Free Bible Study Material Precautions

By: Aleena Denison

With the popularity of the Internet today, and the vast resources that are poured into it, it is a prime place for doing research. One can look up just about anything and find huge amounts of information! But for Christians, there is a need for caution, and not just in general research. If you are looking for information on spiritual matters, it’s important to be careful and know your stuff!

What stuff do you need to know?

• According to the Bible, who is God? (Psalm 90:2; Jeremiah 10:6)

• According to the Bible, who is man? (Genesis 1:26 27; Isaiah 59:2; Romans 5:12)

• According to the Bible, what is sin? (Ephesians 5:6; Revelation 21:8)

• According to the Bible, who is Jesus? (Micah 5:2; Matthew 3:16 17; John 1:29 30)

• According to the Bible, what is salvation? (Acts 6:31; Colossians 2:13 14)

• According to the Bible, how do God, man, sin, Jesus and salvation relate? (Read an overview of the Bible to see how they all tie together)

This is just the beginning of what you need to know and understand. As you grow as a believer and seek to delve deeper into understanding the Word of God there are many more topics for Bible study, and there are many who want to give their own interpretation of the Scriptures. Here are some “hot topics” that are often misconstrued:

• Baptism – Is it necessary or just optional? Does the Bible talk about sprinkling and immersion? Is it wrong for infants to be baptized?

• Prayer – How important is it in the life of a believer? Does God hear everyone s prayers? How should one pray?

• Faith – Is amount of faith important for salvation and sanctification? How does it relate to salvation?

• Good works – Must one do good works as a part of obtaining salvation? How important are they?

Why are these things so important to know? Isn’t it okay for some to believe one thing and others another? Whatever you choose as your study guide must be in line with what the Bible says. If the materials you are researching don’t clearly follow the Bible, discard those materials. It’s not a matter of what one thinks about the topics that determines its truth, it is what the Bible says is the truth, and that is what you must study.

The Bible specifically talks about those who will twist the Word of God, “Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves.” (Matthew 7:15) Just because they claim the “Christian” label doesn’t mean that they intend to teach the Bible clearly, as it is written. Be careful!

If you have never before studied the Bible and are looking for studies to teach you about it, look for materials that begin with answering the first list of questions. Be sure it is the Bible being clearly explained, and not someone’s personal interpretation. I recommend finding something that will give you an overview of the Bible. Then you will have a solid understanding of what God is saying and a foundation on which to build.

Author Resource:-> Aleena Denison has a heart for seeing the message of the Bible presented in a clear way,and is dedicated to sharing Jesus with the lost and helping believers see their responsibilities in evangelism,discipleship,and Bible study. For more information and free downloads, see http://www.goodseed.com

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Are You Standing Firm?

12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! 13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. (1 Corinthians 10: 12-13 NIV)

We are all tempted. No man or woman can escape it. This temptation is a daily onslaught be it in the form of drugs, alcohol, sex, pornography, cheating, lying or even if you should have that decadent dessert when you are on your diet, we are all tempted. Jesus himself was tempted by Satan in the desert for 40 days (Luke 4:1-13 NIV) so no one, not even our Lord and Savior, can escape temptation.

It is, of course, how we chose to handle the temptations that makes the difference. Jesus rebuked Satan at each temptation ending the session with; “It says: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” (Luke 4:12 NIV).

But are you standing firm? As the Bible says if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! Obviously there are temptations we face, that if given into, can have profound affects on us either mentally or physically or both. The abuses of drugs and alcohol can eventually kill us. Cheating on a spouse or succumbing to the temptations of pornography can ruin our relationships and affect us mentally.

I don’t know how someone who has not come to know and accept the salvation offered us by Jesus Christ can maneuver the obstacles of life like the temptations we all face, but as a Christian I know that God has provided a promise and a way out as shown in his words in the first paragraph above.

If you are facing temptations as a non believer perhaps it is time to put your trust in Christ and claim his power and promise to help steer you clear. If you are a Christian you still face the same temptations but you know and understand that our God is there every step of the way to get us out of a bad situation and you can go to him in prayer to claim his promise of a way out so you can stand up under it.