Ten Attitudes Essential to Bible Study

One of the most prevalent causes which contributes to a misunderstanding of the Bible is when the student has wrong attitudes toward it or the study of it. If one is going to understand the Scriptures, he must develop and maintain proper attitudes toward the Bible and its study.

1. Be willing to work. No other attitude or activity can take the place of work. Those who seek enlightenment in any branch of knowledge must pursue it with vigor, enthusiasm, and labor.

2. Trust the word of God. The one who mistrusts will never be in the frame of mind to understand very much of what God says. A word of caution, though: make sure that in your study you are using a reliable translation of Scripture. Some so-called translations are, in reality, nothing more than paraphrases by those who are unqualified to properly translate Scripture or those whose bias and prejudice cause them to deliberately alter what the Scriptures really teach.

3. Show reverence for the word. Reverence: “A respectful, submissive disposition of mind, arising from affection and esteem, from a sense of superiority in the person reverenced.” (The Popular and Critical Bible Encyclopedia, p. 1469)

4. Expect delight. To delight in the word of God is to thoroughly enjoy its study. Do not look upon your study of Scripture as a chore. Rather, consider it a blessed opportunity to learn of God and His will.

5. Love the word. It is an accepted fact that we pursue that which we love. If we are going to actively pursue knowledge of the word, we must develop a great love for it.

6. Desire to understand the word. When one has a negative attitude toward a discipline or if he begins by thinking he will never really understand it, most likely he never will. A positive attitude, coupled with hard work, goes a long way in helping one come to an understanding of God’s word.

7. Shun perversions of the word. See point two above. One must never settle for anything less than the truth of God.

8. Undergird your study with prayer. Prayer avails much (James 5:16), but one need not expect God to do for him what he ought to do for himself. The prayers of a lazy, half-hearted, grumbling student cannot rise very high.

9. Have a spirit of expectancy. When one starts to study the Bible, he ought to expect to understand it. The apostle Paul gives him the assurance that he can (Ephesians 3:1-5).

10. Desire to be obedient. Mere curiosity about the Bible or academic interest in it is not enough. One must develop a hunger and thirst for knowledge of Scripture having obedience that leads to salvation as his ultimate goal.