Grace Christian Church Meeting NotesSunday Services: In-person & streamed at 10:30 AM EST, Manalapan, New Jersey.
Topic: How to Study the Bible (Leadership Training)
Opening Principle (Watchman Nee): Read the Bible with your spirit, not mind or cleverness—spiritual things are understood spiritually.Revelation
- Definition: God uncovering what was hidden; all believers receive it via the indwelling Holy Spirit (as thoughts/pictures from spirit to mind).
- God reveals constantly; obstacles: not listening or doubting.
- Pre-fall: direct spiritual communion; lost at fall; restored at salvation.
- Illustration: Like a blind person regaining sight—must learn to use spiritual “eyes” over natural mind/Law.
- Revelation precedes faith; Christianity is revelation-based.
- General revelation: Creation shows God’s existence (Ps 19:1; Rom 1:20)—no excuse.
- Sources for believers: (1) Direct from Holy Spirit, (2) Bible/literature, (3) Other believers (Body life).
- 4 Practices to Accelerate Revelation:
- Be quiet/still before the Lord.
- Actively listen (internal inklings confirmed externally).
- Ask before praying/reading: “What do You want me to know/do/see?”
- Journal revelations & review.
- Warning: Disquieted spirit hinders reception.
- Example prayer: Eph 1:17 (spirit of wisdom & revelation).
Q1: In your own words, describe revelation and why the four practices speed it up.Behind the Word is the Spirit
- Bible: 66 books (39 OT, 27 NT); 40 authors over ~1500 years; Paul: 13 books; Luke: ~27.5% NT pages.
- Principle: Scripture interprets Scripture; all inspired (2 Tim 3:16).
- Covenants:
- Old (Law): Ex 20 → cross; performance-based acceptance; most Gospels under Law.
- Example: Lord’s Prayer (conditional forgiveness)—doesn’t fully apply under Grace (all sins forgiven, God indwells).
- New (Grace): Post-resurrection → Rev; receiving what’s already ours in Christ (Eph 1:3).
- Warning: Mixing covenants causes error (Rom 11:6).
- Bible inspired in originals (Hebrew/Aramaic OT, Greek NT); not human origin (2 Pet 1:20-21).
- Translations: Literal (NASB, ESV, NKJV) preferred; compare with dynamic (NIV, NLT).
- Resources: Read Scripture → seek revelation → then commentaries. Recommended: NASB + Amplified; Bible Knowledge Commentary; Paul Ellis Grace Commentary; GotQuestions.org.
Q2: In your own words, explain the difference in interpreting/applying Old vs. New Covenant passages.Ways to Read the BibleA. Meditatively:
- Jesus’ words are spirit & life (John 6:63).
- Logos (written word/Jesus) vs. Rhema (spoken/revealed word).
- Spirit turns Logos into personal Rhema (spirit-to-spirit).
- Seek Rhema, not just mental understanding.
B. Inductively:
- Systematic: Observation → Interpretation → Application.
- Observation: 5W1H, repeated words, connectors (“therefore”).
- Interpretation: Logos → Rhema; paraphrase; read literally; OT types point to NT fulfillment.
- Application: How it changes your life.
- Example (Rom 6:1-8): Died to sin’s power with Christ; freed, not enslaved; renew mind to live it out.
Q3: In your own words, explain how Logos becomes Rhema in either method.
- Believers know God’s thoughts by the Spirit (1 Cor 2:11-13).
Homework
- Inductively study Romans 7:1-4: Observe, interpret/paraphrase concisely, apply.
- Recommended short book: Philemon (25 verses).
- Hints: Philemon (wealthy owner), Onesimus (runaway slave); “refresh” repeated; picture of substitutionary atonement (vv. 18-19).
