Hermeneutics is “The science of interpreting the Bible.”

The Bible and Student

Aim—to make known the different principles of Bible study which must be followed if one desires to know the Word of God and how to handle it aright.

The Bible – THE Book – Speaks of its uniqueness.
The Word of God – The source and authority
The Scripture or Scriptures – sacred status
The Old and New Testament (covenant) – different ages and agreements between God and man
The Oracles – the wisdom of God
The Way – A walk in agreement with the current agreement between God and man
As we strive to please God, we look to the Bible, seeking His:
Commandments – Do/Don’t Do!
Statutes – Laws
Judgments – Laws
Precepts – rule of personal conduct, a doctrine that is taught
These may have slight nuances, but basically teach us how to please God

Like no other book the Bible is “God-Breathed”!
2 Tim 3:16;2 Pet 1:21

The Dispensational Principle

Unless one understands the dispensations, one cannot understand God’s Book, and it becomes a Book of con­fusion and contradictions.

A dispensation is a period of time during which God deals in a particular way with man in respect to sin and man’s responsibility. The word “dispensation” means “administration” and is first found in Luke 16:2,3,4 as stewardship, then I Cor. 9:17; Eph 1:10, 3:2; Col 1:25 as dispensation.

Someone has truly said, “time is an island in the sea of eternity,
which is divided into different dispensations or periods of time.”

The Covenantal Principle

  1. A covenant is an agreement or a contract between men or between men and God.
    (a) God, in grace, undertakes to do things for men.
    (b) A compact or fetter-that which binds together.
  2. Kinds of covenants in the Bible.

(a) Conditional – depends upon man.
Exod. 19:5 “If ye will obey” Formula.

(b) Unconditional – depends upon God.
Gen. 9:11 “I will” Formula.

  1. Not every covenant has its sign-only four.

Noahic – the rainbow
Mosaic – the Sabbath
Abrahamic – circumcision (unconditional)
Davidic – The Son

The Ethnic Division Principle

This is the principle by which the Word of Truth is rightly divided in relation to the three classes of which it treats, the Jew, the Gentile and the Church.

  1. Learn I Cor. 10:32-“Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God.”

(a) God, while not a respecter of persons, is a respecter of classes.
(b) Three is the number of completeness.

(1) There are 3 in the Godhead-Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
(2) There are 3 places-Heaven, Earth and Hell.
(3) There are 3 classes-Jews, Gentiles and Church of God.

  1. Explanation.

(a) The greater part of the O.T. has to do with the Jews,
separated from the rest of mankind and entered into a covenant with God.

(b) The Church is the “called out assembly,” and has a distinct relation to God, having received definite promises.

(c) Gentiles not so often mentioned, but are found in both Old Testament and New Testament.
Sometimes called the heathen, or the nations.

(d) In the beginning, from Gen. 1: 1 to 11:9 we have the united race, one people, one language. From
Gen. 11:10 through the Gospels we have the Jews primarily, with the Gentiles mentioned. In the New Testament we find the book of Acts, the book of transition, with both Jews and Church in view. In the Epistles, the Church is in view, and the Jews temporarily set aside. In Revelation the Jew is in view, with the Gentiles mentioned.

B. Questions which one must ask in dividing truth:

  1. Who said this?
  2. To whom was it said?
  3. Under what circumstances was it said?
  4. This concerns whom?
  5. Ancestry of each division.

(a) Jews traced to Abraham.
(b) Gentiles traced to Adam.
(c) Church traced to Christ, the last Adam.

  1. The Jews are the chosen race through which all nations are blessed

The Discrimination Principle

  1. That principle by which we should divide the Word of Truth, so as to make a distinction where God makes a difference.
  2. Failure to do this leads to confusion.

Discrimination:
Creature/Child of God
Accepted/Acceptable
Faith/Works
Salvation/Reward
Position/Walk
Possessor/Professor
Law/Grace
Kingdom of Heaven/God

The Predictive Principle

Definition. A prophet was essentially God’s spokesman, and his sole mission was to speak the Word of God and only the words which God gave him to speak. God said to Jonah, “Go and preach what I bid thee (Jonah 3:2).
He is not only a FORETELLER (predictive prophecy), but a FORTHTELLER of the Word of God (whether by way of instruction. reproof, correction, judgment, etc)
Prophecy is speaking forth the Word of God. Predictive prophecy is speaking forth the Word of God which has to do with the future.
It is not always unusual or spectacular, but it is always authoritative.

The Application Principle

The principle by which an application of truth may be made only after the correct interpretation has been learned.
a. This means that when you study the Bible you must first seek the proper interpretation of the text, the exact meaning always, and the literal meaning. Only then should application be made of the scripture.

The Typical Principle

A type is a divinely appointed illustration of some scriptural truth.
Col. 2:17 “Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.”
In the Old Testament you have the shadow preceding Christ, and in the New Testament you meet with the body which cast the shadow.
Types are pictures or object lessons by which God teaches His people.
a. The English word “type” is derived from the Greek word, “tupos,” which occurs sixteen times in the New Testament. It is translated “example” seven times, (I Cor. 10:6,11; Phil. 3:17; 1 Thess. 1:7; 2 Thess. 3:9; 1 Tim. 4:12; 1 Pet. 5:3). Plus print, figure, fashion, form, pattern
The original significance of the Greek word is the effect of a blow, an impression or stamp, mark, pattern, form, or mould.

A type can be found in:

  1. A person, One whose life illustrates some principle or truth.
    Rom. 5:14—Adam.
    Heb. 5:6—Melchizedek.
    Heb. 7:11—Aaron.
    Gal. 4:28—Isaac.
    There are many others such as Sarah, Jonah, Joseph, etc.
  2. An event—
    I Cor. 10:11—experiences of Israel.
    Deliverance from Egyptian bondage.
    The wilderness journey.
    The conquest of Canaan.
  3. A thing.
    Veil of the tabernacle—Heb. 10:20.
    Brazen serpent—Num. 21.
  4. Ritual types.
    This includes the offerings, the priesthood, the tabernacle and its furniture, and the passover.
    a. interpretation of types.
    A true type, to be such in reality, must be:
  5. A true picture of the person or thing it represents or prefigures.
  6. Of divine appointment.
  7. A picture which prefigures something future.
    A type must never be used to teach a doctrine, but only to illustrate a doctrine elsewhere explicitly taught – John 3:14; I Cor. 5:7.
    e. How to use types in Bible study.
  8. The Passover Lamb-I Cor. 5:7.
    This is typical of Christ and it is divinely authorized. This takes us back to Ex. 12. It is a most remark.
    meat, drink, holyday, the new moon, the sabbath days:

The Principle of Human Willingness

  1. It is the principle by which a knowledge of God’s truth is guaranteed to souls willing to know the truth… John 7:17
    “If a man will to do His will,” might better be translated, “He that willeth to do His will.” Whatever truth a man or woman knows comes because he or she is willing to receive the truth. This has reference to the saved man. “Will”—have an absolute mind to it.

You must recognize that the Bible is the Word of God,
and be ready to submit to it.

ADMIT—the Word; SUBMIT—to the Word;
COMMIT—memorize; TRANSMIT—tell it forth.

When you study God’s Word take the place of a learner.
The supreme authority of the Holy Scripture must be impressed on the heart.

There must be a willingness to obey the Book.

The First Mention Principle

  1. That principle by which God indicates in the first mention of a subject, the truth with which that subject stands connected in the mind of God.
    a. Newton said, “I find in Scripture this principle of interpretation, which I believe, if conscientiously adopted, will serve as an unfailing guide to what was in the mind of God. This is the keystone of the whole matter.”
    b. Dr. A. T. Pierson—”This is a law we have long since noted, and have never yet found it to fail. The first occurrence of a word, expression, or utterance, is the key to its subsequent meaning, or it will be a guide to ascertaining the essential truth connected with it.”
    c. The first time a thing is mentioned in Scripture it carries with it a meaning that will be carried all through the Word of God. We find 13 in Scripture used in connection with rebellion. All through Scripture 13 is a number that has in it the note of rebellion against God. It foreshadows apostasy.
    d. There is only one speaker throughout all Scripture, although there are many mouths. Only one providing, governing, controlling mind—Heb. 1:1. God spake through “holy men of old” in the past, but in these days He speaks through His Son. No matter when, where, or how, the message is given, God is the speaker, and since there is only one speaker, and since that speaker knows from the beginning what He is going to say. He can so shape the first utterances as to forecast everything that is to follow. He is able to do that.
  2. Examples.
    The subtlety of Satan—Gen. 3:1.
    This is the first time the serpent is mentioned, and the characteristic mentioned is subtlety. All through the Book you will find Satan to be subtle. Expect subtlety every time you meet him—II Cor. 11:3. In the beginning he attacked Eve. In Matt. 4 we see him testing the Lord.
    a. The basis for the first testing is hunger. This is a most exasperating thing. Jesus had been in the wilderness forty days, and before He had gone into the wilderness at the baptism, God had spoken and said, “This is my beloved Son.” Now He had been forty days without food, and Satan comes and says, “If thou art the Son.” This is a subtle insinuation. “Did you really hear that voice from heaven? If you were the Son of Cod you would not suffer here forty days and nights. Do you mean to tell me that God would permit His Son to go hungry?”
  3. Hunger is the most innocent and necessary of human desires. Man never gets hungry because of sin. Before the fall, man needed food. Hunger is a fulfillment of the divine plan. Man must have food to live. Hunger is a God-created sense, and to feed it is to satisfy His purpose. God intends that a hungry man should eat.
  4. Satan knew when to come. He was subtle in his coming and in his insinuations—”I don’t ask you to do anything wrong, but if you are the Son of God, and if it is all true, then you can get yourself some food.” Here is the serpent’s subtlety. It is not a sin to satisfy a legitimate craving, but it is a sin to satisfy it in the wrong way. So he suggested two things. Prove you are the Son of God, and satisfy your hunger.
  5. Jesus Christ quoted the Word of God, because the Word of God gives the will of God. He was dependent
    upon Cod because He came as a man. He did not perform a miracle to save Him because God had sent Him and He was dependent upon God—”It is written.”
    a. Second testing—at the temple. Satan can also quote Scripture. “I wouldn’t bring you to a holy place like this and tempt you to do evil. Come to the top of the temple. Now cast yourself down. For it is written, angels will have charge over thee. You profess you are the Man who is going to live by the Word, then throw yourself down.” But Christ came back with, “It is written.” ’
    b. Third testing— kingdoms of the world. Here was the glory of Greece, the pomp of Rome, and all the islands of the sea. “They are all mine, and I will give them to you if you will worship me. Why did you come into the world? Didn’t you come so that you could have the whole world as a possession? All you have to do (it won’t take a minute) is worship me. No Gethsemane, no spitting in your face, no crown of thorns, no nails in your body, no agony. Just a minute, bow down and worship me.” All this did belong to Satan. He is the prince of this world and the god of this age. But Jesus said, “I will take the long road to the cross, and the kingdom of God will be established.” There is nothing more subtle in the Word of God than Satan’s attack on the Lord Jesus, and this is indicated in the first mention of him, the serpent.

The Progressive Mention Principle

a. That principle by which God makes the revelation of any given truth increasingly clear as the Word proceeds to its consummation.

  1. You will find that the Word of God is a progression. As you study, it will bring added details to truth that God has revealed in the beginning.
  2. There are two ways of studying Scripture:
    a. Canonically: in the order in which the books appear—man’s order.
    b. Chronologically: in the order in which they were written, and the events occur—order of revelation.
  3. There is a teaching in the Word of God in the very arrangement of the books. Romans is the foundation on which all the epistles rest. Thessalonians was the first written. The Holy Spirit put it in its place in the Bible because of its teachings.
  4. Bernard has written a book, “The Progress of Doctrine in the New Testament,” in which he says, “The reality of the progression is very visible, and more especially so when we reach the New Testament—the last stages of this progressive teaching. Glance from the first words of the Bible to the last: ‘In the beginning God’—‘Even so. Lord Jesus.’ There is a progression from one to the other. There is a difference in the rates of progress—in the Old Testament the progress is protracted, languid, sometimes almost obscured, ending with an entire suspension for 400 years. After this, comes the New Testament, and here the progress is rapid. Before, it was centuries, now it is but years. The great scheme unfolds rapidly. Just as a plant grows slowly at first and is barely visible in growth, so is the truth in the Old Testament. But in the New Testament, the plant has budded, and soon the full blossom appears. The growth then is rapid. First the root, then the shoot, and then the fruit.”
    a. The thought of progress in Scripture ought to give to us one right method of Bible study, and that method lies right on the surface. The Bible was written by books, and was built up by books, so it ought to be studied by books. It is a Book of books. Follow a certain subject through Scripture. You will find that it becomes complete through a steady growth. There are great highways in Scripture, and we ought to travel them just as we travel other highways. We will thus accumulate knowledge. There are many speakers, but one mind.
    a. Examples of the growth of truth.
  5. Predictions that have to do with the Person of the coming One, the Saviour.
    a. When sin came into the world, immediately God gave the promise of the Seed of the woman who would bruise the serpent. This promise comes with the fall of man—Gen. 3:15.
    b. Several centuries pass, and then comes the man Abraham, with whom Cod makes a covenant—”In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” In looking for a Satan-bruiser, then, we know he is to come from the man Abraham, as a descendant, not from just any family or any part of the earth.
    c. The next detail given is the fact that of Abraham’s two sons, Isaac is chosen.
    d. Isaac has two sons, and the promise is made definitely to Jacob.
    e. Jacob has twelve sons, and again the line is limited—this time to Judah.
    f. Judah becomes a great tribe, numbering thousands. Where shall we look for the coming One? The family of David.
    g. Not only of the family of David, but in the town of Bethlehem.
    h. When He is to be born — Dan. 9:25.
    i. Zechariah tells us that He will ride into the city of Jerusalem—9:9.
    j. Malachi 3:1 tells of the fore-runner who is John the Baptist.
    k. In Zechariah 11:12—He is to be sold for thirty pieces of silver.
    l. I ) Psalm 22—His heart is to be broken—description of manner of death.
    m. Psalm 34:20—Not a bone of His body shall be broken.
    n. To David, God reveals that when the Son is slain. He will not remain in the tomb. David sees the resurrection of Christ. He sees Him placed in the tomb, and yet with the path of life stretching out before Him. He also sees His ascension into the heavens.
    o. To Isaiah is revealed God’s part in Christ’s death—Isa. 53:4,5.

The Full Mention Principle

a. That principle by which God declares His full mind upon any subject vital to our spiritual life. Somewhere in the Word, God gathers together the scattered fragments that have to do with a, particular truth, and puts them into one exhaustive statement. That is His full mind concerning that truth-
b. Passages that show the full mind of God

  1. Resurrection—I Cor. IS—resurrection of the Saviour and of the believer.
  2. The tongue—James 3. A marvel, mystery, malice; destructive, devilish, demonized organ.
  3. Restoration of Israel—Romans 11—The Bible is full of reference to this, but Romans 11 summarizes.
  4. Trials and triumphs of faith—Hebrews 11.
  5. God’s discipline of His children—Heb. 12:1-11.
  6. The Church—Ephesians 1-3.
  7. Principles of the Kingdom of Heaven—chapters 5-7 of Matthew. The Code of the Kingdom and the Laws that will be in effect when the Kingdom of Heaven is established on earth, are presented there.
  8. The vicarious sacrifice—Isa. 53.
  9. Righteousness by faith—Rom. 3:10-21.
  10. Godly repentance—II Cor. 7.
  11. Law—Exodus 20.
  12. The full panoply (suit of armour)—Eph. 6:10-17.
  13. The nature or natures of Jesus Christ—Heb. 1 and 2.
    Chapter 1—Son of God, better than the angels.
    Chapter 2—Son of man, lower than the angels.
  14. The final judgment—Rev. 20. This is the Great White Throne Judgment, and is mentioned only once in scripture.
  15. Last things—of this day in which we live—Matt. 24.
  16. Spiritual gifts—Chapter 12-14 of I Cor.
    a. Illustrations of this law. These summaries may not always be complete chapters, but may be found in a verse. 1 Cor. 1:30—summarizes all of Christ’s work in a sentence and gives us knowledge of God, knowledge of ourselves, and knowledge of Christ.
  17. Love— Cor. 13. I Cor. 12, 13, 14 should always be studied together.
    All through the Bible are references to the love of God for man, but in I Cor. 13 we find everything that God has to say about love. Charity is the word used, but the meaning has been changed since the time when the Bible was translated. Moody once said, “This chapter ought to be read in church once a week.” But we have to do more than just read the chapter; we have to live it. There is a beautiful tradition of the last days of the Apostle John: As Jesus looked into the faces of His disciples for the last time. He said, “Little children, love one another.” They said, “You have told us that before.” He said the second time, “Little children, remember what I have told you from the beginning, love one another.” They said, “We have heard that before. Give us a new commandment.” But He said a third time, “A new commandment give I unto you, that ye love one another.” All the commandments are bound together in that statement, that we love not ourselves, but others.
    (a) This thirteenth chapter is right, in the heart of a discussion of spiritual gifts bestowed by God on the people of the church in Corinth. Chapter 12 has to do with the gifts, but chapter 13 goes on to give us something better than spiritual gifts. Chapter 12 discusses the gifts which are a manifestation of the power of God; in chapter 13 we see that love which is the manifestation of the nature of God.
  18. It is much more important for us to manifest the nature of God than to have some spiritual gift to manifest the power of God. “God is love.”
    f all the churches in the New Testament, the church that had the greatest number of gifts was the church at Corinth, and in the beginning of this hymn of love, Paul refers to the highest gift in that miracle-gifted church.
    ((a)) Verse 1—”Tongues of men and of angels.” Though he spoke in a language as pure as heaven itself, words without love would be only words. Jesus Christ spoke in words that were so simple that even the poor and ignorant could understand Him, but, “Never man spake as this man.” His heart was full of love. His heart was the heart of God. That is why His simplest words became sublime.
    ( (b) ) Verse 2—Prophecy. The supreme gift of this church.
    The gift of speaking God’s will and God’s Word, and of sharing God’s super-knowledge.

The Context Principle

a. That principle by which God gives light upon a subject through either near or remote passages bearing upon the same theme. Every sentence or verse in the Bible has something that precedes it and something that follows it—except Gen. 1:1 and Rev. 22:21.

  1. Every verse must be studied in the light of its context. Never take a verse out of its setting and give it a foreign meaning.
    Examples.
    a. Ram and He-goat— Dan. 8.
    Ridiculous statements will be made unless one studies the context; in this case, the rest of the chapter.
    b. Valley of dry bones—Ezek. 37. This is not the Church. The context says it is the whole house of Israel. There are some passages in Scripture that will be absolutely dark without the context.
    c. The Bible can be made to prove anything, but NOT when studied in the light of the context. You can pick out a verse or part of a verse, and use it to prove a theory, and make it mean something God never intended it to mean. That is not treating Scripture fairly.
  2. Phil. 2:12.
    “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” What about the context? God works in you, and then you work it out. Verse 14 gives the method of doing His will.
  3. Rom. 8:28.
    “All things work together for good.” This is not what the scripture is saying. “To them that love God,” and more than that, “to them that are the called according to His purpose.”
  4. John 6:37.
    “Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.” But notice the first of the verse—“All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh tome… etc.”
    a. Psalm 2:8, 9.
    This is quoted as a missionary text perhaps more than any other verse. People talk as though the reign of Christ would begin when they ask for it They seem to think that we have to work and to go on and on, and when the whole world is saved, then the kingdom will come.
  5. This is not a missionary text. It does not say that the faithful worker on the field will be given the heathen. The next verse says, “thou shalt break them with a rod of iron.” This is not the way a missionary does. Verse 8 hasn’t anything to do with missions. It has to do with the Son of God and His kingdom. It does not refer to converting the world by the gospel, but to the rule of Christ.
  6. God’s wish is that the world shall be evangelized before Christ returns. It does not mean that the world is growing better and better, and will some day be perfect. The world is growing worse and worse. When the Kingdom is set up, it will be a kingdom of judgment. This world is going down even as in the days of Noah, and the day will come when God must say, “I can stand it no longer.” Christ will rule the Kingdom with a rod of iron.
    a. Acts 16:31.
    This verse is often read without the context. The last part of the verse says “And thy house,” which was a special commandment. From the context we find that this verse was spoken to a man who was under conviction. That jailer had seen himself in the presence of God. When the earthquake took place, this jailer thought that the prisoners had fled, which would mean death to him, under the Roman law. So he was going to save the government the trouble and was ready to take his own life. Since it was dark, he could not see that the prisoners were there. When Paul cried to him, “We are all here,” he did this because he knew what was in the mind of the jailer. Then the jailer called for a light, and coming to Paul and Silas, he said, trembling, “What must I do to be saved?” He was not referring to a physical death, but he was under conviction of sin. To this Paul and Silas said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” This then, is a word to be spoken to the man who is under conviction. A man who is not under conviction needs something else. This is not a command to those who are not under conviction of sin. If a man is not under conviction he must be shown that he needs a Saviour. He must be brought under conviction. “Believe” is not all he must do; he must have something to believe on. You must tell him about Christ before he can believe. They spoke unto him the Word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house, with the result that the jailer rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. Of course, each person had to believe for himself.

The Agreement Principle

a. Definition.
That principle under which the truthfulness and faithfulness. of God become the guarantee that He will not set forth any passage in His Word which contradicts any other passage.

  1. There are no contradictions in scripture; there is organic unity. Though there are 66 books. yet it is perfect unity as shown in structure, history, purpose, doctrine, and theme, which is Jesus Christ. There are always critics who declare that the Bible is full of discrepancies. inaccuracies, contradictions, and errors, but the Bible is not a Bible of mistakes, and this is guaranteed by the God of truth and faithfulness— Psa. 119:90; John 17:17.
  2. If the Bible is a book of errors. then we must reach one of two conclusions.
    a. The Bible is not God’s book; for God is faithful.
    b. I it is God’s Look, then Cod is not faithful. Both thee conclusions may be rejected—Num. 23: 19; Rom. 3:4; Deut. 32:4; Tit. 1:2. There are a lot of books written by man which do not contain the truth, and many commentaries on scripture do not contain it. God is the Author of the Bible, through the Holy Spirit, and the Bible is ■ perfect unity, though ridiculed by many modernists.
    a. Examples of this principle.
    This agreement principle is illustrated by Bible testimony on topics of human disagreement. There are some things in scripture upon which the scriptures agree, but on which human beings are disagreed.
  3. Gathering of the Jews. Many say Cod is through with the Jew. If you talk of the time when Israel will be the head instead of the tail there will be disagreement among men; but not so in scripture. God is all through the Bible concerning the dispersion and regathering of Israel—-Deut. 30:1-3; Isa.
    Exek. 36; Erek. 37; Jer. 23:3; Matt. 21:31; Rom. 11:25,26; Amos. 9:14-15. The Old Testament and the New Testament are perfectly agreed on this subject.
  4. Is the world growing Letter or worse? People say that it is getting better in spite of the evidences of decay and corruption. Others say it is getting worse—no agreement at all. The Bible is agreed upon this subject as well—As it was in the days of Noah.” “As it was in the days of Lot.” “When the Son of Man cometh will he find faith in the earth?” “In the last days perilous times shall come.” Some people seem to think that the Lord will come back because the world is getting so good, but the truth is that the world is so corrupt that He must come.
  5. Contrast between the writing of Paul and James— James 2:24; Rom. 4:2-4. Paul says you are justified by faith: James says you are justified by works. But Paul is showing how the sinner is justified be- fore God by faith, and James shows justification before men by works. God sees our faith, but when we say we have faith, men look for works as a proof. Paul is talking about the fact of justification; James about the fruits of justification. Paul is talking about the doctrine of justification; James about the experience of justification. Paul is rebuking the Pharisees for their lack of faith; James is rebuking the people for their license and lawlessness.
    a. Need for accuracy in the study of the Word of God.
    Never preach on a text until you have studied it in the light of your concordance; know every word in your text.
    There are many so-called errors which would never be set forth by man if every man were accurate.
  6. Some of man’s errors.
    a. A man near Chesapeake Bay was a fisher of oysters, and a Christian. He was a member of the ME. Church, and wanted the church to grant him the license to preach. Since he was very unlearned, the preacher kept Putting him off. At last the preacher said that the next time the presiding elder came, he might preach, and get the opinion of the presiding elder. In due time his opportunity came, and he preached on the text, “Thou art an oysterman.” He had the Lord Jesus out in the bay fishing for oysters. When he gave the invitation four people responded. Afterwards the preacher said to him, “You made a terrible mistake.” The would-be preacher could not understand why. and then the preacher explained that the text should have read, “Thou art an austere man. — 19:21,22. To which the man replied, “What’s the difference? Didn’t we get four fish?”
    b. A preacher of very little education once preached on the text, “He took him and held him and lethim go. and was trying to explain how this was done when a man in the audience called out, she took him and healed him and let him g0″–Lk 14.4. We need to be careful in reading the Bible.

The Direct Statement Principle

a. Definition. That principle under which God says what He meant, and means what He says <

  1. This is an important principle, and we enunciate this because of the attempts of many people to spiritualize the Word of God and to make it a mystical book. To many people, God’s Word is not to be taken literally at all. A tooth, an eye, or an ear, must mean something else, to a person of this type.
  2. There are certain things to be considered, however.
    a. A word that meant one thing 300 years ago (when the Bible was translated into English) may have a changed meaning today.
    Luke 1:63—A writing table does not mean a rolltop desk, but rather a writing tablet
    Luke 3:23. “Began to be about thirty years of age.” This meene. He begen His ministry at the age of about thirty years.
    Acts 21:15; I Sam. 17:22—Took up their carriage This meant that which was carried, or baggage. “Wist,” “wit,” “I do you to wit,” are not used today, Rom. 1:13; II Thess. 2:7—”Let” did not mean to permit, but rather to hinder, hold back, or restrain.
    I Thess. 4:15—”Prevent” meant come before, precede (See R.V.).
    Phil. 3:20—Conversation refers to life and action. In the revised version it hes been changed to citizenship.
    b. Mistakes are also made by the transistors and printers.
  3. A publishing company had the public aid them in proof-reading the bible they were putting out, and which they wanted to be perfect. After all their efforts, the BMe came out with, “Holy Bible” on the inside front page.
  4. The “Place makers” Bible instead of “peacemakers Mutt 5.9.
  5. The “Adulterous” Bible. The word NOT was left out in the commandments, “Thou shalt not commit adultery”—Ex. 20.
  6. The idle Bible—in Zech. 11:17 “idle”is printed instead of “idol.”
  7. The “murderers” Bible—the murmurers in Jude 16 were called murderers
  8. The “Printers” Bible—Psa. 119:161, the word “princes,” changed to “printers.”
  9. The “Wife-haters” Bible Luke 14:26 word “life,” changed to “wife.”
  10. The “Vinegar Bible”—Luke 20, the word “vinegar” instead of “vineyard.”
    These mistakes are made by man, not by God; and we must recognize that only the first parchments were inspired by God.
  11. How people spiritualize the Scriptures.
    a. God made man in His own image. A white man declared that God then m wt be white. Others say that the first man was red. Adam means red man of the earth. Therefore He mot have been red.
    b. The four rivers in Eden are supposed to mean prudence, self-control, courage, end justice.
    c. The parable of the sowing of the wheat. Jerome says that the thirty-fold pertains to marriage, sixty-fold to widows, and one hundred-fold to virginity.
    d. When you study the Bible don’t try to make it a kind of wonder book, or spiritual museum.
  12. Shakespeare. In 1611 when the Bible was translated, Shakespeare was forty-six years old. Some wise person turned to the forty sixth Psalm, and found that the forty-sixth word from the beginning was shake, and the forty-sixth word from the end was spear This was supposed to mean something or other.
  13. Armistice. Signed on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month A wive person turned to the eleventh book, the eleventh chapter, the eleventh verse which was I King: 11:11. The kingdom was rent from Solomon, so it must be rent from W helm. But the next verse says it will be rent from Solomon’s son. Supposed to be a prophecy to that effect
    a. Zion is not heaven. and Jerusalem is not heaven. And the New Jerusalem is not to be in heaven, but a literal city. All these are mixed up. Zion is a hill on which Jerusalem is built.
    b. People say that the throne of David is in your heart. How many throne did David have? The
    throne of David is the literal throne to be set up in a literal city, Jerusalem
    c. Augustine says that the disciples were fishing and caught 153 fish The sum of all the numbers to
    17 is 153, so 153 means 17. 10 is the number of the commandments and 7 is the Spiritual number.
    Together they make 17. Therefore the 153 fish stand for the commandments and the Holy Spirit.

The Gap Principle

a. That principle of divine revelation whereby God in the Jewish Scriptures ignores certain periods of time, leaping over centuries without comment. This is a principle that is not recognized by all Bible teachers and students.
b. illustrations.

  1. Isa. 61:1,2, with Luke 4:16-21. Why, in Luke’s record, did the Lord Jesus stop at the comma in Isa. 61:1,2? In the first coming of the Lord, He came to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. When He comes the second time He will preach of the day of vengeance. This has not yet come. There is already a gap of 1900 years between the clauses of that sentence—Isa. 61 :2.
  2. I Pet. 1:10,11.
    The prophets themselves could not understand what they prophesied concerning the suffering and glory of Christ (His humiliation and exaltation). They did not understand the gap principle. They tried to put these two mountain peaks together, but there was a valley of 1900 years which they did not see.
  3. Dan. 9.
    The seventy weeks were not weeks of days, but weeks of years, or four hundred and ninety years. Sixtynine of these weeks have passed.
    69 weeks—(Gap)—One week which has to do with Israel, the restoration, the day of the “little horn.”
  4. Hosea 1:4.
    Jezreel—(Gap) forty years. Close of the kingdom of the house of Israel.
  5. Rev. 12:5,6— Birth and ascension (vs. 5) (gap). Three-and-a-half years of tribulation period—Vs. 5,6.
  6. Isa. 9:6,7-—Incarnation Vs. 6a—(Gap)—Throne of David (not taken yet).

The Three-fold Principle

a. Definition.
The principle of Bible study in which God sets forth the truths of salvation in a three-fold way; past-justification; present-transformation; future-consummation.

  1. This principle expresses the grace of God and shows the fullness, completeness, and richness of our eternal salvation. It is found all the way through the Word of God.
  2. This three-fold principle meets the three preeminent needs of man:
    a. Salvation from the wrath of God—Rom. 1:18; 3:23; John 3:36.
    b. Salvation from the bondage of sin—Rom. 7:15.
    c. Salvation from physical distress, disease, death, and decay—-Rom. 6:23.
  3. Every misery and woe of the human race springs from these three conditions of man:
    a. Separation of the soul from God.
    b. Slavery in the bondage of sin.
    c. The mortal and infirm condition of the body.
  4. Sin has brought on us:
    a. Damned souls.
    b. Sin-blighted lives.
    c. Death and decay-doomed bodies.
  5. God provides for three preeminent needs of man in his three-fold plan of salvation. Salvation is something past, something present, and something future. Every Bible student will agree that this is found in the Word of God. The Christian’s only foundation is in the finished work of Christ.
    a. Past—justification. which gives man a ground for the hope that is within him.
    b. Present—This aspect is manifested in the daily walk of the Christian who should so live and walk as to honour God. This is possible, not because of what we are in ourselves, but because of the indwelling Holy Spirit
    c. Future—The consummation of our salvation will be in eternal glory when the believer is made in the visible and eternal likeness of the Lord Jesus Christ.
  6. Man is saved from the:
    a. Penalty of sin.
    This is past, and has to do with the wrath of God. “He was wounded for our transgressions” that we might not be wounded. God laid our sin on Him.
    b. Power of sin.
    Salvation from the habit of sin and the bondage of sin, in this present day. Whenever a Christian is given over to fleshly desires and appetites he does not have fellowship with God, and does not have victory. His life is powerless and barren. No life that is filled with fleshly desires and worldly activities is ever fruitful.
    c. The Presence of sin.
    When this salvation has reached its consummation, we will be given not only a redeemed soul and spirit, but also a redeemed body. Some people think that if you have enough faith you will not have any bodily ills; but immortality will not come until Christ returns.
  7. Man could not meet these needs in his own strength.
    a. God knows that man could not get right with God, so God laid the foundation for this remedy in the cross.
    b. God knows that man is too sinful and weak to live aright, so He bestowed upon us the Holy Spirit, and has given Jesus Christ a place in heaven as our intercessor and advocate.
    c. God knows that man cannot get out of the grave, nor give himself a new body, so God provided the resurrection; or rejuvenation, as the case may be.
    a. Illustrations from Scripture.
  8. Tit. 2:11-13—Gives us the three-fold work of Jesus Christ.
    Cross—past.
    Throne—present.
    Coming—future.
  9. II Cor. 1:10—
    He hath. He doth. He will deliver.
  10. I Thess. 1:3—
    Faith, labour of love, patience and hope.

The Election Principle

a. That principle of divine revelation whereby God in working out His purposes set aside al firsts and established all seconds.

  1. God has a purpose, and this is worked out all through Scripture.
  2. For example: Rom. 9:10-12. The purpose of God declared that the elder should serve the younger; and nothing can set this aside. It is clear and candid. The seconds that the Lord establishes are established on the basis of the cross.
  3. The reason why God sets aside the firsts, is because the firsts are of the flesh and of Satan; and the seconds are associated with the spiritual and with the Lord Jesus Christ.
    a. Illustrations:
  4. Heb. 10:7-9—Sacrifices under the law are compared to the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. The sacrifices of the Jewish altars are set aside for the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.
  5. Examples in families of Scripture:
  6. Cain set aside for Abel.
  7. Japheth set aside for Shem.
  8. Ishmael set aside for Isaac.
  9. Esau set aside for Jacob.
  10. Reuben set aside for Judah.
  11. God set aside the first and chose the second, or a second. “Except a man be born again”—the first birth is not enough; only the twice-born man is accepted.
  12. Adam had two possible grounds of access to God. Before the fall, he had access to God and fellowship with God on the ground of his own continuance in righteousness. But, because of one evil deed, fellowship with God was lost, and communion was cut off. As soon as sin entered in, what did God do? He made provision for clothing Adam and Eve by slaying animals. No man can enter in the presence of God by good works, but only by the shedding of blood.
  13. Cain and Abel. The above truth is brought out in this incident also. God set aside the offering of the first, and established the second.
  14. Gen. 48:8-19— Jacob crossed his hands, and by this act, the second son of Joseph received the blessing that the first should have received. In the crossing of Jacob’s hands we have a figure of the fact that all things are based on the cross.
  15. II Pet. 3:13—Sin has access to both earth and heaven at the present time, but God will establish a second heaven and earth where righteousness shall reign.
  16. According to God’s Word, we were lost in our first condition; but by His grace, those who believe are saved by the second condition. God has set aside our first condition on the grounds of the cross of Calvary.
    In our first condition, we were without hope; in the second condition we are saved in hope. In the first condition we wandered in darkness and sin; in the second we are walking in the light. In the first condition we were rebels against God, but now we are ambassadors for Him. In the first condition we were hell-doomed sinners, but now we have the hope and assurance of heaven.

The Repetition Principle

a. That principle under which God repeats some truth or subject already given, generally with the addition of details not before given.
This principle is closely allied to the progressive mention principle. “Repetitions with additions.” Repetitions are made for the sake of additional information.
b. Examples.

  1. Gen. 1:2—The creation of man recorded in Genesis 1 is a mere statement of fact, but in the second chapter there are added details. A moral aspect is also added. In the first chapter the name of God used is Elohim, the creative title. In the second chapter we have the name LORD or Jehovah, God’s redemptive title. This is the name of God when He enters into covenant relationship with man.
  2. “Verily.”
    a. The repetition may be of a single word, phrase, or sentence, and that is always significant and of importance—just as if God were saying, “Take note here.”
    Note how many times the Lord Jesus said, “Verily, verily.”
    John 5:24 John 6:47
    John 5:25 John 6:53
    John 6:26 John 8:34
    John 6:32
    b. Truth concerning hell.
    The mind of natural man has always rebelled against the thought of hell. This is treated by the Lord in a three-fold repetition—Mark 9:44-46-48. A simple statement, but one that men need to face.
    c. Judgment of the stubborn nation—Isaiah 6:10.
    This passage is found in the Bible seven times—six times besides Isa. 6:10. This concerns the judgment of judicial blindness on Israel.
  3. It was first given in Isaiah.
  4. When the Lord Jesus came and the nation treated Him as they treated God the Father in the Old Testament, and rejected Him, then Jesus pronounced judgment on them and quoted Isaiah 6.
  5. In the Old Testament God the Father dealt with them; in the Gospels, God the Son worked with them; in the Book of Acts the Holy Spirit tried to reach the hearts of the people of Israel. But this could not be done, and in the Book of Acts through the pen of Luke, and the mouth of Paul, the Spirit pronounced the judgment of blindness upon Israel, and quoted Isaiah 6.
  6. Paul in the Epistle to the Romans quotes Isaiah 6. concerning judgment on the nation of Israel. It brings out the amazing fairness of God’s dealings with man. Judgments that men fully deserve are not meted out until sufficient warning has been given.
  7. References: Isa. 6:10; Matt. 13:14; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10; Jn. 12:40; Acts 28:25-27; Rom. 11:8.
  8. The Book of Revelation.
    You can never understand this book aside from the Repetition Principle. It is a series of visions with the coming of Christ as the climax. This is repeated three times in the book, each time with added information.
  9. The ministry of Paul.
    In the Book of Acts, which begins with the ministry of Peter, we have a record of Paul’s ministry, and in all of the record he seems to be preaching only to the Jews. Only toward the end of the book Paul says to the Jews that he is now going to preach to the Gentiles. In the Epistles, however, we have the repetition of the record of Paul’s ministry, and in this we find the record of another marvelous activity, the establishing of churches among the Gentiles. It is a repetition with added details. We have the same period, the same preacher, but two lines of ministry.
  10. History of Israel.
    It is given in the Old Testament, and is repeated in the Book of Acts in the sermon of Stephen, with added details, not contradictions. In Romans we find a record of Israel’s wanderings, which is a repetition of the record in Deuteronomy.
    a. You will often find that in the repetition, the divine viewpoint is given, while in the first account, man’s viewpoint alone is given.

The Synthetic Principle


a. That principle under which God superintends the literary structure of the Bible so that it is constructed in introversion, alternations, or combination of both.
b. Explanation.
Everything that God does is perfect: Everything in nature and the Book; everything in the world and the Word. God is not the Creator of that which is imperfect. A blade of grass is perfect and so is a drop of dew. Man’s most perfect creation is a razor-blade—smooth, sharp. But put it under a microscope and the edge would look like this: w But a blade of grass under the same microscope is perfect.
Snowflakes are perfect. If 10,000 snowflakes were photographed, you would find no two alike, yet they are all alike in structure. They are all six-pointed.
The same perfection that you find in nature, you find in Scripture. When you find the same perfection in Scripture that you find in nature, then you have proof that the God Who created is the God Who wrote.
c. Alternation.

  1. Meaning. Alternate members to an outline or alternation.
    A A
    B B
    C A
    D B
    A A
    B B
    C
    D
  2. Examples:—showing the beauty of the structure of the Word of God.
    (a) Book of Jonah.
    A. Commission 1:1, 2
    B. Disobedience 1:3
    C. Consequence 1:4-17
    D. Prayer 2:1-9
    E. Deliverance 2:10
    A. Commission 3:1,2
    B. Obedience 3 :3, 4
    C. Consequences 3:5-10
    D. Prayer 4:1-3
    E. Correction 4:4-11
    (bi John 3:20, 21.
    A. Everyone that doeth evil hateth the light.
    B. Neither cometh to the light.
    C. Lest his deeds be reproved.
    A. Everyone that doeth truth.
    B. Cometh to the light.
    C. That his deeds may be made manifest.
    (c) Prov. 31:10-31.
    A. Her husband — 10-12.
    B. Her occupation—13-19.
    C. Her character—20.
    D. Her household—21.
    E. Herself—22 (What she is on the outside)-
    A. Her husband—23.
    B. Her occupation—24.
    C. Her character—26.
    D. Her household—27,28.
    E. Herself—29, 30 (what she is on the inside).

The Principle of Illustrative Mention


a. It is that principle by which God exhibits by illustrations of judgment. His displeasure at various forms of sin and disobedience.

  1. He speaks by way of judgment for violation of His command. He gives a decisive sign of hatred of sin and then is silent for a long time.
  2. If God visited every sin with deserved punishment as soon as a law was broken, the human race would soon become extinct.
    a. Examples.
  3. Lying to the Holy Chost—Acts 5:1-11 Ananias and Sapphira. This illustrates what God thinks of this sin, yet if all who commit it were punished in this manner there wouldn’t be any Church.
  4. Idolatry—Judgment of Babel is an example of judgment of idolatry—Gen. 11:
  5. Graven image#—Story of the golden calf and its judgment—Ex. 32:
  6. Profanity of Holy things—Death of Korah—Num. 16—Nadab and Abihu—Lev. 10:1, 2.
  7. “Thou shalt not kill.” Cain had a mark because “Vengeance is mine saith the Lord” Gen. 4:15.
  8. Family impurity—Judgment on Sodom—Gen. 19:
  9. Theft—Judgment on Achan—Josh. 7:
    a. This principle should encourage Scriptural illustrations in preaching.

The Double Reference Principle

a. It is that peculiarity of the writings of the Holy Spirit, by which a passage applying primarily to a person or event near at hand, is used by Him at a later time as applying to the Person of Christ, or the affairs of His kingdom. Human writers may not have had this in mind, but the Spirit knew.
b. Examples.

  1. Hosea 11:1—”Out of Egypt have I called my son.”
    The Holy Spirit applies it to the experience of Christ when taken into Egypt and brought out—Matt. 2:14, 15. It also refers to Israel. Israel nationally, was a son, but Christ was a greater “Son.”
  2. II Sam. 7:12-16— Davidic covenant. It has to do with Solomon in one sentence, and the very next verse goes beyond to Christ.
  3. Deut. 18:15—Statement concerning a prophet to follow him. The reference here is to Joshua and yet it looks forward to Christ also—Acts 3:22, 23.
  4. Jer. 50: and 51:
    Predicted judgment on Babylon. It has not yet been minutely fulfilled. There is reference here to a future Babylon that will be destroyed—Rev. 18:9.21.

The Christo-Centric Principle

a. Definition.
It is that principle by which God shows:

  1. The mind of Deity is eternally centered in Christ.
  2. All angelic thought and ministry are centered in Christ.
  3. All Satanic hatred and subtlety are centered at Christ.
  4. All human hopes are, and human occupations should be, centered in Christ.
  5. The whole material universe in creation is centered in Christ.
  6. The entire written Word is centered in Christ.
    b. Explanation.
    a. This is seen, first of all, in the fact that Christ was in the form of God; the mind of God was in Him —Phil. 2:5; Heb. 1:3.
    We do not see the sun, but the rays of the sun, and yet the rays are of the sun. It is the same with God and the Son of God—Heb. 1:8. He has all the perfections of God. He is the visible image of the Invisible.
    b. God was unseen by men before the Incarnation except in the Theophanies of the Old Testament. “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father” expressed the power of God in His mighty works.
    He is the image of the invisible God. Jesus was, or is God. He had a mind big enough to hold the thoughts of God and a heart big enough to hold the love of God.
    c. He is the Creator of all things.
    He is the sum and aim and end of all creation—John 1:3; 1:10; Col. 1:16, 17; Heb. 1:3; 3:4; Rom. 11:36; Col. 1:17; II Cor. 8:9.
    He is the heir of all thing»—Heb. 1:2. Why heir? He gave up all the riches and rights He had as God, and became man to die and be raised and ascend to heaven, and be heir of all things.
    d. Eph. 1:4—before the foundations of the earth, all was centered in Him. Rom. 5:14—Adam was the figure of Him that was to come.
  7. All Angelic thought and ministry are centered in Him.
    a. Isaiah 6: with John 12:41.
    The vision of the figure on the throne being worshipped by the Seraphim shows Jesus. In Revelation there is a throne surrounded by angelic beings worshipping the Lamb.
    b. Luke 1:—angels announced His birth.
    c. After temptation—angel* came and ministered to Him.
    d. Matt. 25:31—He will return surrounded by angels—II Thess. 1:7.
    c. I Peter 3:22—angels are subject to Him.
    f. Heb. 1:6—all the angels of God worship Him.
  8. All Satanic hatred and subtlety are centered at Christ.
    a. Rev. 12:
    Here we have the sun-clad, and star-crowned woman. The red dragon is ready to devour the child. The woman is Israel, the child is Christ, and the dragon is Satan. The child is caught up to God. Here is a picture of Satan trying to prevent the coming of the Seed.
    b. “Conflict of the ages.”
    This is the war Satan carried on all through the ages, trying to prevent the coming of the Seed.
    c. From Gen. 3:15 to Revelation.
  9. Before flood—attempt to corrupt mankind—Gen. 6.
  10. Abraham called and warfare again.
  11. In Egypt—
    ((a)) Tried to wear out the life of the people by hard labor.
    ((b)) Command to kill men. God intervened and allowed Moses to be reared in the very home which he would later be turning against.
    ((c)) Command to cast all boy babies in the river.

The Numerical Principle

The Number One in Scripture
Someone has truly said, “Strengthening to the believer’s heart is the subject of Spiritual arithmetic, as revealed in God’s Word.” Such a subject that One Supreme Mind must have been the author of all the books of the Bible.
The number ONE is a primary number. All other numbers depend upon ONE. It precedes and produces all other numbers; that is, every digit is dependent upon number ONE.
This is God’s number; without Him nothing could exist. “In the beginning, God ..No creator—no creation. No designer—no design. Without a former, there can be no formation. No Saviour can mean only one thing-—no salvation.
There cannot be two firsts. The number two confirms that there is a difference. We are admonished to “seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.” Our own will excludes God’s will. Many Christians have heard the still, small voice whisper, “This is the way, walk ye in it.” But because the way of self is accepted, God’s way is rejected. His way promises comfort. Man’s way produces confusion. He is the One in Whom all blessing flow.
The first number EXCLUDES all other numbers. In this, we make a distinction as far as God is concerned.
He did not have to create a world; He was not compelled to form the first man; He could have excluded the human race. But His condescending grace was brought down to sinful man through His Son, Jesus Christ.
God formed Adam for the purpose of fellowship. That fellowship was broken because Eve listened to Satan
and added, omitted, and altered the Word of God. In Genesis 3 we find that she added “neither shall ye touch it”; she omitted the word “freely”; she altered “thou shalt surely die.” She knew God’s will, but heeded Satan’s will.
God could have exterminated Adam and Eve because of His displeasure at sin, but He came down to them in the
garden to clothe them in animal skins. They recognized their sinful deed, became conscious of their sin, and made themselves aprons of fig leaves. But there is no blood in a fig leaf. There must be a life sacrificed. This prompted
the slaying of animals in order that they might be clothed in coats of skins. This is the first mention of a life for
a life to atone for sin, and points forward to Calvary where the Lamb of God, through His shed blood, expiates sin. He gave His life a ransom for us. He came to this earth with a nature capable of death, to die for the sinner. He became partaker of our nature, that we might become partakers of His nature. He became friendless that we might have a friend. Because God did not desire to see us excluded. He gave His Son to die that all who might believe in His finished work, might be included. The sinner who stands at the Great White Throne Judgment will be forced to utter, “God excluded me because I did not acknowledge the finished work of His Son for me.”
The number ONE stands alone, independent of all others. God is independent; we are dependent. If we come to the realization that Jesus Christ was clothed in His earthly nature and needed to pray to His Father, then it will not be difficult to impress the state of our dependence upon Him. How often we limit His power by turning to man to lift burdens and share financial difficulties. How often He must be grieved to witness our independence of Him. God is ONE Who has a solution for every sorrow. When shall we learn to get back to the kindergarten of faith and once again study the BOOK, the ONLY BOOK, the ONE BOOK which dissolves doubts and promises a performance of the supernatural?
Number TWO affirms a difference. And because all men have not believed in number ONE, the human race is divided into two classes— those in Christ and those outside of Christ. Number two proves that there is a distinction between those in the first Adam and those in the last Adam. Number two explains why God had to call in the Garden of Eden. “Adam, where art thou?” Sin produced conviction and prompted Adam to hide from God. Because of the totality and universality of sins today, the same question rings out from Heaven into your very presence, “Where art thou?” As to where you are, there are two possibilities, but there can be only one answer—in Adam or in Christ; you are either saved or unsaved. That’s why we reed in the Word of Sod, aThe wages of sin is death, BUT the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). “He that hath the Son hath life, BUT he that hath not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36). “For God so loved the world (sinners) that He gave His only begotten Son (salvation) that whosoever (sinners) believeth in Him should not perish BUT have everlasting life” (salvation) (John 3:16).
If you have thwarted every opportunity to hear the simplicity of the Gospel message and the truth that Jesus Christ died and arose from the dead for your sins, then abolish such rejection and in humility ask, with the Philippian jailer, the question pointed to Paul, “What must I do to be saved?” You will receive the only answer that has come down through the ages, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).