How to Study the Bible: Learning to Rightly Divide God's Word

Based on the Bible Message Sowing in the Word, Part 1: How to Study the Bible — Where to Begin by Scott Mitchell – Unlock the Bible Now!

Every believer begins somewhere. Whether newly saved or having walked with the Lord for many years, there comes a point when we must learn to search the Scriptures for ourselves.

One of the most frequent questions I receive is how to study the Bible. Many believers want to understand God's Word but feel overwhelmed by its depth, unfamiliar language, or seemingly difficult passages. Others have spent years listening to sermons and Bible teachers without learning how to examine the Scriptures independently.

There is no shame in beginning as a babe in Christ. The problem comes when we remain spiritually immature because we have never learned to feed ourselves.

God has given us His perfectly preserved Word, and He has provided the means by which we can understand it. But spiritual growth requires something of us. It requires humility, prayer, diligence, and a willingness to labor in the Scriptures.

We must learn to sow in the Word.

How to Study the Bible by Sowing in God's Word

Sowing is the act of planting seed with the expectation of a future harvest. A farmer does not reap a harvest without first investing time, labor, and effort into the soil.

The same principle can be applied to our spiritual growth.

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 9:6:

"But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully."

The immediate context concerns giving to the poor saints. However, consider the principle as it applies to the time, attention, and affection we give to the Lord.

If we sow sparingly in God's Word, should we expect to reap a bountiful understanding of spiritual things?

In Galatians 6:7-8, Paul writes:

"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."

Our salvation is not determined by how much we study or what we accomplish. Eternal life is ours through the finished work of Jesus Christ, who died for our sins and was raised again for our justification.

But Paul also speaks of sowing to the Spirit and reaping life everlasting. This concerns the quality of that everlasting life and the heavenly rewards associated with faithful service to Christ.

We are not working to earn salvation. We are seeking those things that await us in glory.

How to Study the Bible With Heavenly Things in Mind

Colossians 3:1-2 instructs us:

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth."

Where are our affections today?

How much of our time is devoted to entertainment, social media, sporting events, and the cares of this world? How much is devoted to seeking the things of God?

There is nothing wrong with enjoying life, but when earthly things occupy our hearts and minds more than the things above, our priorities have become misplaced.

Sowing to the Spirit begins with a desire to know what God has revealed and what He has prepared for those who belong to Christ.

And that knowledge is found in His Word.

How to Study the Bible With Humility and Prayer

Before we can understand the deeper things of Scripture, we must approach God's Word with the humility of a child.

In Matthew 18:3-4, Jesus said:

"Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

Children are naturally inquisitive. They ask questions because they recognize there are things they do not know. They also depend upon those responsible for teaching them.

We should approach our heavenly Father with that same humility and willingness to learn.

It does not matter how much Scripture we currently understand. We begin where we are and allow God to teach us.

Begin Bible Study by Asking God for Wisdom

James 1:5-6 declares:

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering."

Before opening the Scriptures, we should ask God to grant us understanding.

We do not receive all spiritual wisdom the moment we are saved. Understanding comes as we grow, learn, and submit ourselves to the teaching of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer prepares our hearts to receive what God would have us know.

We must also recognize that the Holy Ghost is our teacher.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 2:12-13:

"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual."

God has provided believers with the ability to understand spiritual truth through His Spirit.

We must stop believing that the Bible is beyond our ability to comprehend.

The answer is not to depend entirely upon someone else to explain every passage.

It is to allow the Holy Ghost to teach us as we search the Scriptures.

We compare spiritual things with spiritual things. We compare Scripture with Scripture.

That is the foundation of sound Bible study.

Spiritual Maturity Requires More Than Following Bible Teachers

God has given teachers to the Church for the purpose of instructing and strengthening believers. But teachers were never intended to replace our personal responsibility to study the Word.

In 1 Corinthians 3:1-2, Paul rebuked the Corinthian believers:

"And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able."

The Corinthians were saved, but they remained spiritually immature.

Their carnality produced envy, strife, and division. Some identified themselves with Paul, while others followed Apollos.

Instead of recognizing these men as servants of Christ, they began identifying themselves according to the men they admired.

We see much the same thing today.

Believers divide themselves according to denominations, traditions, religious leaders, and theological systems. Too often, the teachings of men are accepted without being examined against the Scriptures.

Paul warned in 1 Corinthians 3:21:

"Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;"

The purpose of a Bible teacher is to help believers grow in Christ, not to create followers who depend upon his every interpretation.

I can be wrong. Any teacher can be wrong.

The Word of God is the standard by which every teaching must be examined.

Why Following Paul Matters When Studying the Bible

Paul repeatedly instructed believers to follow his example.

In 1 Corinthians 11:1, he wrote:

"Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."

Was Paul elevating himself above other believers?

Certainly not.

In 1 Corinthians 4:14-16, Paul explained his relationship to the Corinthian church:

"I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you. For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me."

Paul was their father in the gospel because they had believed through the message he preached.

He was not seeking personal glory. He was calling believers to follow his example of faithful service, suffering, and obedience to Christ.

Again, in Philippians 3:17-19, Paul warned believers to follow those who walked according to his example while recognizing that many were enemies of the cross of Christ.

This distinction matters.

Not everyone claiming to teach the Scriptures is faithfully serving Christ. Some serve their own interests, seek personal recognition, or promote teachings that appeal to the flesh.

Without a foundation in Scripture, spiritually immature believers are vulnerable to such deception.

Understanding Paul's Gospel Is Essential to Bible Study

There is another reason Paul's writings are particularly important to believers today.

Paul was specifically appointed as the apostle of the Gentiles.

Romans 11:13 states:

"For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:"

Notice that Paul magnified his office, not himself.

His authority came from the risen Lord Jesus Christ.

In Acts 26:16-18, Paul recounted the words spoken to him by Jesus on the road to Damascus. Christ appointed him as a minister and witness and sent him to open the eyes of those in darkness, turning them from the power of Satan unto God.

Paul received a specific commission from the risen Christ.

This is important because the twelve apostles had been sent to Israel with the gospel of the kingdom. Following Israel's rejection of that kingdom message, Paul was given a distinct ministry to the Gentiles.

The gospel of the kingdom proclaimed to Israel and the gospel of the grace of God entrusted to Paul must not be confused.

Understanding this distinction is foundational to rightly dividing the Word of truth.

How to Study the Bible by Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth

One of the most important instructions for understanding Scripture is found in 2 Timothy 2:15:

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

Notice that Paul describes the believer as a workman.

Studying requires labor. It requires diligence, patience, and a willingness to examine what God has written.

But what does it mean to rightly divide the Word of truth?

Rather than immediately accepting a man's interpretation, we should allow Scripture to define its own terms.

Comparing Scripture With Scripture to Understand Rightly Dividing

The Greek word translated "rightly dividing" in 2 Timothy 2:15 is orthotomeo, meaning to make a straight cut or dissect correctly.

Because this particular Greek word occurs only once in the New Testament, we can examine how the English word divide is used elsewhere in Scripture.

Consider Matthew 25:31-33, where Jesus describes the separation of the sheep from the goats at His return.

Verse 32 states:

"And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:"

Here, the meaning of dividing is explained by the surrounding passage: separating one from another.

Applying this principle to 2 Timothy 2:15, we understand that rightly dividing involves correctly separating what God has revealed.

But what specifically are we to separate?

To answer that question, we must examine another expression in the passage: the word of truth.

What Is the Word of Truth in the Bible?

Ephesians 1:12-13 provides an important definition:

"That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,"

Notice how the passage identifies the word of truth.

It is the gospel of your salvation.

The passage is specific. Paul is addressing believers who heard and trusted the gospel of their salvation and were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.

By comparing these Scriptures, we can understand the importance of correctly separating the gospel of our salvation from another gospel.

The gospel of the kingdom preached to Israel and the gospel of the grace of God revealed through Paul are distinct messages.

When these messages are mixed together, confusion follows concerning salvation, works, Israel, the Church, and God's promises.

This is why rightly dividing the Word of truth is necessary.

It allows us to recognize the distinctions God has made rather than combining passages that were given in different contexts and for different purposes.

Practical Tools for Learning How to Study the Bible

Learning to search the Scriptures does not require an advanced theological education.

It begins with a Bible, a willingness to learn, and a few helpful tools.

A concordance can help us locate words and examine how they are used throughout Scripture. Strong's Concordance, Blue Letter Bible, and e-Sword are useful resources for locating passages and comparing biblical language.

However, we must remember that definitions, commentaries, and study notes are the work of men.

They may assist our research, but they must never become the final authority over Scripture.

A simple approach to Bible study is to begin with a passage, identify a word or expression that needs clarification, search for that word elsewhere in Scripture, and examine the surrounding context.

Allow the Bible to explain itself.

Do not build doctrine upon an isolated verse without considering the other passages that address the same subject.

And do not assume that a popular interpretation must be correct simply because it has been repeated by respected teachers.

Our responsibility is to test what we hear against the written Word of God.

How to Study the Bible With Diligence and Faith

Sowing in the Word is not accomplished through a few minutes of listening to religious sound bites or accepting whatever happens to appear on social media.

Spiritual maturity requires more than occasional exposure to Scripture.

It requires a sincere desire to know the truth and the discipline to search for it.

Hebrews 11:6 declares:

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

God rewards those who diligently seek Him.

That is a promise worth remembering.

We do not need to understand everything immediately. Some truths require time, patience, and continued study before their meaning becomes clear.

But we must be willing to begin.

A child does not learn to walk without taking the first step. Neither does a believer become spiritually mature without learning to stand upon the Scriptures.

We should never be ashamed of how little we currently know. We should be concerned only if we are unwilling to grow.

The goal is not to become an expert or to win arguments over doctrine. It is to become established in the truth, strengthened in faith, and equipped to recognize sound teaching.

God has given us His Word, and the Holy Ghost is our teacher.

The question is whether we are willing to sow the time and effort necessary to learn.

The harvest begins with the seed.