The Bible Only


Why are there so many different interpretations of the Bible among various churches, groups, and even individuals today? Why do some popular teachings seem to have a weak foundation in the Scriptures, if any? Why do many commonly accepted practices among Christians seem to run directly contrary to the Bible's principles?

In this lesson, we want to go back to the foundation of the Christian faith, the Bible. We do not need to wander in a maze of pluralistic theories--the Bible has made the answers to our questions clear.

1. Who is the real author of the Bible?

2 Timothy 3:16 "All scripture is given by inspiration of _____________."   
2 Peter 1:21 "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the ________________."

2. Whom did God use to put His messages into words to share with others?

2 Peter 1:21 "_______________________ spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."

Amos 3:7 "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto His _____________ the _____________. 

Note: The Bible's 66 books were written by around 40 authors living on three different continents, during a time span of  about 1,500 years. Its coherence and unified message under these circumstances are strong evidence of its inspiration by one divine Author.

3. Is the Bible trustworthy, or does it contain a mixture of human opinion and divine truth?

Psalm 119:160 "Thy word is _____________ from the beginning: and every one of Thy righteous judgments endureth for ever." 

Psalm 12:6, 7 "The words of the Lord are _____________ words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, Thou shalt _____________ them from this generation for ever."

Note: God's Word is truth (John 17:17), and no lie is of the truth (1 John 2:21). It was inspired by God, not man's ideas or opinions (2 Peter 1:20, 21). It is pure, free from falsehood, and we are assured that God has preserved its purity down through the centuries.

4. Can man understand the Bible well enough to discover concrete answers to his questions?

Psalm 119:105 "Thy word is a _____________ unto my feet, and a _____________ unto my path."

2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture...is profitable for _____________,for _____________, for _____________, for _____________ in righteousness."

Note: The Bible provides all of the information we need to determine the truth or falsity of doctrines, and all the principles we need to guide us in a righteous life.

5. Do we need any additional sources beyond the Bible to dictate what we ought to believe or how we ought to act?

Matthew 4:4 "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of _____________ ."

Note: While we can sometimes be assisted in our understanding by commentaries, studies, and uninspired books, none of these is the norm of Christian faith and practice. Only the Bible holds that place. We should never base our teachings on the uninspired words or opinions of man.

6. Why, then, are there so many conflicting theories of Christian doctrine and practice that all claim to be biblical?

Note: There are a number of incorrect methods of Bible intepretation that often lead people into incorrect  understandings of what the Bible is trying to say. In this way, many honest people are led astray. Let's take a look at some incorrect methods of Bible interpretation, so we can avoid them.

A. Using theories and doctrines taught by men as a guide to interpreting the Bible.

Matthew 15:9 "But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for _____________ the commandments of _____________."

B. Basing a belief on a few texts and ignoring other texts that also treat on the subject.

Isaiah 28:9, 10 "Whom shall He teach knowledge? and whom shall He make to understand doctrine? ... For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; _____________ a little, and _____________ a little."

Luke 24:27 "And beginning at Moses and _____________ the prophets, He expounded unto them in _____________ the scriptures the things concerning Himself."

C. Reading a text and ignoring its context in the passage.

Deuteronomy 12:28 "Observe and hear _____________ these words which I command thee."

D. Basing a belief on an unclear passage of Scripture, while ignoring clear passages that make the issue plain.

2 Peter 3:16 "As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be _____________, which they that are unlearned and unstable _____________, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction."   

7. In interpreting the Bible, should we take church tradition into account?

Matthew 15:1-3, 6 "Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees...saying,  Why do Thy disciples transgress the _____________ of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. But He answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the _____________ of God by your _____________? ... Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your _____________."

Mark 7:9 "And He said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own _____________."

Colossians 2:8 "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the _____________ of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." 

Note: Church traditions are not our norm of faith and practice; the Bible is. A church can take a collective stand on issues, but it has no right to make rules or beliefs not based on the Word of God. Church pronouncements should have no weight in our determination of what is truth.

8. How can we be certain that we will not be caught up in any of the deceptions abounding in the religious world?

1 Thessalonians 5:21 "_____________ all things; hold fast that which is good."

Acts 17:11 "They received the word with all readiness of mind, and _____________ the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." 

Note: We must test everything we hear or read by the Word. We must search the Word diligently to know if what we are hearing is correct.

9. If I am unknowingly espousing a belief or practice that is not biblical, will God hold me accountable, since I am in ignorance?

Acts 17:30 "And the times of this ignorance God  _____________ at; but now commandeth all men every where to _____________."

John 3:19, 20 "And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved _____________ rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither _____________ to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved."

Luke 12:47, 48 "And that servant, which _____________ his lord's will, and _____________ not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that __________________, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much _____________: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more."

Note: God judges people by whether they are living up to all the light that they honestly have. In mercy, He winks at the mistakes of those who are living up to the best that they have the opportunity to know. However, God has sent us light into the world, through the Holy Bible and through Jesus Christ. If we neglect to study the teachings of Christ and the Bible, and choose to remain in willful ignorance, God will no longer be able to wink at our ignorance. A desire to remain in ignorance, in hopes of avoiding accountability, is to love darkness. To whom much has been given, of him much will be required. Much truth has been given us if we have free access to a Bible. God will require of us corresponding obedience.

10. If I learn new truth from Scripture, must I act on it immediately?

James 4:17 "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is _____________." 

11. Why is it that at some times in the past, God's people did not understand all of the truth that they do now? 
 
John 16:12, 13 "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot _____________ them now. Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all  _____________: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come."

Proverbs 4: 18 "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth _____________ and _____________ unto the perfect day."

John 12:35, 36 "Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a __________________ is the light with you. Walk while ye have the _____________, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have _____________, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light."

Note: God does not reveal every aspect of truth to a group of people all at once. He usually reveals more and more truth as they are able and willing to receive it. By its very nature, truth is progressive. Acceptance of one truth leads us step by step to an understanding of additional truths. As long as we consistently accept and obey all that God reveals, we are acceptable with God. If at any point we shrink from acceptance of revealed truth, we will be left in darkness.

At times in history, when certain truths were still hidden to God's people, they did things in ignorance which we now, with the fuller light of truth, realize are not according to God's ideal. Some people or groups have made great strides in reformation, even to the point of being strongly persecuted for clinging to unpopular truth. However, as time has gone by, the descendants of those groups have not always held to the principle their fathers held: "God's truth at any cost." They have not followed on to accept further and further truth, but have left off where their fathers left off.

The pastor of the Puritans who left Europe for the New World, John Robinson, did not accompany them to America. As he was soon to part from them, he admonished them with these words, which ought to be the spirit of every truth-seeking Christian:

"Brethren, we are now erelong to part asunder, and the Lord knoweth whether I shall live ever to see your faces more. But whether the Lord hath appointed it or not, I charge you before God and His blessed angels to follow me no farther than I have followed Christ. If God should reveal anything to you by any other instrument of His, be as ready to receive it as ever you were to receive any truth of my ministry; for I am very confident the Lord hath more truth and light yet to break forth out of His holy word."--Martyn, vol. 5, p. 70. 

"For my part, I cannot sufficiently bewail the condition of the reformed churches, who are come to a period in religion, and will go at present no farther than the instruments of their reformation. The Lutherans cannot be drawn to go beyond what Luther saw; . . . and the Calvinists, you see, stick fast where they were left by that great man of God, who yet saw not all things. This is a misery much to be lamented; for though they were burning and shining lights in their time, yet they penetrated not into the whole counsel of God, but were they now living, would be as willing to embrace further light as that which they first received."--D. Neal, History of the Puritans, vol. 1, p. 269. 

"Remember your church covenant, in which you have agreed to walk in all the ways of the Lord, made or to be made known unto you. Remember your promise and covenant with God and with one another, to receive whatever light and truth shall be made known to you from His written word; but withal, take heed, I beseech you, what you receive for truth, and compare it and weigh it with other scriptures of truth before you accept it; for it is not possible the Christian world should come so lately out of such thick antichristian darkness, and that full perfection of knowledge should break forth at once."--Martyn, vol. 5, pp. 70, 71.  (The above three quotations are cited in The Great Controversy, Ellen G. White, pp. 291, 292.

Conclusion: The Bible reveals everything that we need to know to be saved. If we study it with an open mind and ask for the Holy Spirit to teach us, we are promised that He will guide us into increased truth. We are also promised that grace will be given to us to obey all that we learn.

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