This podcast covers the Introduction to Healthy Living Bible Study by Melanie Newton.
Truth Is the Prescription for Healthy Living
Just as physical bodies are attacked by germs that make us sick, we are attacked by spiritual infections that leave us weak and dissatisfied. The only way to fight or avoid infection is to be satisfied by the truth of God we have in Jesus Christ. That gives us a strong immune system to fight and prevent spiritual infections.
What Is a Spiritual Infection?
- A spiritual infection=any opinion or belief that contradicts established biblical truth.
- The prescription for healthy living has three parts: 1) dwell in the truth of God you can know, 2) humbly accept what you don’t know or understand, and 3) discern any teaching that you read or hear through the complete revelation of God’s Word.
Prescription part 1: Dwell in truth you can know.
- To dwell in truth is to make your home there. That means God’s truth dominates your thoughts and attitudes, governs your life, and satisfies your heart.
- God gives us plenty of truth in the Bible that we can know and trust.
- God wants us to know the truth He has revealed to us, to make our home in that truth. Ephesians 1:17-19
Prescription part 2: Humbly accept what you don’t know or understand.
- Some things we read in the Bible we don’t understand now but might in the future.
“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.” (Deuteronomy 29:29)
- There is so much we can know now. But, there are things we’ll never know or understand.
- We must make the choice to humbly accept what we don’t know or understand. And, be satisfied with it.
Prescription part 3: Discern teaching through the complete revelation of God’s word.
Evaluate what you read and hear by comparing it with the whole Bible.
- Read any verse in the context of the passage where it is found—the paragraph, the chapter, and the book.
- Examine the original words to see what the writer meant and what the audience likely understood.
- Look at other verses with similar content to let the Bible interpret itself. And, you should always ask the Holy Spirit for understanding.
Avoid the “look-imagine-see” dragon when viewing any verse.
The “look-imagine-see” dragon shows up this way: someone looks at a verse or passage, imagines what they want it to say, then in their mind sees what they have imagined through twisting word meanings and interpretations. Once it starts, it’s like a fiery dragon burning truth in its path. Cultural influence on Bible study feeds this dragon.
- Tame the “look-imagine-see dragon” by considering the Bible as sufficient on its own, not needing to be “improved.”
- Tame the “look-imagine-see dragon” by basing your faith on what is in God’s Word, not something you’ve just heard about it and not something you’re imagining to be there.
- Tame the “look-imagine-see dragon” by following the inductive process for Bible Study—observation, interpretation, and application. Then, you can dwell in truth you can know.
Think About It: We’ll never know all there is to know about God. There will always be some mystery about Him. But, there’s plenty enough revealed in the Bible to satisfy your desire to know him truthfully and to know how to live your life in Christ truthfully.
Infection is bad. Untreated infection can be deadly. Knowing the truth of God that you have in Jesus Christ gives you an immune system that fights and prevents spiritual infection.
Let Jesus satisfy your heart needs with His truth and His love so you can get well and stay well.
Joyful Walk Bible Studies by Melanie Newton are available through Amazon and Barnes and Noble.