Right in the Sight of the Lord
A Better Bible Study Method – Book Two
God's Word Can Teach Us
How to Know the Truth

© 2020 by J. Phillips
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Scripture references are from the Holy Bible, King James Version. Some of this work appeared in a prior edition under another title. Portions of that book are included herein along with new research and more examples to show scripture's teaching leads people to grow in grace and knowledge by challenging them with the truth.

Note: The disciple whom Jesus loved was the anonymous author of the fourth gospel in our Bible and the term fourth gospel is used in this book to identify quotations from his work. Visit TheDiscipleWhomJesusLoved.com for biblical evidence on the identity of this unnamed gospel author.

 

Preface

"Whom the Lord loveth he correcteth" (Prv 3:12).

"Reproofs of instruction are the way of life" (Prv 6:23).

"The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life" (Prv 14:27).

"Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth" (Ps 86:11).

"O Lord: give me understanding according to thy word" (Ps 119:169).

"The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; and before honor is humility" (Prv 15:33).

"Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name" (Ps 96:8).

"Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name" (Ps 138:2).

"The word of our God shall stand forever" (Isa 40:8).

"The entrance of thy words giveth light" (Ps 119:130).

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God" (2Ti 3:16).

"He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much" (Lk 16:10).

"A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump" (Gal 5:9).

"Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge" (Prv 19:27).

"Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word" (Ps 119:9).

"The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe" (Prv 29:25).

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Ps 111:10).

"The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth" (Ps 145:18).

 

Introduction

"Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom 10:17). This teaches a progression that results in faith. It begins with God's word producing hearing, then this hearing produces faith. This book focuses on the first step in this process and shows it is possible to get better at hearing God's word.

If we desire to please God and know "without faith it is impossible to please him" (Heb 11:6), then we should welcome every opportunity to increase our faith. Since the word of God produces the hearing that produces faith, we should spend time thinking on God's word and do what we can to improve our understanding of it.

People often come to opposite conclusions about what the Bible is saying. The hearing produced by God's word would surely not lead to contrary beliefs. So, if we are confronted by contrary ideas, we can know that one or both of them arise from an inaccurate understanding of scripture because both cannot be true.

How should we go about deciding what is true on biblical matters? We should do so according to the scriptures. Proverbs 30:5 tells us, "every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him." The evidence herein will show how God's word can correct mistakes in our understanding or prevent them from occurring in the first place. For instance, the following example shows how terms used in scripture can be easily misunderstood if they are not defined according to a biblical standard.

Word pictures are figures of speech that briefly convey a complex idea. One used by Jesus was that of drinking a man's blood, such as when he said, "whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day" (Fourth gospel 6:54). Drinking his blood is not about the oral intake of a red liquid (Jesus' hemoglobin) and God's word had already established this by scripture's use of this term. As the following example shows, a straightforward reading of scripture can open our eyes to the truth like nothing else. When David was in the cave of Adullam and the city of Bethlehem was in Philistine hands, three of his mighty men put their lives at risk on a covert mission to satisfy David's longing:

"David was then in the hold, and the Philistines' garrison was then at Bethlehem. And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate! And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the Lord, And said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? For with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore, he would not drink it" (1Chr 11:16-19).

Here, David taught a lesson about the value of life to his men and his words also give us the key to the word picture that was used by Jesus. The Bible has the keys to the word pictures that we find in scripture and, when we learn this, we discover one of the ways God's word teaches men how to properly understand scripture. As he poured out the water to the Lord, David said, "shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy?" (1Chr 11:19) "Drink the blood" is not a physical description. It portrays a willingness to accept a man laying down his life on your behalf!

Jesus laid down his life for his friends and when they accept this, they drink his blood. As this example shows, it is important to view the words of scripture according to the standard of scripture, and it will be shown how holding to God's word as our measure of truth can correct errors that result from false assumptions. [Some think Jesus' use of this word picture caused many of his disciples to forsake him and, later, we will see if scripture supports this idea.]

"It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man" (Ps 118:8). Therefore, scripture will be the only source cited herein. Since we all make mistakes, we should be humble enough to put our beliefs to the test of scripture and invite biblical correction.

Results speak for themselves, and this book uses an approach to scripture that will prove to be a reliable way to distinguish truth from error. So, if the evidence-based Bible study method that will be modeled in the case studies can lead to a better understanding of God's word, then it makes sense for us to keep on using it.

 

Chapter 1 – Founded Upon God's Word

This chapter begins to show how the counsel of scripture teaches us a better bible study method. God's counsel can help us to identify faulty views that result from our blind spots and teach us how to view scripture from the right perspective.

Growth Requires Change

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding" (Prv 3:5). This warns against allowing assumptions to prejudice our view of scripture since there may be a difference between what the Bible says and what people think it means. But in God's word, we have a reliable standard we can use to validate our understanding of scripture, and admonitions like Proverbs 3:5 should guide our approach to scripture. The words "lean not unto thine own understanding" also counsel us against relying on the teachings of men, for why would we rely on the understanding of men who should not even be leaning on their own understanding? Proverbs 3:6 goes on to say, "in all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths," and God, through his word, will be the authority who directs us throughout the examples in this book.

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" (2Ti 3:16). This profit comes at a cost. Growth requires change and change can be uncomfortable, so people may resist change for this reason alone. If it turns out something we believe does not line up with scripture, then our judgment is called into question by the process of correction. But we do not like having our judgment called into question. So, we must be conscious of the tug of war which will tend to go on between pride and humility, because pride will naturally incline us toward resisting correction.

How to Find Right Answers

Teachers can give students the right answers, but they help them grow by showing them how to derive the answer. God's word can do both. It can move us from error to truth on an issue and it also teaches us how to find the right answers, as will be shown.

Paul and Timothy wrote, "we dare not… compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise" (2Cor 10:12). Even so, looking at what others believe and conforming to groupthink is a common practice.

Many fall prey to the notion that a given belief must be right if it is believed by a majority. But this is not reliable, for men can hold a common belief and still be wrong, even if they are highly trained.

Good investigators weigh the evidence themselves. They do not rely on others to tell them what to think. Likewise, our conclusions on biblical issues should be dictated by the evidence that is found in God's word, not on what others have already concluded it says.

A Consistent Regard for Scripture

Some think the Old Testament part of our Bible has little to say to us today. But this was the only scripture that existed in Jesus' day, and the New Testament tells us this part of scripture is for us also.

• "Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning" (Rom 15:4).
• "Now all these things happened unto them for examples and they are written for our admonition" (1Cor 10:11).

The Old Testament has things to teach us, and it also provides us with part of the context of New Testament events. It is easy for us to misconstrue God's word if it is taken out of context, as we saw when the term "drink my blood" was considered earlier.

Paul said he believed "all things which are written in the law and in the prophets" (Acts 24:14). Teaching people to trust what is written in God's word is what Jesus and the apostles did each time they cited scripture!

Terms such as "it is written," and "all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms" (Mt 2:5, Lk 24:4, et al.) taught people to respect the authority of the Old Testament. So, we need to value all of God's word.

Prove All Things

"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good" (1Th 5:21) urges us to put every idea to the test. The Bereans "received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so" (Acts 17:11), and we can do likewise. If an idea we thought was true ends up failing the test of scripture, is this a problem, or a blessing that comes to those who prove all things? To those who love the truth, the answer is evident.

It is important to speak the word of God faithfully (cf. Jer 23:28), but many do not do so. For example, if people simply say, 'the truth will set you free' they take Jesus' words out of context. How so? First, this was said to people who believed on Jesus. Second, this was part of a qualified statement. Here are his words in context:

"Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (Fourth gospel 8:31-32).

"If ye continue in my word" is a condition; therefore, "the truth shall make you free" only applied to those who continue in Jesus' word. To say, "the truth shall make you free" as if this unconditionally applies to anyone, does not present God's word faithfully, and as the reader will see, failing to do this causes many problems.

Scripture encourages proper judgment, and asking questions is part of the process that people use to distinguish truth from error. Some say it is not good to ask too many questions, but as will be shown in a moment, scripture does not back up this claim.

Since scripture says, "it is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man" (Ps 118:8), it is important to know if a teaching is of God or of men. The case studies herein will show how this can be done. If people stopped adopting the beliefs of other men, would this undermine the authority of scripture? No, the opposite is what happens. People grow in grace and knowledge when they stop putting confidence in the teachings of men and, instead, rely on the words of scripture as their measure of truth.

Ask Good Questions

Scripture does not warn against asking too many questions. Rather, it focuses on the kind of questions we ask. It says to avoid foolish and unprofitable questions.

Paul told Timothy to "follow righteousness, faith, charity [love], peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart" (2Ti 2:22). Then he said, "but foolish and unlearned questions avoid" (2Ti 2:23). In Titus 3:9, we find similar counsel: "avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain." People do not turn from the truth because they ask too many questions about the Bible but because they adopt beliefs that turn them from the teachings of scripture. Problems arise when people question the authority of God's word. But questioning whether a teaching or idea is in line with scripture does not dishonor God, because upholding the word of God as the standard of truth is precisely what scripture urges us to do!

Check for Blind Spots

We tend to make assumptions about what we read in the Bible. This often leads to a flawed view of God's word. For an example, consider this report:

"there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home" (Fourth gospel 19:25-28).

Did he want this disciple to adopt his mother and care for her from then on? No. While Mary's four other sons (cf. Mt 13:55) were not on the scene, they were not going to abandon their mother because their brother Jesus was killed. Therefore, Mary would not need a caretaker for the remainder of her life. So, Jesus must have had something else in mind. Is there a way we can determine what he meant when he spoke those words from the cross? Yes, there is.

Jesus said many things during his ministry and at times his words were misunderstood. Therefore, this shows that what people think Jesus' words meant may not equate to what he actually meant. While this could be true of any passage, let us focus on the words spoken by Jesus in the passage above.

"When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother!" How can we know for sure what was in his mind when he said this? We can let scripture teach us to see Jesus' words from his point of view.

He knew he would rise from the dead on the third day! On multiple occasions Jesus taught his disciples, he would rise from the dead on "the third day" (Mt 16:21, et al.), yet they did not take this to heart.

But this must be considered because it gives context to the words Jesus spoke from the cross. Taking account of what Jesus knew enables us to see his words from his point of view. When Jesus was dying, he knew his mother's grief would be turned into joy in less than 72 hours, so he was giving the disciple "whom he loved" a temporary assignment! He was to comfort Mary during her time of grief, and this did not require her to move in with this disciple. [Note: the disciple whom Jesus loved was not the Apostle John, as many assume. For the biblical proof on this see TDWJL.com.]

When Mary, Jesus' brothers, and the disciples learned about his resurrection, it would change everything for them. Mary was not going to be left destitute, and Jesus surely knew this. In Acts 1:14, we are told, the apostles "continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren." God added "about three thousand souls" (Acts 2:41) to their number just ten days later. Acts 2:44-46 also tells us:

"all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart."

Here again, we see how scripture can correct beliefs that come from a rush to judgment. We have blind spots when we are not considering all of the data the Bible has to offer. Another example of a blind spot involves John the Baptist, and later it will be shown how scripture can correct us there too.

Practicing Due Diligence

Above, when we took the time to weigh Jesus' words, we could understand what he meant. It is possible to gain this kind of insight from a quick read through scripture, but this is more likely to occur when we meditate on God's word.

One sermon a week is not the same as consuming daily bread! The more we read the Bible and think on what it says, the better equipped we will be to understand it. Paul's admonition to Timothy indicates "rightly dividing the word of truth" (2Ti 2:15) follows from a diligent focus on God's word. For an example of the kind of things that can be missed in a cursory reading of scripture, consider what we are told about the events on the day of Pentecost:

"there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they [120 disciples (cf. Acts 1:15)] were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? … we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?" (Acts 2:2-8 & 11-12)

Pentecost was one of the annual feasts of the Lord, so this is why these "devout men" from "every nation" were there in Jerusalem.

These men went to look into rumors of the disciples speaking in "other tongues" and they heard the disciples speaking in their own languages. They wondered how this could be since they could tell the disciples were Galileans. Nevertheless, they understood what the disciples had said, and they declared, "we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God." However, when they said this, it caused a division:

"Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day" (Acts 2:12-15).

Who was accused of being drunk? Some say the disciples, but if this idea is put to the test of scripture what happens? The disciples did not slur their words or talk nonsense. Those who heard them in their own languages were "amazed," and devout men would not be mocking after they heard about "the wonderful works of God." So, what conclusion is demanded by the data? Well, who accused who of being drunk? The evidence indicates this dispute occurred between two groups (identified by the terms "they" and "others").

"Devout men" in Jerusalem heard about the disciples speaking in "other tongues." When they looked into it, "every man heard them speak in his own language." It says, "they were all amazed and marveled" and said to each other, "how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?" and then they testified, "we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God." But when they declared this, they were mocked by "others!" Why? Because their claim would seem insane to men from their nations who also spoke those same languages but heard no such thing. Those who claimed to hear about God's works were the ones who were accused of being drunk, and Peter spoke up to defend them against this charge. He asked everyone to listen to him and said:

"Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose… " (Acts 2:14-15).

At that point, Peter spoke in a language that was understood by the whole crowd, and they did not think he was drunk because they listened to everything he said. Also, notice Peter did not say 'we' are not drunk, for the accusation was not directed against him and the disciples who spoke in other tongues. It was against those who claimed to hear the disciples in their own native languages! Still, the accusation made no sense, as he showed when he said it was only "the third hour of the day."

We are not told what the mockers thought of the disciples who spoke in other tongues. Regardless, one cannot assume mockers and "devout men" are equally able to hear God's truth, for scripture repeatedly teaches that not everyone has ears to hear (Rv 2:7, et al.). Moreover, blessings are often linked to conditions. On the night before Jesus was crucified, one of his disciples asked, "Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?" (Fourth gospel 14:22) If he would "manifest" himself to his followers, but he would not do this for "the world," this involves discrimination. In his reply, Jesus said, "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" (Fourth gospel 14:23). So, this blessing is only for those who keep the words of Jesus because of their love for him.

Biblical Correction is a Blessing

A misunderstanding here or there is not an indicator. But a pattern of misjudging scripture indicates something is definitely wrong. This need not be discouraging, for scripture contains the remedy. An evidence-based Bible study method will consistently lead us to a correct understanding of scripture, if we submit to the authority of God and welcome the correction we receive from his word, both on individual topics and on how we assess truth. In Luke 5:30-39, men who resisted Jesus' teachings confronted him. He told them, "new wine must be put into new bottles" (Lk 5:38). Here he taught the importance of compatibility. Beliefs must be compatible with the thinking process that a person uses when they are choosing what to believe. The practice of consistently relying on God's word is compatible with scripture and this is what is taught in this book. Trusting in our beliefs or in the teachings of men causes us to lose the benefits that come with thinking that adheres to God's counsel.

A person does not need to be a scholar to understand God's word, but proper understanding does require respect for God's authority. Jesus once asked a group of men, "how can ye believe, which receive honor one of another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only?" (Fourth gospel 5:44) If this taught a principle that was not only true for people in his day, then we must think about how it applies to us. If belief in Jesus is founded on seeking "the honor that cometh from God only," then we must also do this. Herein, the principle he taught will be applied to the study of scripture.

In the same context, Jesus said, "I receive not honor from men" (Fourth gospel 5:41). Should we be following his lead? We are honored when men invite us into their group. We like it when people want to associate with us. We take confidence in knowing others agree with us. Social media leads many to seek the affirmation of others. Seeking the approval of men can lead us to avoid doing what is right in God's eyes (because people tend to conform to the views of those who they associate with.) This is the danger of receiving "honor one of another." It gets people to adopt a standard that honors men rather than God. In verses like, "set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth" (Col 3:2) we find additional counsel on this topic that can also help to keep our eyes focused on God's authority when it comes to our approach to scripture.

Some Final Words Before Proceeding

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Ps 119:105). This pictures one of the ways God's word can direct us if we let it teach us where to stand on an issue and where to go with a thought.

Five biblical case studies will be used to show how the testimony of scripture can teach people a right understanding of God's word. Each case study is set up as an exercise that will allow the reader to get a sense of how much they might benefit from the approach that is being presented. Of course, this book cannot possibly deal with every item in every passage. Nevertheless, the evidence that is presented will advance the cause of truth. While many common questions will be addressed, others will remain unanswered and new ones will be raised for the reader to answer.

Double quotation marks will be reserved for scripture quotes only, and God's word will be the only authority cited. This format will enable the scripture citations to stand out. But it also means that, at times, single quotation marks will be used at points where one might typically expect to find double quotation marks being used. The King James Version (KJV) will be referenced, so some words or spellings that are in the biblical quotations may be unfamiliar. Even so, those who use other Bible translations will still be able to follow all the points of evidence.

Note: When words in a Bible quotation are in italics, it is because this is how the words appear in the KJV. Also, the abbreviation cf. is used to reference verses that can provide further confirmation on the point being deliberated at the time.

Hopefully, the passages already discussed have offered insights that will motivate you to want more. The same strategy employed in the case studies that are interspersed between the chapters, will also be used to weigh the evidence on all the topics that will be considered, and it will help to answer questions such as these:

• James 2:26 says "faith without works is dead," but what does this mean and how is belief different from faith?
• What about people who have never heard about Jesus?
• Do men get into the kingdom of God by being born again?
• Why was Abel's offering accepted, while Cain's was not?
• The last book of the Bible mentions a great white throne, but who sat on the other great white throne in scripture?
• What was Nicodemus seeking when he met with Jesus?
• Did the woman who spoke with Jesus at Jacob's well have a good reputation among her fellow Samaritans?
• Where do antichrists come from?

If we are shown biblical evidence that can lead us to the truth on these issues and others, then, at that point, it is up to us to go where the evidence in the word of God leads. "Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men" (Col 3:23). Since this was written to the "faithful brethren in Christ" (Col 1:2), this counsel would surely apply to our study of God's word also. Thus, our eyes need to be on the Lord and not on men if we want to do right.