Additional Thought

Bible study helps us to know God. Bible study also helps us to grow in our relationship with Him. Everlasting life is living forever with the God we love ( John 5:39; John 17:3 📖 ).

In Revelation 3:20 📖 , we read that Jesus wants to have a loving relationship with us. We always can learn more about our God. We should always search the Bible for more wisdom and knowledge. We always can learn more, even from the stories or verses we already read many times. As much as we think we know, there is always more we may learn from the Bible. So, let us continue to search the Bible for more and more truth. God wants each of us to study the special messages about the future.”—Ellen G. White, Counsels to Writers and Editors, page 41, adapted.

We also should not force the Bible to say what we want it to say. We should not try to make the verses agree with our ideas. “How shall we study the Bible? Shall we force the Bible to agree with our teachings? Or shall we take our ideas to the Bible and check to see if they are correct? Many people may read and even teach the Bible. But they don’t understand the precious truth they are teaching or studying. . . . Many people give the verses of the Bible a meaning that agrees with their own ideas.”—Ellen G. White, Counsels to Writers and Editors, page 36, adapted.

Discussion Questions:

What is in your heart when you study the Bible? Is your heart filled with pride? If yes, what must change? Why is having a heart with no pride important to Bible study? Why also must you give yourself fully to the Lord, too?

What, if any, ideas do you need to let go of so that you can accept what the Bible is saying? Pray right now about these ideas and ask God to help you let go of them.

When you study the Bible, what danger is there in wanting to discover something ‘new’ and ‘exciting’ that nobody thought about before? In what ways is this a selfish wish? How can this selfish wish cause someone to accept false ideas or reject Bible truth?