The Study of the Bible (part Two) - What To Do With the Bible

LESSON II. WHAT TO DO WITH GOD’S WORD
(Dos and Don’ts --- More Rules)

A. What To Do

1. Hearken to the word of the Lord.

“Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the
LORD, and returned to depart, according to the word of the LORD.” (I Kings 12:24)

2. Desire the word of the Lord.

“Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.” (Acts 13:7)

“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” (I Peter 2:2)

3. Believe the word of God.

“When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they
believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.” (John 2:22) The example for us given by the disciples is to believe the scripture.

“For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” (I Thessalonians 2:13)

4. Obey the words of the Lord.

“Thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren: return every man to his house: for this thing is done of me. And they obeyed the words of the LORD, and returned
from going against Jeroboam.” (II Chronicles 11:4)

“He that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses: And he that regarded not the word of the LORD left his servants and his cattle in the field.” (Exodus 9:20-21)

5. Study the Scriptures.

“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” (John 5:39)

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word
of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15)

“Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour,
especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.” (1 Timothy 5:17)

6. Remember the word.

“Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 11:16)

“Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes.” (Deuteronomy 11:18)

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

7. Speak the word.

“And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were
assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:31)

“For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God
giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.” (John 3:34)

Proclaim the word --- Jeremiah 7:2; 6:10; 1 Thessalonians 1:8.

Preach the word --- Acts 8:25; 15:35-36; 16:32; 19:10; 13:5.

8. Publish the word.

“The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it.” (Psalm 68:11)

“And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.” (Acts 13:49)


9. Continue in the word.

“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;” (John 8:31)

10. Tremble at the word of the Lord.

“Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed.” (Isaiah 66:5)

B. What Not To Do

1. Don’t Despise the word of the Lord.

“Because he hath despised the word of the LORD, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him.” (Numbers 15:31)

2. Don’t Go Beyond the word of the Lord.

“And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.” (Numbers 22:18)

3. Don’t Reject the word (You reject the word by disobeying it.)

“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king. ¶ And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the command-ment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the LORD. And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee: for thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD hath rejected thee from being king over Israel.” (1 Samuel 15:23-26)

4. Don’t blaspheme the word of God. (You blaspheme the word of God by disobeying it.)

“To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” (Titus 2:5)

5. Don’t rebel against the words of God.

“Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:” (Psalm 107:11)

6. Don’t make the word of God of none effect through tradition.

“Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.” (Mark 7:13)

7. Don’t corrupt the word of God.

“For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.” (2 Corinthians 2:17)

8. Don’t handle the word of God deceitfully.

“But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.” (2 Corinthians 4:2)
9. Don’t conceal the words of the Holy One.

“Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.” (Job 6:10)

10. Don’t add to or take away from the words of the book.

“Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.” (Deuteronomy 4:2)

“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things,
God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this
book.” (Revelation 22:18-19)