Some teens might reason, "If I obey my parents and church teachings, why do I need to study the Bible? I’m busy with school and social activities. What benefit would it be for me to make the time for personal Bible study?" This discussion guide is for those who ask such questions. It is designed to help you discover what the Bible itself says are the benefits for putting forth the effort to read and study the Word of God. As you come to understand this important principle, you will also learn how to study the Bible.

1. What are some common beliefs and attitudes towards Bible study?

2. Have you ever tried to study the Bible? If so, did you find it difficult? Was it hard to do it daily? What hindrances to Bible study do you face?

WHY Study the Bible

Daniel 7:27 – “Then the kingdom and dominion, And the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, Shall be given to the people, the saints of the Most High. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And all dominions shall serve and obey Him.”

1. What is God’s Plan concerning the future?

2. Who is a “saint”? Explain Psalm 50:5 and Revelation 14:12.

Comment: In what time of man’s history would you like to live? Would it be in the time of Noah? Or when David was king? How about being there when the pyramids were built?

How about the time of the great crusades? Or any of the other eras or kingdoms of man? All these had their shortcomings, and in any of them you would more than likely have been a slave, dying in your 20s or 30s with hardly enough food or decent shelter and with sickness, injury and hardship tearing into you with every step. With that in mind, maybe you are thinking that “this is the age that I want to live in.” Hatred and violence everywhere, wars, killing continually knocking at our doors… So many varieties of cancer, heart problems, AIDS, hundreds of other illnesses… All out of control. Let’s go back to that question, why study the Bible? It speaks of a time where people will be healthier and wealthier than at any other time. Do you know of that kingdom, where there is no war to be fought, and where people will live fulfilling, healthy, beautiful long lives, not worrying about the problems of the eras and kingdoms of man? God is challenging you to not only know of it, but live it! So one reason to study the Bible is to know the future and know how to train and prepare for it.

Ecclesiastes 9:3 – “…Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live ….”

3. What is the nature of man?

4. Do you think after about two or three hundred years of living you and your friends would make the world a better or a worse place? People did, at one time, have the opportunity to live very long lives – hundreds of years, in fact. What was the outcome of that era? Read Genesis 6:5 and answer.

Jeremiah 10:23 – “O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.”

5. How many people instinctively know how to live properly?

6. What man can tell you how to live?

Deuteronomy 8:3 – Man is supposed to live “…by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.”

7. If no human being knows on his own how to live successfully (that is, fulfill his potential, become a saint, and beneficently rule in the Kingdom of God), how is man to learn?

8. What source has God provided mankind for this vital knowledge? Where can we find God’s words?

2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV).– “All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness”

9. How can studying the Bible help us? What does it mean that the Bible is useful for “teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness?” Consider 1 Corinthians 3:19 before answering.

Comment : It’s in man’s nature to do what is evil in God’s sight. There is nothing we can do to change the fact that the world will do evil. So, the world is going to continue on its path to destruction -- but we have in our hands the tool that shows us how to stand out and set an example for the rest of the world of the right way to live.

2 Timothy 2:15 – “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”

10. What can we do to find favor in God’s sight?

Acts 17:11 – “These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.”

11. How was the attitude of those in Berea different from citizens of Thessalonica towards hearing the Scriptures expounded?

12. What are we to do when someone (including a minister in church) instructs us? Read also Isaiah 8:20 and comment.

13. What reasons for studying the Bible do you find in the following verses:

• Proverbs 1:1-4
• John 5:39
• Romans 15:4
• 1 Corinthians 10:11
• 1 Peter 2:2
• Revelation 1:3

How to Study the Bible

Now that we’ve considered why study the Bible, let’s see how one properly studies the Bible.

James 4:6-7 (NIV) – “…’God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit yourselves, then, to God…”

1. In order to understand the Bible, what is the most beneficial mindset? What do you think is the right attitude to have in order to really understand how God wants us to live?

2. What is humility? Why is this important when we want to learn something?

Comment: Do you remember what the purpose of scripture is according to 2 Timothy 3:16? How many people do you know who like to be rebuked and corrected? It’s not so much our method of studying that’s important – this isn’t something as easy as reading a chapter before bed each night – but our attitude.

3. Would prayer before studying be a good idea? If so, for what would you pray?

Psalm 111:10 – “… A good understanding have all those who do His commandments.”

4. How can we have understanding?

5. Is it possible to obey God with the wrong attitude? What attitude did Jonah have?

Comment: Think about Jonah: he eventually obeyed God and went to Ninevah to tell all the people they were going to die because they were doing evil in God’s sight. The Ninevites repented and God spared the city, which made Jonah mad because he wanted God to destroy the over 120,000 Ninevites.

In order to understand the intended purpose of a verse (or verses), there are certain questions that need to be answered about the passage. These include: (1) to whom the passage was directed; (2) when it was written; (3) what the historical or cultural context was when the passage was written.

6. What Bible “helps” (e.g. Bible commentary, Bible dictionary, atlas) contain such information?

Isaiah 28:9-10 – “’Whom will he teach knowledge? And whom will he make to understand the message? … For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little.’”

7. What is this scriptural passage telling us about how the Bible was written? What must one do to understand God’s will concerning a particular subject?

8. How can a concordance be of use to one seeking understanding of God’s Word? Do you think the Bereans (Acts 17:11) would have liked to have had a concordance? Why?

9. How would having more than one translation of the Bible help in understanding the Bible?

Summary

1. Why does God want us to study His Word?

2. What reason for Bible study do you find to be the most motivating for you?

3. What must be our attitude while studying the Bible in order to understand it?

4. Explain why obedience to God’s Word is necessary for understanding it.

5. Of what value are "Bible helps"?