How to Approach Scripture

We have been talking about thirsting for God and what hinders that thirst.

A major hindrance is how we approach His Word.

If we come to Scripture casually, we should not be surprised when our love for God remains shallow.

Dennis Fisher said, “The secret of a deep love for God is spending unhurried time with Him.”

Stopping and slowing down is important.

We should hurry into God’s presence, but we should never rush through our time with Him.

We don’t ruse to finish; we linger to listen.

When you consider God’s call to salvation, you see that He has already decided how we must approach Him.

That call is not casual; it’s a call to diligence.

YOU MUST HAVE A DILIGENT APPROACH.

Your calling at salvation was a call to diligence.

Think about this for a moment.

You were called to enter the narrow gate.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:13–14 “13 “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 “For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

Diligence is noted when Jesus talks about few finding the narrow gate.

Jesus said in Luke 13:24, “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.”

The word “strive” is the Greek word agonizomai.

That word means “to struggle, to fight, to exert with intense effort like an athlete contending for a prize.”

This is speaking of agonizing effort, a serious and purposeful struggle rather than a casual interest.

Paul uses it in 1 Corinthians 9:25 when he says, “Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.”

He used it to speak of Epaphras in Colossians 4:12 when he said, “Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.”

Jesus uses it here in Luke 13:24 to speak of the urgency and seriousness of seeking Him and salvation.

You were also called to seek God with all your heart.

Deuteronomy 4:29 says, “But from there you will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul.”

You were also called to deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow Him (Lk.9:23).

Since you were called to be diligent in coming to Christ, you must approach your relationship with Jesus in the same way.

You must be diligent in how you present yourself to God.

Look with me at 2 Timothy 2:15.

Paul talks about how you must be diligent in how you present yourself to God.

Some translations have “study” but it should be translated “be diligent” like the NASB translates it.

This is the Greek word spoudason.

The verb spoudazo means to be zealous, eager, to make every effort.

It implies urgency and earnestness, not casual interest.

It’s used elsewhere in Scripture of being diligent to preserve unity (Eph.4:3), and being diligent to enter God’s rest (Heb.4:11).

You need to be diligent, zealous, or eager in how your present yourself to God.

The idea is that you need to be diligent to please God.

The word “approved” is the Greek word dokimos.

Dokimos refers to favorably passing careful scrutiny and thereby being counted worthy.

So not only must you be diligent in how you present yourself to God.

You also must be diligent in how you study the Scriptures.

Let’s talk about some ways you need to be diligent as you study the Bible.

First you must read the Bible carefully.

Revelation 1:3 not only speaks of a blessing for those who read it but also for those who obey it.

It says, “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.”

Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:13 says, “Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching.”

“Give attention” (proseche, pres.act.imp.) means “to devote oneself to,” “to occupy oneself with,” “to be absorbed in.”

The same verb is used in 1 Timothy 1:4 regarding people who “pay attention” to myths.

Paul is saying to Timothy, “Instead of being absorbed in speculation, you must be absorbed in Scripture and its ministry.

“Public reading” (anagnosis) means “reading aloud, especially in a public or liturgical context.

It is used in Acts 13:15 of the synagogue reading of the Law and the Prophets, and in 2 Corinthians 3:14 for the reading of the Old Covenant.

The term assumes a gathered congregation listening to Scripture proclaimed audibly.

Every believer is to be anchored in three enduring practices: Scripture read, Scripture applied, and Scripture explained.

In a culture of religious confusion and false teaching, the answer is not less Bible, but more Bible—read, pressed to the heart, and taught with clarity.

The remaining two activities is exhortation and teaching.

Exhortation (paraklesis) is not mere moral pep-talk; it is urgent, heart-directed appeal flowing from the text.

It includes encouragement, warning, comfort, and summons to obedience.

Exhortation presses the truth into the conscience.

Paul is not satisfied with mere information transfer.

The Word must be preached in such a way that people are called to repent, believe, hope, and obey.

This guards against a dry, academic handling of scripture that leaves lives unchanged.

Last is teaching (didaskalia).

This addresses doctrinal instruction and explanation.

The congregation must not only feel the force of the word, they must also understand its meaning.

In 1st Timothy, teaching is a major theme. Sound doctrine, ever against myths and speculations.

Teaching stabilizes believers, grounds them in the Gospel, and equips them to discern error.

That was Timothy’s duty as a pastor.

That’s my duty to you.

But you are to study Scripture too and do it with diligence.

So you must read it carefully.

You must also accurately interpret the Bible.

Go back to 2 Timothy 2:15.

You must “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”

Notice that last phrase: “Accurately handling the word of truth.”

“Accurately handling” (orthotomounta) literally means “cutting straight.”

The term likely evokes cutting a straight road, plowing a straight furrow, or cutting something in a true line.

The idea is not creative innovation but faithful precision.

That means you must handle the word in a straight, correct, and honest way, giving it its proper meaning and application.

“The Word of truth” refers to the gospel message (Eph.1:13; Col.1:5).

Here, it includes the whole apostolic message centered on Christ.

Timothy is to handle all of God's revealed truth in a way that keeps the gospel clear, undistorted, and central.

So you must examine Scripture carefully like the Bereans in Acts 17:11.

Luke says, “Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.”

You must also handle the Word accurately like Paul said in 2 Timothy 2:15.

You must also meditate on Scripture continually.

The Psalmist said in Psalm 1:2, “But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.”

He said in Psalm 119:97, “O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.”

Last you must teach and keep it diligently.

Deuteronomy 6:6–9 says, “6 “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. 7 “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. 8 “You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. 9 “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

Psalm 119:4 also says, “You have ordained Your precepts, That we should keep them diligently.”

Going back to where our study first began with thirsting for God,

You must be a Christian.

You must deal with sin.

You must put off all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander and crave the pure milk of the Word.

And you must have a diligent approach.

Let’s look at two more things you must do to prepare to meet with God.

First…

YOU MUST BE SPIRIT-CONTROLLED.

Spirit control must be a regular part of your life.

You must be constantly controlled by the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18 says, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit.”

The Greek word for “be filled” is pleroo.

This is a present, passive, imperative.

Imperative is a command.

Present refers to it being “ongoing.”

It is continuous action.

Paul is commanding a continuous pattern, not a momentary action.

It could be translated “be being kept filled.”

Passive means you are the recipient of the Spirit’s control.

You are allowing this to be done in you.

John MacArthur said, Paul is “giving a command for believers to live continually under the influence of the Spirit by letting the Word control them (see note on Col. 3:16), pursuing pure lives, confessing all known sin, dying to self, surrendering to God’s will, and depending on His power in all things. Being filled with the Spirit is living in the conscious presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, letting His mind, through the Word, dominate everything that is thought and done. Being filled with the Spirit is the same as walking in the Spirit.”

The Spirit-filled life begins once we are absolutely and thoroughly convinced that we can do nothing apart from the indwelling strength of the Holy Spirit.

What does it mean then to be filled with the Spirit?

Paul gives a parallel passage in Colossians 3:16.

When you compare Ephesians 5:18-6:9 with Colossians 3:16-4:1, the results are the same.

In Ephesians 5:19-6:9 the results of being filled with the Spirit are praise (v.19), thanks (v.20), submission (vv.21-24), sacrificial love (vv.25-33), obedience (6:1), nurture (6:4).

In Colossians 3:17-4:1, the results are similar to what I just noted in Ephesians 5 & 6.

Thanks (v.17), submission (v.18), sacrificial love (v.19), obedience (v.20), nurture (v.21).

In other words, the results are the same.

So to be filled with the Spirit is the same as being controlled by the Word.

Spirit control must be a regular part of your preparation.

Survey your heart.

Survey your motives and desires.

Are you surrendering all your life to the spirit?

Are you letting him have all of you?

The last thing but not necessary last is…

YOU MUST PRAY.

You must pray for understand when you’re studying God’s Word.

You must ask God to open your eyes to His Word.

The Psalmist said in Psalm 119:18, “Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law.”

You cannot understand anything unless God reveals it to you.

And He’s not going to reveal it to you if you ignore being holy.

You must also seek understanding with all your heart.

Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.”

You don’t want to lean on your understanding but His.

G. Campbell Morgan gives this method for Bible study.

He said, “Read and gain an impression, think and gain an outline, meditate and gain an analysis, sweat and gain an understanding.”

Next…

You must pray for cleansing.

You do that by…

Admit your sin to God.

David said in Psalm 51:3–4, “For I know my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me. 4 Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge.”

Next…

Acknowledge your sin to God (1 John 1:9).

And last…

Accept God’s forgiveness.

Psalm 103:2–5 says, “2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits; 3 Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases; 4 Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; 5 Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.”

CONCLUSION

So what kind of preparation are you making to meet with God?

You must be a Christian, deal with sin, have a great desire, have a diligent approach, be Spirit-filled, and pray.

Of course you cannot do any of this if you ignore where it all began.

You must be a Christian.

Have you surrendered your life to Jesus Christ by believing and repenting?

If not, I plead with you to come to Him today.

Jesus said in Matthew 11:28–30, “28 “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.””

Paul said in Romans 10:9–10, “9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

Let’s pray.