Remember this...
Knowledge is the enemy of blindness, partial and absolute, physical or spiritual.
Cf.
And this...
A liar hides the truth, but a person who tells half-lies
has forgotten where the truth is
found.
55. Did the writer intend to be taken literally or figuratively?
56. Who wrote it and to whom did he write?
57. How do symbols fit into
the context?
58. Consider mental, physical, social, cultural or other conditions in context.
59. Redundancy and ubiquity (present in
many places) serve to prove the Bible.
60. Apparent contradictions prove there was no collusion between the writers and
establishes their veracity.
61. Interpret personal experience in the light of scripture, not scripture in the light of
personal experience.
62. Key Question: "Where is it written?"
63. Consider the grammar and structure in context and within the
passage.
64. Do not strive to prove your point without facing contradictory verses!!!
65. How does this passage fit in with the whole
book?
66. Strive to seek the full counsel of scriptures. Then accept what it proves.
67. If one passage seems to teach something,
but another passage clearly teaches something
else, we must view the former in terms of the latter.
68. Literary
types: a) Narrative, b) Prophetic, c) Poetic, d) Parabolic, e) Proverbial.
69. Determine the literary style utilized.
70. Some Figures of Speech: (1) Ironic (intentionally saying the opposite of what is meant; Ezek.20: 39,
28:1-19; Isa.14:1-24;
1Cor. 4:8); (2) Hyperbole (an intentional exaggeration or
overstatement designed to achieve an emotional
effect; Lk.14:26; Jn.12:19); (3) Metonymy
(substituting one thing for another closely related to it;2Sam.12:10); (4) Synecdoche (a part
is substituted for the whole or the whole is substituted for the part, Isa.2:4; Phil.3:19);
(5) Metaphor (implies a comparison; one thing is likened to another Matt.7:15,19-20).
71. Proverbs
are general principles, not formulas or legal guarantees from God.
72. Biblical wisdom acknowledges God as the fountainhead of wisdom.
73. Beware
of trivializing issues and demonizing others who believe differently!
74. Determine your motive for study. —Is it to glorify
God or to glorify yourself? Have you set out to prove God or to support your preconceived notions?
75. Cultivate an attitude
of thankfulness.
76. Request God to come closer to you and ask Yahweh God:
"What will you have me to do with
what I have learned?"
77. Finish with prayer as you began. (END).
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