What makes Bible study pointless?

[Fez]

If you seek God, you will find him.

And that is having a Biblical experience.

And I would venture to say that one can have a "bible experience" without having a "bible study".

[Steve_S]

What if they aren't though? What if they're just trying to refute it? What if they're just opening the book to mock it? Would you still tell them to put the Word of God down? I wouldn't, because they're still reading the truth, even if their intent is to mock, judge, or refute.

Steve, I don't believe the quote was meant for these people.

Do you have a grievence with the Bible becoming something more than words and intellectual input?

Absolutely not, I just disagree with the way this message is being delivered, not the message itself. I don't like "Bible study" being associated with "pointless" in this manner with such wide room for interpretation of the actual statement. In the post to zimm you mentioned context, there's not much context here to go off of, you have to make inferences. This isn't scripture so there's no guarantee that there's going to be guided discernment with what it means.

If I said, "A car is pointless without tires," would you associate my words as saying cars are pointless?

Or would you associate what I was saying to mean that without tires a car cannot function as it was meant to?

The Bible is CLEARLY more than words and intellectual input.

Agree. But how many people regard it that way?

Of course I wouldn't regard it in that way, but the way this is phrased isn't nearly that clear cut. There have already been a couple of people that I believe to be very mature Christians in this very thread confused by it. This would be far more akin to saying "Learning to drive without driving experience pointless" to me. Spirit led study of the scriptures is by far the best way to determine what needs to be done in your walk with Christ, in my opinion. I believe that the Holy Spirit is going to work in us and guide us and that the fruits we bear from the Spirit are because of the Holy Spirit, not because of us.

As for your question about how many people regard it that way, I really don't know. I think that people who truly have Jesus will eventually be led into bearing fruit by the Holy Spirit, though, regardless of what their mind wants. It's a difficult question and every person is different in their walk. Every person has different things that need to be corrected by guidance and these things occur on different timetables (at least it seems so to me, anyway). I certainly wouldn't want to tell someone who is being led to study scripture at any given moment in their walk to get up and go do something else because fruits aren't being borne in the way that WE think they should be. I don't know, again, it's a difficult question as far as that goes and I very well could be incorrect.

[nebula]

Of course I wouldn't regard it in that way, but the way this is phrased isn't nearly that clear cut. There have already been a couple of people that I believe to be very mature Christians in this very thread confused by it. This would be far more akin to saying "Learning to drive without driving experience pointless" to me. Spirit led study of the scriptures is by far the best way to determine what needs to be done in your walk with Christ, in my opinion. I believe that the Holy Spirit is going to work in us and guide us and that the fruits we bear from the Spirit are because of the Holy Spirit, not because of us.

Actually, it would be more like: "Studying to drive without driving experience is pointless."

(For one can't "learn" to drive without actually getting behind the wheel. )

But if you study and never drive - what good does it do you?

Spirit led study of the scriptures is by far the best way to determine what needs to be done in your walk with Christ, in my opinion.

If your study is Spirit-led, then you are having a "Bible experience."

[Steve_S]

Of course I wouldn't regard it in that way, but the way this is phrased isn't nearly that clear cut. There have already been a couple of people that I believe to be very mature Christians in this very thread confused by it. This would be far more akin to saying "Learning to drive without driving experience pointless" to me. Spirit led study of the scriptures is by far the best way to determine what needs to be done in your walk with Christ, in my opinion. I believe that the Holy Spirit is going to work in us and guide us and that the fruits we bear from the Spirit are because of the Holy Spirit, not because of us.

Actually, it would be more like: "Studying to drive without driving experience is pointless."

(For one can't "learn" to drive without actually getting behind the wheel. )

But if you study and never drive - what good does it do you?

Spirit led study of the scriptures is by far the best way to determine what needs to be done in your walk with Christ, in my opinion.

If your study is Spirit-led, then you are having a "Bible experience."

I agree 100 percent with that, but my main issue with the phrase "Bible experience" is that it could mean a litany of things. Like i said before, I agree with the message, I just don't agree with the vagueness of the phrasing.

(Sorry for posting your responses as whole quotes like that, I'm still not able to figure out how to multi-quote and address each individual item piecemeal.)

[Fez]

Of course I wouldn't regard it in that way, but the way this is phrased isn't nearly that clear cut. There have already been a couple of people that I believe to be very mature Christians in this very thread confused by it. This would be far more akin to saying "Learning to drive without driving experience pointless" to me. Spirit led study of the scriptures is by far the best way to determine what needs to be done in your walk with Christ, in my opinion. I believe that the Holy Spirit is going to work in us and guide us and that the fruits we bear from the Spirit are because of the Holy Spirit, not because of us.

Actually, it would be more like: "Studying to drive without driving experience is pointless."

(For one can't "learn" to drive without actually getting behind the wheel. )

But if you study and never drive - what good does it do you?

Spirit led study of the scriptures is by far the best way to determine what needs to be done in your walk with Christ, in my opinion.

If your study is Spirit-led, then you are having a "Bible experience."

I agree 100 percent with that, but my main issue with the phrase "Bible experience" is that it could mean a litany of things. Like i said before, I agree with the message, I just don't agree with the vagueness of the phrasing.

(Sorry for posting your responses as whole quotes like that, I'm still not able to figure out how to multi-quote and address each individual item piecemeal.)

Me too, and one would think a wonderful teacher like Bill would have qualified, or used another phrase.

[FluffyJ]

What is Bible experience, and how do you get Bible experience? This is my ponderment.

I know that one underlying reason for Bible study is to have a closer walk with Jesus, and for His Word to dwell more richly in us. So that like James 1:22 says, we can become doers of the Word and not hearers only.

But I am really stuck on the Bible experience bit.... can someone help me understand what is Bible experience?

Various portions of the Bible have illuminated my heart, or come home to me from time to time as I study the Word, like a Rhema Word, a very personal, right now word from the Holy Spirit lifting my heart or being applied directly into my situation, and I have rejoiced in the light of such revelations and shared with others. Could this be the Bible experience Nebula refers to? Someone help.... shed some light for me please....

[nChrist]

I think that a "Bible Experience" could be anything that happens as a result of reading God's Word. It might or might not involve the workings of the Holy Spirit, but we know that God Promises His Word will never return void. I was just thinking that even the mockers might have a positive impact on God's Children in what we learn for a response. Finally, we know that God does as He pleases in heaven and on earth.

[Guest Kabod]

It is never pointless.............The Word is LIVING and ACTIVE and sharper than any Double edged Sword, dividing between soul and spirit, joint and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart........How many swords have you seen that had no point.....?

I have seen none that way.

To open a Bible is to step into another World, even if you have never, ever opened one, or if you are ancient, and read over the entire course of your life, it is The ONLY Living Book in existence, therefore, it could not, ever be pointless.......

Open one today, and you will see my '' point ''......lol

[Guest]

"Bible study without Bible experience is pointless." ~Bill Johnson

Your thoughts?

Yeap

Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. Psalms 119:9

Sure Enough

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. Psalms 119:11

The Master's Voice

And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. Luke 4:4

Or Not

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Genesis 3:1(a-c)

~

Nice Thread Dear Sister

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. Proverbs 27:17

Love, Your Brother Joe