"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God" 1 John 3:1
This is big boy church lingo that many people have never heard. I hadn’t, and as someone who is not a theologian I’m not sure I ever would have except for reading it in Chan’s Forgotten God.
It’s the two ways or schools of thought on applying material from the Bible…
Exegesis – Seek first the true meaning of the text and then figuring out how to apply it in our daily life.
Eisegesis – The subjective “drawing in,” or reading into the text our own ideas. Chan describes this as “you start with an idea or conviction, and search for Bible verses to prove your point.”
There is so much information in the Bible, and in many circumstances we can find verses that even seem to conflict. I have to make sure to keep the information within its proper context.
How?
- Do I go there seeking wisdom? I have questions and need to find answers. This can be trouble if we are looking to make a point… I need to be mindful of trying to improve me when seeking wisdom, and by using wisdom to help others in a positive way. Continually seeking wisdom is a good thing… I need to keep learning.
- Do I go there seeking enrichment? This reminds me of an organized reading plan, like reading through the Bible in a year. “Living By The Book,” by Dr. Howard G. and William D. Hendricks is an excellent resource to find out more about reading and learning from the Bible.
I think we do both… seek wisdom and enrichment… when we are healthy believers looking to grow in our faith.
How do you read the Bible?
Do you have a specific study guide that you use to help you learn His Word?
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