of God? The scripture indicates that sanctfication (or holiness) is required for eternal life (Mat 7:21 with 1 Thes 4:3; Rom 6:22; 2 Thes 2:13; Heb 12:14), so how can we be sanctified, and ensure our salvation if we do not study the word of God?

#1.26 BECAUSE THE WORD WILL JUDGE YOU ON THE LAST DAY

1 CORINTHIANS 3:11-15 (Paul)
11 For other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is.
14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15 If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved yet as by fire.

JEREMIAH 23:29
29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

JOHN 12:48 (Jesus)
48 He that rejecteth me and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Note: The judgement day will not be a pleasant experience for many people, because Jesus said, “That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” (Mat 12:36-37), and Paul also said, “For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” (2 Cor 5:10). None of us will escape this, every word that we speak and every deed that we do is going to be compared with what we should have said or done according to the word of God. The only way to avoid the “loss” (1 Cor 3:15), is to conform our lives now to what God’s word says, and how can we do this without studying the word of God?

#1.28 IN ORDER TO AVOID SIN

JOB 22:22-23 (Eliphaz)
22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.
23 If thou return to the almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.

PSALMS 119:11
11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

PSALMS 119:133
133 Order my steps in thy word: and let not iniquity have dominion over me.

1 JOHN 3:9
9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

Note: When Paul said, “For I delight in the law of God after the inward man.” (Rom 7:22), he was not talking about an unregenerate sinner, but someone who believed in God, and had a strong desire to do right, just as a new Christian might be today. The whole section (Rom 7:14-25) deals with a man, who desires to do good but lacks God’s word in his heart, and because all thoughts, words and deeds come from the heart (Mat 12:24-35; 15:19; Mark 7:21-23; Rom 2:14-15), he finds it impossible not to sin. Jesus said, “the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life.” (John 6:63), and when his words are in our heart, they enable what Paul called, “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus,” (Rom 8:2) to be set in motion. This means obeying God’s word from the heart, which he also referred to as “being led by the Spirit of God,” (Rom 8:14), “walk .. after the spirit.” (Rom 8:1), “walk in the Spirit” (Gal 5:16), and it is the only way to avoid sin. The reason why a fully mature born again Christian does not sin is because, "his seed remaineth in him:" (1 John 3:9), and the seed is the word of God (Mark 4:14; Luke 8:11. Thus it is impossible for us when we are a new Christian to avoid ignorant sin, until after diligent study, we have God’s word written in our hearts according to his promise under the new covenant (Jer 31:33, Heb 8:10, 10:16). God has indicated that writing his word in our hearts will be a gradual process:
(Deut 32:2) “My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as showers upon the grass:”
(Isa 28:9-10) “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.”
This is done as we study the word of God, so studying it is not only essential to avoid sin, but as God said, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” (Eze 18:20), and Paul said, “the wages of sin is death;” (Rom 6:23), how can we escape spiritual death if we do not study the word of God?

#1.30 IN ORDER TO SAVE OTHERS

1 TIMOTHY 4:15-16 (Paul)
15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

Note: These verses make it clear that meditating on the scriptures is profitable, and necessary to save ourself and others. John the baptist said, “every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire.” (Luke 3:9). Jesus also said, “Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” (Mat 7:19), and “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away:” (John 15:2). So we need to bear fruit, which can include saving others, at some time during our Christian lives, and as saving others requires that we study the word of God, how can we ensure our salvation without doing it?

#1.32 IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND JESUS

HOSEA 6:6 (God)
6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

PROVERBS 2:1-6 (Solomon)
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;
3 yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as hid treasures;
5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

MATTHEW 11:29 (Jesus)
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

EPHESIANS 4:20 (Paul)
20 But ye have not so learned Christ;

Note: All knowledge of God is revealed to us by the spirit of God (1 Cor 2:9-12), and God clearly wishes us to receive this knowledge (Hos 4:6; 6:6); but Solomon made it clear that we need to diligently seek for it, by studying God’s word, in order to obtain it (Pro 2:1-6). If we wish to obtain knowledge about Jesus, then we also need to study the scriptures and learn about him:
(John 5:39) “Search the scriptures; ... they are they which testify of me.”
(Mat 11:29) “learn of me;”
(Eph 4:20) “ye have not so learned Christ;”
The knowledge of God and Jesus ensures eternal life:
(John 17:3) “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”
The knowledge of God is part of the new covenant (Jer 31:34; Heb 8:11), so it is very important that we study the scriptures to obtain this knowledge.
How do we know when we know God? The apostle John gave a very good definition:
(1 John 2:3-4) “And hearby do we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
As we need to study God’s word in order to know him and keep his commandments, then how can we ensure our salvation if we do not study the word of God?

#1.34 IN ORDER TO AVOID DESTRUCTION

PROVERBS 13:13 (Solomon)
13 Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.

ISAIAH 27:11
11 When the boughs thereof are withered, they shall be broken off: for the women come and set them on fire; for it is a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will show them no favour.

HOSEA 4:6
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

Note: These verses make it clear, that when we become believers, if we then reject the word of God, or choose to do our own things instead of seeking for the knowledge that God so wants us to have (Hos 4:6; 6:6), then we will end up destroyed along with the unbelievers. Our punishment will then be worse than that of the unbelievers, because wilful disobedience is worse than ignorant disobedience (Luke 12:47-48).

#1.36 IN ORDER TO LOVE GOD

JOHN 14:15 (Jesus)
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

JOHN 14:21-24 (Jesus)
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, is he that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
22 And Judas said unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.

1 JOHN 2:5
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hearby we know that we are in him.

1 JOHN 5:2-3
2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

2 JOHN 6
6 And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.

Note: These scriptures show that God’s definition of loving him and others is that we keep his commandments. This can only be done by having God’s word in our hearts, “written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in the fleshy tables of the heart.” (2 Cor 3:3). Scripture has shown that total obedience other than from the heart is impossible. The Israelites could not attain to the law of righteousness, “Because they sought it not by faith” (Rom 9:32). They sought to obey the letter, but they should have sought to, “serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.” (Rom 7:6). This was because, “the letter killeth, but the Spirit giveth life.” (2 Cor 3:6). The words of Jesus in our heart are Spirit (John 6:63). Jesus said, “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” (Mat 15:8), and this type of lipservice has never been God’s plan for his people. Loving God with all of our hearts is one of the conditions to inherit eternal life (Psa 91:14-16; Luke 10:25-28; Jam 1:12; Jam 2:5). If we cannot love God and others without obeying God’s word from the heart, and we cannot get God’s word into our hearts without studying it, how can we ensure our salvation if we fail to study the word of God?

#1.38 IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND GOd’s WILL FOR OUR LIVES

ROMANS 12:2 (Paul)
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.

EPHESIANS 5:17
17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

Note: God’s will is revealed through the scriptures, by “the renewing of your mind,” (Rom 12:2) with the word of God, and doing God’s will is a condition to obtain salvation:
(Mat 7:21) “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
(1 John 2:17) “he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
As we cannot even know God’s will for us without studying the word of God, let alone do it, how can we ensure our salvation if we do not renew our mind with the word of God?

#1.40 IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO DO GOd’s WILL FOR OUR LIVES

JEREMIAH 4:22
22 For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

JAMES 1:22
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

Note: The things that we do come from the wisdom and knowledge that we have (Jer 4:22). If we are not doers of God’s word we are deceived (Jam 1:22), and obedience to God’s word is one of the ways to ensure salvation, because Jesus said, “if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” (Mat 19:17), and he became “the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him;” (Heb 5:9). John said, “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life,” (Rev 22:14), showing how essential obedience is. As we cannot obey the word of God without studying it, how can we ensure our salvation without studying it?

#1.42 IN ORDER TO AVOID BEING ASHAMED WHEN JESUS RETURNS

PSALMS 119:4-6
4 Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.
5 O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!
6 Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.

PSALMS 119:80
80 Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.

Note: Jesus said, “For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:26; also Mark 8:38), showing that if we are ashamed of Jesus and his words we will be lost. Having respect unto all of God’s commandments, that is obeying them, is the way for us to avoid being ashamed (Psa 119:6), and this requires our hearts to be sound in God’s statutes (Psa 119:80). As we cannot do this without studying the word of God, how can we ensure our salvation without studying it?

#1.44 IN ORDER TO GROW IN GRACE

PROVERBS 3:21-22 (Solomon)
21 My Son, let them not depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:
22 So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace unto thy neck.

EPHESIANS 4:29 (Paul)
29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers.

COLOSSIANS 4:6 (Paul)
6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

2 PETER 1:2
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

Note: Although grace is a gift from God (Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 3:10; Eph 4:7; Jam 4:6), the amount of grace given to different individuals varies (Rom 12:6), and it grows (Eph 4:7; Jam 4:6; 2 Pet 1:2; 3:18). Jesus is full of grace (John 1:14), and it comes by Jesus (John 1:17). We are called into his grace (Gal 1:6), and when his spirit dwells in us we have grace according to how much of his spirit we have (Eph 4:7). His grace gives us our belief (Acts 18:27), saves us (Acts 15:11), justifies us (Titus 3:7), and enables us to overcome sin (Rom 6:14-15). We can obtain grace by learning God’s word (Pro 3:21-22; 1 Pet 1:2), by being obedient to it (Pro 1:8-9), by faith (Rom 5:2), by obtaining God’s wisdom (Pro 3:21-22; 4:7-9), by being humble (Jam 4:6; 1 Pet 5:5), by being lowly (Pro 3:34), and it does not just come to us without any effort on our part. As all these things come through studying and knowing God’s word, and we are saved by grace (Acts 15:11; Eph 2:5; 2:8), how then can we retain our salvation without studying it?

#1.46 IN ORDER TO CONFESS JESUS

MATTHEW 10:32-33 (Jesus)
32 Whosoever therefore shall confess¹ me before men, him will I confess¹ also before my Father which is in heaven.
33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

LUKE 12:8-9 (Jesus)
8 Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess¹ me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God.
9 But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.

ROMANS 10:9-10 (Paul)
9 That if thou shalt confess¹ with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession¹ is made unto salvation.

1 JOHN 2:22-23
22 Who is a liar but he that denieth Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: [but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.]

Note: What does it mean to confess Jesus? Is it just to say that “Jesus is my Lord and saviour”? No, although it is important for us to confess that Jesus is our Lord and saviour, there are also other ways of interpreting this scripture:
    (1) The word tranlated confess¹, confession¹ (Gr. o(mologe/w, Gtr. homologeō) is made up from two words, “homos” meaning “same”, and “legō” meaning “I speak”. Literally it means “I speak the same thing”, or “I agree with”. Thus when we speak the same things that Jesus spoke, we are confessing him, and when we contradict the words of Jesus we are denying him:
(2 Pet 2:1) “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.”
As we cannot know what Jesus said, or know what the true teaching is without studying the word of God, how can we continue to confess Jesus and avoid heresy without studying it?
    (2) Jesus is the word of God (John 1:1; 1:14; Rev 19:13), and when we confess the word of God we are confessing Jesus. When we contradict the word of God, we are denying it, and thus denying Jesus. As we cannot know and confess the word of God without studying it, how can we retain our salvation if we do not study it (Mat 10:33; Luke 12:9)?
    (3) Another way of denying Jesus is with the deeds that we do:
(Titus 1:16) “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, unto every good work reprobate.”
This scripture shows that we need to avoid disobedience and do God’s work in order to avoid denying him, but how can we do this without studying the word of God?

#1.48 IN ORDER TO OBTAIN HEALING

PSALMS 107:20
20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

PROVERBS 4:20-23 (Solomon)
20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

PROVERBS 14:30 (Solomon)
30 A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.

Note: We have already seen that faith comes by hearing the word of God (See #1.10), so when we know that everything we receive from God comes by faith (Mat 21:21-22; Mark 11:23-24; James 1:6-7), then it is no surprise to find that many people obtained healings through their own faith (Mat 9:2; 9:22; 9:29; 16:28; Mark 10:52; Luke 7:9-10). We could conclude from this, that we may have to study God’s word in order to get the faith to get healed, if we do not have it already. As faith is the presence of God’s word in our heart (Rom 10:8), then it is no contradiction to find that it is the presence of God’s word in our heart that is health to all our flesh (Pro 4:23). “A sound heart” is surely one that contains God’s word, and this also is “the life of the flesh:” (Pro 14:30). As we need to study the word of God to get it into our heart, how can we expect to get healed without studying it?

#1.50 BECAUSE IT WILL LEAD US AND LIGHT OUR PATH

PSALMS 119:105
105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

PROVERBS 6:20-23 (Solomon)
20 My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother;
21 Bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.
22 When thou goest, it shall lead thee; when thou sleepest, it shall keep thee; and when thou awakest, it shall talk with thee.
23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

Note: These scriptures show that when God’s word is in our heart, it will lead us (Pro 6:22), and light the way for us to go (Psa 119:105; Pro 6:23), but is there a contradiction here with the scripture which says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” (Rom 8:14)? Should we be led by the word of God, or by the spirit of God? In fact there is no difference. We know that, “the Spirit is truth.” (1 John 5:6), and the Word of God is truth (John 17:17). Jesus said, “the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit,” (John 6:63), and as he only spoke God’s words (John 3:34; 8:28; 8:38; 12:50; 14:10), that indicates that the Word of God is the Spirit of God doesn’t it? When Jesus returns, he will destroy the wicked with “the spirit of his mouth,” (2 Thes 2:8), which is “a sharp sword,” (Rev 19:15), which is the “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;” (Eph 6:17). When Jesus cast out devils, he did it “with his word” (Mat 8:16), and “by the Spirit of God” (Mat 12:28), again confirming that the Word of God is the Spirit of God. Also the Spirit quickens (John 6:63,) and the Word quickens (Psa 119:50), the Spirit leads us (Rom 8:14; Gal 5:18), and the word of God leads us (Psa 17:4; Pro 6:20-22), the truth leads us (Psa 43:3), the Spirit is truth (1 John 5:6), and the word of God is truth (John 17:17), all effectively indicating that “the Word, and the Holy Ghost: ... are one.” (1 John 5:7). One what? “one spirit.” (Eph 4:4). As the word for “one” (Gr. e9n, Gtr. hen) is neuter gender in the Greek, so the word for spirit is neuter. So we can conclude that Word of God is the Spirit of God. Just as “the Word was God.” (John 1:1), which means that “the Word is God”, as he doesn’t change (Mal 3:6; Jam 1:17), so “God is a spirit:” (John 4:24). As God creates everything by his Word (Psa 148:5; John 1:3), so he creates everything by his spirit (Psa 104:30), and just as he sends his word to do his will (Psa 107:20; Isa 9:8; 55:11; Acts 10:36), so he also sends his spirit (Psa 104:30; John 14:26; Gal 4:6; 1 Pet 1:12). We can see how words are spirit from the writing of the apostle Paul:
(2 Cor 3:3) “written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God: not in tables of stone, but in the fleshy tables of the heart.”
When we write words with ink, the ink is the substance of the words, and the words are the form of the ink. If we rub out the words, the ink disappears, and if we rub out the ink, the words disappear. Why? because ink and words are two ways of looking at the same thing, one describing its form, and the other describing its substance. So it is when God writes his words in our heart, his word is the form, and his spirit is the substance, which is equivalent to the ink. Therefore, whether we are led by the spirit of God (Rom 8:14), or by his word (Psa 119:105; Pro 6:20-23), it amounts to the same thing. How then can we be led by God’s word (or spirit), and become sons of God (Rom 8:14), if we do not study the word of God, and allow him to write them in our hearts? Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would, “bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you.” (John 14:26), but how can he do that if we have never read or heard his words?

#1.52 IN ORDER TO BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF OUR MIND, AND BECOME LIKE JESUS

ROMANS 12:1-2 (Paul)
1 I beseech you brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed¹ by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

2 CORINTHIANS 3:3 (Paul)
3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

2 CORINTHIANS 3:18 (Paul)
18 But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

2 CORINTHIANS 4:16 (Paul)
16 For which cause we faint not; for though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

EPHESIANS 4:23-24 (Paul)
23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind.
24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

COLOSSIANS 3:9-10 (Paul)
9 Lie not to one another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowlege after the image of him that created him.

1 PETER 2:2
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby.

Note: From the day that we first believe, our Christian life ought to be one of continual transformation, from “the old man”, which is our sinful self, into “the new man”, which is Jesus Christ. This process sees Christ growing in us from “a babe” (1 Cor 3:1; 1 Pet 2:2), until we become like Jesus. The fact that this is God’s will for each of us is revealed through several scriptures:
(Mat 10:25) “It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his Lord.”
(Rom 8:29) “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son,”
(1 Cor 15:48) “as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.”
(1 Pet 2:21) “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:”
(1 John 2:6) “He that saith he abideth in him aught himself also to walk, even as he walked.”
(1 John 4:17) “as he is, so are we in this world.”
It is no quick transformation, but is a process that takes place over a long period of time. The word translated be ye transformed¹ (Gr. metamorfou~sqe, Gtr. metamorphousthe) is the second person plural, present imperative passive, of the verb “metamorphoō”, I transform. We have a similar word in English, “metamorphosis”, which physically would mean “a change of shape”, but spiritually “a change of character”. A physical example of a matamorphosis would be a caterpillar when it is transformed into a butterfly, while a spiritual example would be a sinner, with the character of the devil, when he is transformed into a saint with the character of Jesus. This would see us transformed from a life after the flesh (Rom 8:1; 8:5; 8:8; 8:13), to a spiritual life of total faith. The present imperative indicates a command to continue to do something (DFH p92; JWW p74; WP p51), while the passive voice indicates that something is being done to us, rather than us doing something ourselves (DFH p69; JWW p69). So this word “metamorphousthe” would be more accurately translated “keep on being transformed”, confirming that the transformation is a long process, rather than an instantaneous one. So as we study and read the word of God, “we all with open face beholding ... the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Cor 3:18). We grow from “faith to faith:” (Rom 1:17), as the word of God is “written ... with the spirit of the living God; ... in the fleshy tables of the heart.” (2 Cor 3:3). How is all of this possible if we do not study the word of God?

#1.54 IN ORDER TO BE A PARTAKER OF THE NEW COVENANT

ISAIAH 59:20-21
20 And the redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.
21 As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and forever.

JEREMIAH 31:33-34
33 But this (shall be) the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

HEBREWS 8:10-12
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful unto their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

Note: The redeemer who comes to Zion (Isa 59:20) refers to Jesus, and it was prophesied that the spirit of God would be upon him (Isa 61:1-2), in a prophesy which Jesus attributed to himself:
(Luke 4:18) “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor;”
This anointing with the spirit occurred at his baptism (Mat 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:21-22; John 1:33), when “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power;” (Acts 10:38). After this he was tempted in the wilderness by the devil (Mat 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13), and returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit (Luke 4:14). Jesus went on to fulfil the other part of this covenant, “my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth,” (Isa 59:21), by speaking only those words which his Father gave him to speak (John 8:26-28; 26:38; 12:50; 14:10). There are three requirements here for us to become partakers of the new covenant:
    (1) The seed of Jesus, referred to as “thy seed,” (Isa 59:21), would be the apostles and others who believed in him when he was alive upon the earth. We today, come into the category of “thy seed’s seed”, because we believe the written record that they have left for us. Not only do other scriptures show that we ought also to be like Jesus (Mat 10:25; 8:29; 1 Pet 2:21-22; 1 John 2:6; 4:17), but to become a partaker of the new covenant, we need to speak only God’s words also (Isa 59:21), and how can we do that if we do not learn what God has said by studying his word?
    (2) The words that we speak come from our heart (Job 8:10; 33:3; Isa 59:13; Mat 12:34; 15:18-19; Mark 7:21-23), so as part of the new covenant God has promised to write them in our mind, and our heart (Jer 31:33; Heb 8:10; 10:16). This is not unconditional. We need to meditate in God’s word (Josh 1:8; Psa 1:1-3; 1 Tim 4:15-16; Phps 4:8), keep on hearing God’s word (Pro 8:15; 23:12; 23:19; Eze 3:10; Mat 13:19; Mark 4:15; Luke 8:12), and keep on seeing God’s word (Deut 6:6-9; 11:18-20; Pro 4:20-21; 23:26), and as we cannot do any of this without studying the word of God, how can we become partakers of the New Covenant without studying it?
    (3) We can see another indication here of a partaker of the new covenant by what God has said:
(Jer 31:34) “they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them,”
(Heb 8:11) “all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.” How do we know when we know him? The apostle John gave us a very good definition:
(1 John 2:3-4) “And hearby do we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
If all partakers of the new covenant know God, and that requires us to keep his commandments, then how can we become partakers of the new covenant without studying God’s word and finding out what his commandments are? How can we even claim to have eternal life?
(John 17:3) “And this is eternal life, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”

#1.58 CONCLUSION

The manifestation of our salvation (See #1.04 Note) depends upon the life we live between when we first believe and when we die. In order to ensure that we do receive that salvation, studying the word of God must be an essential part of our life. The more we do it, and put it into practice in our lives, the more certain we can be that we will be a part of that blessed first resurrection when Jesus returns.

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This is the end of this Bible Study about why we should study the Word of God