Lesson # 2 How to know the Bible (Fundamentals of the Faith by John MacArthur)

Special Revelation and Natural Revelation

Amen, so this is lesson number two of John MacArthur's fundamentals of the faith. How to know the Bible. So if you would please turn to 2nd Timothy chapter 2 of course. Theoretically all of you should have this verse memorized.

But we'll still turn there. But just to go over a few things that we didn't cover last time. There's two terms that you should know special revelation and natural Revelation, so if you make notes you can write this down special revelation and natural revelation so What is special revelation special revelation is the scripture?

So the Bible is special revelation and what we can learn about God through nature. That's natural revelation what you can know about God through Observing his creation and What he has put in the conscience.

One verse on that Psalm 19 verse 1 says the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handiwork. So that is what special or natural revelation. Natural natural. Right. So the people of this world who have never Heard of Jesus never held the Bible never read it never heard the gospel.

They can still know something about God. Simply by looking up at the stars at night or just by observing The creation how because they know this all came from somewhere they see intelligence behind it.

Also the law of God. Romans 2 15 says that God's law is written on our hearts. It doesn't matter where you go in the world people Understand inherently that lying is wrong stealing is wrong. Adultery is wrong.

Everybody knows that they don't need to be told. Well, they do need to be told but Everyone knows that because God's law is in our heart and we know something about him by looking around. Yes Marcus Reference again Romans Romans 2 15.

Thank you. God's law is in our heart and Psalm 19 1 the heavens declare the glory of God. Another verse on that Romans 120 says for since the creation of the world His that is God's invisible attributes are clearly seen.

Being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and Godhead. So that they man us that we are without excuse. So people know things about God even if they've never read the Bible or heard preaching about Jesus however.

Just because somebody can know something about God doesn't mean that they're saved. You know the person off in some remote place because he or she knows there's a God and they know right and wrong. They cannot be saved with that knowledge.

I know there's some very well-known influential famous Pastors and evangelists who will say that they can that's not true. The scripture teaches that a person needs what in order to be saved Christ and the gospel.

If they could be saved without the gospel Missionary work would be absolutely Pointless matter of fact by sending missionaries. Then you run the risk of them rejecting the gospel and then you would be damning them if in fact they were saved Through this knowledge of God that they have through nature.

So don't buy into that. It sounds really good, but it's not what the scripture teaches. Larry.

And you can spend your entire life in church and Reading the scripture. Not necessarily reading the scripture, but you can know a lot about God. But you don't really know God right, you know knowledge.

Sure you have to put belief with that. And what. Does that all you know believing that all tie in to knowing. Right, yes. The word personal is important right. Because God is a person and he wants to have a personal relationship with a.

Personal knowledge of Christ. A personal acceptance of the gospel. Personal relationship with the Lord. So to be saved somebody would need natural revelation. That's all they need. No a person in order to be saved needs special revelation.

They need the scripture and they need The preaching of God's Word they need the gospel Romans 10 17. How are we saved by faith? Romans 10 17 says faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

So it is essential that people know Christ. Which is why people need to know the Bible and that's what this lesson is all about Knowing the Bible because how can you know anything about Christ without God's revelation in Scripture?

You can't Tell me something about Jesus that isn't in the Bible. I don't know how you do that. You could make something up but That's all it would be. All right, let's go through this book. So this is lesson number two how to know the Bible and as we go along just Shoot up your hand, but let's do the memory verse first.

So if somebody other than Marcus because I know you know it and I know it we've both Repeated the verse by memory in front of the group. So I'll give you an op. I know most of you probably don't want to do this but but who would like to Either stand up or where you're seated.

Quote 2nd Timothy 2 15 who wants to give it a shot? Nobody. Okay. Well Marcus if you want to do it, so it's nobody else does.

Well, I'll start and then join in. Okay study to show myself approved unto God a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly Hiding the word of truth. Good. Good job. All right.

And I understand that. Yeah, there are some of you who memorized it, but you don't really want to stand up and do it and I understand that. Okay. All right. So it starts out the how of learning and applying scripture to life is something every Christian should know.

Hearing, Reading, Studying, Memorizing, and Meditating on Scripture

So this lesson covers five ways to make the Bible yours hearing reading studying memorizing and meditating. Compare those five methods of learning scripture to the fingers on your hand. So if you hold the Bible with only two fingers.

Give it long enough. You're gonna drop it, right? Your grasp on the Bible becomes stronger if you use what? Right more fingers. So if a person hears read studies. Memorizes and then meditates five things for the five fingers if they do that His grasp on the scripture its truths becomes firm and they are part of his life.

So what does that tell you reading the scripture really? I mean, that's great. We should all read the scripture but reading it is only going to get you so far as the thumb is needed in combination with any finger to complete your hold so Meditation combined with hearing reading studying and memorizing is essential for a full grasp of God's Word.

You know, I just brought this just for an illustration not because I'm gonna sing but. You know, if you're gonna get good at something if you're gonna know something learn something you have to do what practice you got to spend time and.

If you who plays guitar. Nobody Banjo, okay, that's close. If you play guitar and you play for a half hour a week. Because that's what most Christians get, you know half an hour a week of teaching or instruction.

How good are you gonna get a guitar if you play a half hour a week? Well, I mean, you'll know something you'll get somewhere. But you start out you're playing and you know, you can't even really fret a note very well.

And when you play a chord, it's a half hour a week. This is how. But you're sort of hear it there. That's how it's gonna sound. But if you play a half hour a day or multiple hours a day, then you can go.

Okay. And it's it's easy. So it's whether it's a sport if somebody wants to become a really great golfer. Can you become a great golfer by well, maybe maybe I'll get an hour on the course today. Well, you'll you'll get somewhere but you won't get too far.

So it's like that with anything if you want to know the scripture and really get something out of it. You have to spend the time you have to practice and if you're not willing to do that if you don't do that, then.

Then you can pretty much expect what you're going to get Larry.

When Marcus led us through that scripture verse second Timothy 215 Study to show that I self-approve. In the workbook. It says be diligent. Mm-hmm different translation same Same thing, but it just kind of gives a little different meaning, you know, I mean study.

Well, I guess we need to do that diligently to get anywhere just like you're saying with learning anything. We have to be diligent in it or we have to study it right to know right.

Yeah, so let's go through these you need to hear The Bible read the Bible study the Bible memorize the Bible and meditate on the Bible. So, how would you hear the Bible? Okay preaching. Yeah. Yeah, and I had said this last week and I Told everybody don't misunderstand what I'm saying or be careful about repeating this.

But I said, you know there's no commandment in Scripture to read God's Word simply because most people throughout history did not have the ability to do that. A Lot of Christians throughout the centuries were either illiterate and before the printing press you you wouldn't have a Bible.

Even up until modern times the past hundred years two hundred years three hundred years at the most. I don't know when The average person had books in their house, but you wouldn't be able to read the Bible.

So, how did people learn for all those centuries? How did they learn? Each other right? Yeah through preaching and teaching and they got their instruction in the church. And even then for people who have the Bible and read it on their own and spend a lot of time in the scripture.

That's great. And we should do that. We need that. But if it's just you and the Bible. You're gonna have a lot of blind spots. And yes, like you're saying we learn from each other. We learn in the local church.

We we need that as well. All right. So let's just go through this. This is number one. Why know the Bible? So if you have your book follow along. Section number one why know the Bible list five reasons for knowing God's Word?

What do you need to know the Bible for? Well second Timothy 2 15 you need to know the scripture to be what? Approved by God. Not ashamed. Okay, listen if somebody has been a Christian for whatever five years 25 years and they don't know the scripture at all God is not approving of that.

God isn't going to be very pleased with it. There's no excuse for that and yet some of these polls within Evangelical Christianity and I wonder who these people are that they're asking or have you heard some of these polls where?

40 of evangelicals don't believe that Jesus was divine or something like that and I will then they're not evangelicals if they don't believe that but. Yeah, if you want to be approved by God you have to know his word.

First Peter 2 2 what's another reason for knowing God's Word shout it out or raise your hand. Yes. Okay to grow thereby or to grow in Salvation and again, the Bible is God's special revelation. There can be no salvation outside of the content of Scripture.

Psalm 119 verse 1 another reason to know the Bible. Sorry, yeah. 119 11. All right. To not sin against God. You've heard this repeated. I'm sure either Sin will keep me from the Bible or the Bible will keep me from sin.

If you're if you're skipping church right and left if you're not praying if you're not reading your Bible. It's gonna be really really easy to get into sin or it's gonna be easier. But if you're doing the right thing and if you're spending time in God's Word It's more difficult to sin because then when you go and do it Go to do it.

These things come to mind. God starts speaking to you through his word because his word is in your mind and I can't do that because the Bible says Thou shalt not so you understand that the scripture will keep us from sin.

All right, psalm 119 verse 38 what's another reason to know the Bible. It produces what? Okay maturity it certainly does that. Okay, it produces The fear of God or we might put it this way. The Bible will produce a reverence for God this is something that Is is very evident.

There's not a lot of fear. The fear of God and not much reverence for God the more time goes on the less reverence we see for him. I Know this is we've talked about Bible translations last week how that's kind of a touchy subject for people.

Here's another touchy subject the way you dress this this is Something people don't like why do you think I wear a suit in a tie on Sunday morning now when it was 90 degrees In August sometimes I didn't wear a tie.

Okay, but I mean really why don't I just roll out of bed and come in here? And my sweats and. And I'm not against anybody for you can dress. However, you want. I'm just saying for me. Why don't I? Come into church just dressed.

However. Yeah. That's probably true. Yeah, well well. Set an example. Well, the reason I do it personally and you can like it or not or agree with it or not I'm just telling you personally I do it not for any other one person.

I'm sure there would be happy with people happy if I dress down. But I do it personally out of reverence and respect for God. Okay, thank you, but you know if somebody invited me to their wedding or if I went to a funeral.

Maybe most people would dress up a little out of respect. And again, if that's not your thing, I'm not against anybody you can dress. However, you want and I'm not going to judge you I promise but for me, that's why I do it.

Yeah, but if your necktie clashes with your shirt, hey, come on. It's not the case today. I double-checked beforehand. All right, let's move on Psalm 119 verse 105 another reason to know the Bible. That It would be a light to my path right we know the scripture for guidance.

If you want to know God's will for your life. Some people come up with they have a feeling they want to do something. Okay, but the scripture will tell you what to do and what not to do in many situations so the Scripture is a guide.

We all agree with that. All right any questions on this section? And I do recognize there is no Bible verse that says thou shalt dress up when going to church. So that's that is true. That's why we don't make a big deal about it.

But any questions on this? Okay. Says we study Scripture because it is sufficient. So all scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching for reproof for correction for training in righteousness.

2nd Timothy 3 316 so we study scripture because it is sufficient. What does that mean? It's sufficient. It's adequate. I would put it this way it's it's all you need. I Have a library here and at home and it's got a lot of books and I admit some of the books I haven't read and I probably never will but and Those books are helpful.

There's some books that were very helpful but The Bible needs to be the main book that Christians study a lot of people read the book about the book. But they don't read the book. Right. So the scripture is sufficient.

Everything we need is in the Bible and some of the other stuff is helpful and some Christian books are just not helpful at all. But that's another story. All right section number two. How to know the Bible?

Well, I feel like I should explain that if you go into a Christian bookstore, which I don't think. They hardly even exist anymore. But the top sellers the the most famous Christian authors I Wouldn't recommend.

That's for sure. But find a good commentary. That's that's gonna be the most helpful. I think okay, number two how to know the Bible a Hear it be read it see Study it D memorize it and then II meditate on it.

So how to know the Bible hear it says so faith comes by hearing and hearing by The Word of God or the Word of Christ. What's the reference on that? 1017 yes. So here's the first question whom did Jesus say would be blessed.

Well, but it's not Psalm 1 that that ties into it it's Luke 11 28 is the reference. You're are you guessing at this point you're guessing okay. Yes, you're wrong. Who knows? Who knows? Yeah, those who hear the Word of God and observe it or those who hear the Word of God and Keep it.

So it's one thing to hear God's Word. We all need to hear it. But if you don't do it. What what good is that? Right James said something about this that you need to we need to be hearers, but not here is only but what?

Doers of God's Word right, so if the scripture says thou shalt not steal and you know that and you've got that verse memorized Exodus 20 Verse 8 or whatever it is. Thou shalt not steal. Oh great. But then if you go and steal What good is it to know the verse?

It's actually just makes you that much more guilty. Yes, that's we don't consider that stealing there there for you to take Long as you're taking notes. All right number two in In proclaiming the word what should pastors and teachers do this is from Nehemiah 8 7 and 8.

What should pastors do. Read the word and give the sense. Put that in your own words. Explain it. Yeah, why don't I just get up? During the sermon time and just read. Right. I could just make my job a lot easier.

I can save a lot of time if I just read through the gospel of whatever Luke. I Could probably take up the whole sermon time just by reading why don't I do that though? Right, I mean it's gonna be information overload to some degree.

That's one reason why you have to slow down and study and meditate on God's Word. You're just not gonna Be able to receive it all. But yeah, you need someone to teach it to you. You can learn a lot on your own and I'm a big proponent of self-study.

But you need a teacher and of course the Holy Ghost ultimately is our teacher. He's the one who opens our eyes to God's truth, but this is the same with anything you we all went to Grade school went to high school or if you were homeschooled you went to college.

We all had teachers right? The church is no no different. All right. I'll try not to get distracted by the cute baby in the front. Now that I noticed them All right. Section B read it. How to know the Bible.

You need to hear it and you need to read it. So we need the preaching but you need to read it yourself. Blessed is he Who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy and heed the things which are written in it for the time is near revelation chapter 1 verse 3 so Number one it says right revelation 1 3 in your own words.

Who would like to do that? Read to us what you wrote. Linda.

Okay, that's good. Anyone have anything else. Yeah. Use your eyes and use your ears. To get this Bible to go into your First your mind and then all the way from your brain down into your heart. Okay. All right.

And second This is from 1st Timothy 4 13 To what did Paul ask Timothy to give his attention to public reading of Scripture? To exhortation and to teaching. So, yeah, we do read the scripture and then exhortation what's another word for.

Exhortation if I'm exhorting you to do something. What am I doing? Okay, I'm encouraging you to do I'm making an urgent appeal that you should do this or you need to do this. So if we read a passage of Scripture you teach, okay, here's what it means.

It's original context. Here's what's happening back then you make application but Part of preaching see if I teach you something. I'm just giving you information preaching or exhortation is What you're supposed to do about it.

So you should always leave church on Sunday morning, hopefully with some instruction and What I'm supposed to do about it if you listen closely I try to do that. Towards the end of my message every Sunday.

Okay now that we've said all of this. Now what now what am I supposed to do? And then it's up to you Monday through Saturday. Are you going to? Do it or not? So we need to read the scripture. We need to or we need to hear it.

We need to read it and then see look at section number C. We need to study it. It says when the Apostle Paul left Thessalonica he came to Berea and shared the gospel with unbelieving Jews. What he found was that they were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica for they received the Word of God with great eagerness.

Examining the scriptures daily to see whether these things were so act 17 verse 11. You've heard of someone that hey, we want to be a good Berean or that guy. He's a good Berean. What does that mean? Yeah, and These people were hearing from the Apostle Paul and they were it's not that they didn't believe Paul.

But they were hearing some new things from the Apostle Paul and they said hey. We need to go to the scriptures to make sure this is true. So when you see or hear Joel Osteen on television. What should you do?

Yeah. All joking aside. You need to take what he says and you need to open the scripture is what he is what he's saying aligning with the Word of God and You need to do that with me, too. So if I ever start teaching some far-out doctrine.

You need to test what I say against the scripture and if you do you're a good Berean, right? All right. Attitudes towards Bible study according to Acts 17 verse 11. What two traits did the Bereans demonstrate as they received the Word of God?

What two traits? Okay with eagerness. And examining of the scripture daily to see if these things were so and then it asks. How should we search for wisdom or understanding? Based on Proverbs 2 verse 4, how should we search for wisdom and understanding like what?

Okay, like you're searching for silver or hidden treasure. Linda. After praying. And after confessing sin before you read the scripture. Pray confessing good, but if somebody told you hey I I had a half a pound of silver and I hid it somewhere in your house.

And assuming this is a trustworthy person and you believe them that they hid a half pound of silver somewhere in your house. I'm pretty sure you spend this afternoon looking for Of course you would because you find the silver what?

Valuable. So if you never open the Bible if you're never reading studying I maybe you know, it's valuable but If you know the value is there we should Search it with eagerness. Amen. Okay next yes.

Because it's valuable but because where it came from. Should be, you know even more because it is God's Word as we looked at last week. Because it is God's Word it is all authoritative. Well, just like 2nd Timothy 3 16 and 17.

It's God breathed. It's profitable. So just like silver and we're searching for. Or our job it's profitable. But for doctrine for teaching for reproof for correction for instruction on how to live men and you know, so and because it's God's Word and heard a Devotional or first part of a devotional yesterday.

Talking about the historicity of Scripture. And you know, it was taken from eyewitness accounts. And it was not. Just a few years after these eyewitnesses Have died that the scripture. You know brought to brought to light and there's like 6 ,000 different manuscripts.

Mm-hmm. Within less than a hundred years of the time that Jesus was here on this earth and so the historicity of the scripture is The most accurate account. Which was from eyewitness accounts. Right, and so there's so many documents and you know people say well, it's such an old book.

Well, that's true. Yeah, it is old, but the accuracy because. Of all that, you know people believe. Oh Homer's Iliad well, there was like a Thousand years that had transpired after he wrote it so. They're just recalling it a thousand years after the fact.

Mm-hmm. Yeah, but yeah scripture which they doubt was just less than a hundred years and There's so many there's only a few accounts of Homer's Iliad. But there's thousands of account.

Right and ultimately it doesn't matter what a critic or an unbeliever says because we're Christians and we believe God and not Skeptics and we you know, we get our truth from Jesus and the prophets and the Apostles we don't get our truth from God-hating Darwinists and atheists who think that the World came from nothing or the universe came from nothing and that men evolved from from slime.

Okay, they have they have their own miracles. They have their own Story and the the world most people are buying into it. It doesn't matter what they say because they're they're on the road to hell so we need to tell them what the scripture says and Not really be all that concerned with their Alternative facts or whatever.

Whatever they want to call them. All right next Bible study is more than just reading the Bible it involves careful observation interpretation and Application reading gives you the overall picture but study helps you think learn and apply what you Read to your life.

Memorizing Scripture and Meditating on God's Word

So memorize it says how can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to your word. Your word I have treasured in my heart that I may not sin against you and that Psalm 119 9 and 11 so What do you have written here?

It says so section D. Number one, how did God command Israel to remember his word? Deuteronomy 11 18. How did God do that? Okay by keeping it in their hearts and minds their hearts and soul. Deuteronomy 11 19 by what?

Okay by teaching children all day. Read Matthew 4 4 7 and 10. During the three confrontations with Satan. What did Jesus do to overcome his temptations? How did Jesus combat the devil when the devil tempted him in the wilderness?

What did Jesus do in response? Right. He quoted scripture and Jesus could quote scripture because He read the scripture. He heard the scripture. He memorized the scripture. You can't do that. If you don't know it, right?

He was the scripture made flesh. Yep. How might you apply this example to your own life? Well, this is obvious. How do you do it? Memorize it right you need to memorize the scripture. So if it was important for Jesus, hey, that means it's important for you, too.

Why because You are a follower of Jesus and if somebody listening is not a follower of Jesus I would just say who else in this world. Do you want to follow? You're gonna follow somebody. You might not even be aware that you're following somebody people follow.

Whatever celebrity and Famous influential powerful people everybody's following somebody if you think you're just following yourself serving yourself. I mean, are you the one are you really the one that you want to follow?

Are you that you have that high an estimation of yourself? And how has it been working for you? That would be my question. So we're all gonna follow somebody follow Christ. No, man has ever made a greater impact on the world than Christ.

No, man was more Knowledgeable, I mean whatever however you describe it Christ had all knowledge glory power wisdom. Larry. Okay. Number three write Psalm 40 verse 8 in your own words. Who'd like to do that?

All right. Well. The desire to do God's will Happens when the word is in our heart. So you need to have the word in your heart and then You'll have a desire to do God's where anyone anything different.

All right. Says here it is easier to memorize with a purpose understanding the meaning or application of the passage will make memorizing Easier. Okay, let's go on to number e. Meditate on it. Most people meditation.

This is probably the picture you have when you think of meditation you think of somebody sitting Indian style. I know that's politically incorrect to say that but it's you know what it means. They're sitting Indian style on the floor legs crossed and they're they got their arms hands out like this.

And they're going oh. And To them that's meditating or you know, just sit there and just clear your mind. Don't think about anything. Well, that's not really meditation. I mean that's a different form of meditation.

That's not what the scriptures talking about. So when we meditate on God's Word, are we supposed to clear our mind? Well of all the junk and all the worldliness sure but we are to focus on what his words.

So you engage your mind with the word? What is the word saying? Say it again in your mind and think about it. What is God trying to communicate in his words so spend time? Yeah, you do need some peace and quiet for meditation, but it's not clearing your mind.

It's not like the other forms of meta the the other form of meditation comes from a religion, you know. That's Eastern religion, right? It's Buddhism. It's Hinduism. But this is Christian meditation where we actually have something to think about.

And I would argue this is much more beneficial so Psalm 1 1 through 3 how blessed is The man or how happy is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked nor stand in the path of sinners. Nor sit in the seat of scoffers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord and it is his meditation all.

The day that doesn't mean he didn't do anything else all day, but he's constantly thinking about God's Word. If you really love something you're constantly thinking about it or if you can't if you love somebody you are constantly Thinking about them, right?

Well that person I haven't thought about them in years. Okay, that happens or how much love you have for that right so if you love God's Word of a desire for God's Word. You're gonna want to read it and hear it and all the rest.

Okay, any questions comments? No. Very observant. All right, number two, how does meditation assist you. Joshua 1 verse 8? Now well it helps Christians to be careful to do. According to all that is written in it.

Do you think God's Word can affect your speech or actions you know. Years ago. I I never listened to this music, but years ago I had some friends who got into listening to rap music like the gangster rap music and It's just Profane profanity laced all throughout right and after a few weeks or a few months of them listening.

What did they start to do take a wild guess what they started to do? Yeah, they started just the way they talked totally conformed to that. That style of music and that's the same. You know you go down south as some of you who listen to the sermon.

There's also a sermon you're supposed to listen to when studying this Lesson you heard John MacArthur say when he goes down south if he's down south for a few weeks. He comes back talking like this. It's just natural so whatever you fill your mind with it's gonna come out.

It's gonna come out somehow so. You know you can kind of tell the person who's immersed in God's Word. Maybe versus the person who isn't but it really will have an impact on the way that you talk and your actions.

Yes. Yeah, yeah, I don't hang around with those guys anymore. Just letting you know. You know. They wouldn't want to hang out with me either. I don't think but number four besides Being diligent and learning God's Word.

What else should we do in order to understand it psalm? 11973 and 125 we do what we pray for? Understanding. Pray for understanding. All right, we're just about out of time, but there is one more thing I want to cover.

This is number three the Bible study process and a lot of this. It's not really beneficial for me to go over it. It's stuff you really needed to do at home on your own when you read the scripture ask those basic questions who what when where why how and.

And. The instructions are all in the book, but number three the Bible study process a step one preparation. What should we do before we approach the scriptures? Okay, so if you get up in the morning, maybe you that's your time to read the Bible the first thing you should do first.

Peter 2 1 2. I heard pray and yes, you're doing this while you're praying. But what's something you should do before you read the scriptures and study it? Yeah, confess your sin. Sin, I have no sin.

You need to read the Bible more because that's not true. So we should pray. Yes confess our sin. And what should be the content of our prayer as we prepare to study God's Word. This is from Colossians 1 9 10.

What is it. Yep, ask or pray for wisdom and Understanding.