Section 1

The Bible; How to Study and Understand It

Chapter 4.

The Life-Giving Word

1. WHAT is the nature of the word of God?
"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Heb. 4:12.

2. How are the oracles of God described?
"This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us." Acts 7:38.

3. What did Christ declare His words to be?
"It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." John 6:63.

4. What was Peter's testimony concerning Christ's words?
"Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life." Verse 68.

5. What did Christ declare His Father's commandment to be?
"And I know that His commandment is life everlasting." John 12:50.

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6. What lesson was intended by feeding the children of Israel with the manna?
"And He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that He might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live." Deut. 8:3.

7. What interpretation did Jesus give to this lesson?
"Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but My Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world." John 6:32,33.

8. In further explanation of the meaning of this lesson, what did Jesus declare Himself to be?
"And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst." Verse 35.

9. What benefit is derived from eating this bread of life?
"As the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth Me, even he shall live by Me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live forever." Verses 57,58.

10. What instance is recorded of one who fed upon the true manna?
"Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by Thy name, O Lord God of hosts." Jer.15:16.

11. What name is applied to Jesus as the revelation of the thought of God in the flesh?
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John 1:1.  "And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called The Word of God." Rev. 19:13.

12. What was in the Word?
"In Him was life; and the life was the light of men." John 1:4.

13. What is Jesus therefore also called?
"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life." 1 John 1:1.

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14. Why did the Jews fail to find life in the Scriptures?
"Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me. And ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life." John 5:39,40.

15. What constitutes a part of Christian experience?
"And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come." Heb. 6:5. See answer to question 10.

16. In assigning him his life-work, what instruction did Jesus give to Peter?
"Jesus saith unto him, Feed My sheep." John 21:17.

17. What apostolic injunction indicates the way in which this instruction is to be obeyed?
"I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine." 2 Tim. 4:1,2.

18. How are we instructed to pray for both physical and spiritual nourishment?
"Give us this day our daily bread." Matt. 6:11.

NOTE.-When "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us," the thought of God was revealed in human flesh. When holy men of God "spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost," the thought of God was revealed in human language. The union of the divine and the human in the manifestation of God's thought in the flesh is declared to be "the mystery of godliness;" and there is the same mystery in the union of the divine thought and human language. The two revelations of God, in human flesh and in human speech, are both called the Word of God, and both are the Word of life. He who fails to find Christ thus in the Scriptures will not be able to feed upon the Word as the life-giving Word.

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Like wandering sheep o'er mountains cold,
Since all have gone astray;
To life and peace within the fold,
How may I find the way?

To Christ the Way, the Truth, the Life,
I come, no more to roam;
He'll guide me to my Father's house,
To my eternal home.

Preparing For Eternity
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