Legalism, Obedience, and Belief Windows (p4)

Commands, Principles, Applications

Despite my very limited experience and study on the subject, I would still be willing to bet a year's pay that the reason the majority of Christians do not really know why they believe what they do is because they have no idea how to (or maybe desire to) study God's word. If you really want to know if your beliefs stem from God's word or man's legalistic dogmas, then you've got to figure out how to study the source of our faith in God.

A method of Bible study I use to dig into the word is outlined in the following chart:

Of course, this method works best when approached inductively, that is starting with the command, then moving to the principle, and ending with application; however, in what I like to call "reverse Bible study," a Christian could easily examine what they do (application) by tracing their actions through their beliefs to the commands-the verses-that support their behavior. The question isn't really can Christians study to show themselves approved, but will they?

Reverse Bible Study

Think about all the things we Christians believe with limited Scriptural backing to support our faith. Things like: go to church on Sunday, Christians are saved if they believe, don't wear white after labor day, pastors are our shepherds, tithing is a requirement for church membership, faith demands no evidence, or church is a building. Jesus said that the Pharisees "nullify the Word of God by [the] traditions that [they] handed down. And you do many things like that" (Mk7.13). So how can I be sure that my practices are grounded in God's word and not simply traditions that nullify it? I must study.

Here's a method I use for something called "reverse Bible study." Take what you practice and then find verses that you think support your beliefs. Then using an inductive Bible study system, examine the Scriptures to see if they support what you call "truth." Here's a model:

 

If a person sat down and studied, they would see that "church" isn't a building, a gathering, a "service," or a day of the week where a person more righteous than them tells them what God wants. Church is far more personal, more important, and more individual than that. But why won't we examine the Scriptures to see if what we believe is really true? It's far easier to obey the traditions of man than the commands of God.