Are you afraid of heights? I am. Once, while visiting Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River which runs between Zambia and Zimbabwe, I had the opportunity to cross Knife Edge Bridge, a suspended footbridge parallel to the waterfall.
The bridge was wet and slippery. Due to the intensity of the waterfall’s mist that day, the bridge could not be seen halfway across the roaring river. Nervously, I stopped short and let the tourists behind me go ahead. I could not see the handrails of the bridge that would help me get to the other side, because I could not even see the other half of the bridge itself! I was too afraid to go a step further.
Some feel similarly about reading the Bible. It is, after all, a large book to navigate, and the roadmap is not always clear. But throughout this latest blog series, I have reminded us that studying the Bible is not rocket science. We only need a few simple steps, a dose of curiosity, and courage to know God. Today, we will focus on the guardrails of Bible study: understanding the main point. Whether considering the Bible as a whole or a singular passage, the main point provides the necessary guardrails to keep us on track.
Guardrails are essential.
For life:
The primary purpose of guardrails is to protect individuals from falling or straying into dangerous areas such as rivers, edges of roads, cliffs, or steep inclines. They act as a barrier. Secondly, guardrails provide clear boundaries, helping to guide people in the right direction, especially when the way is misty or foggy. Finally, guardrails offer risk mitigation. They reduce the risk of accidents by keeping vehicles on the roadway, particularly in hazardous conditions or sharp curves. This helps to prevent collisions and serious injuries. Guardrails keep people safe, provide guidance, and reduce the risk of harm.
For Bible study:
While the benefits of physical guardrails are apparent, guardrails also function metaphorically. For example, when you are making a difficult life choice, guardrails are the values that keep you on track. Similarly, I have been asked, “What are the guardrails for Simply Bible studies? Isn’t having ordinary people study the Bible independently too risky?”
Although I understand the concern, we can trust God with his work. We can also trust the process; as one leader encourages others, “The Simply Bible format is foolproof.” Moreover, my mind returns to my seven-year-old self, who read her Bible nightly. Although she certainly did not have all the correct answers, she was curious to know God and asked him lots of questions. Her Bible study was simple: she asked God questions and looked for answers. She used her little bit of common sense and naturally, as kids do, asked, “What’s the point of this?” While reading my Bible, I asked, I pondered, and I grew; and God, in His infinite grace, gently drew me closer to Himself through His Word.
So yes, ordinary people can know and enjoy God through His Word. We utilize simple tools and a systematic format to observe, interpret, and apply the Word. Then, we look for the main point of the passage. When we remember the main point, we will stay well within orthodoxy.
What is the point of Bible study?
There is no beating around the bush here. We read our Bibles to know and enjoy God: to connect with him, understand his ways, and enjoy friendship with him. That was my child’s heart: I sought to know God by reading my Bible. Yet, something changed as a teenager. Like many other things, I made the Bible all about me: “Oh, Lord! I need a word from You today! Give me a word.”
There is nothing wrong with wanting and needing a word of assurance or direction from God. But that is not the main point of the Bible. Although we will learn more about ourselves and God’s will for us, the primary purpose of the Bible is not to provide a manual or directions for living a good, moral life. Instead, the Bible reveals who God is, so we might know and enjoy Him. In the Bible, God reveals his character, his ways, and how He has worked in salvation history. A leader I studied with would often repeat, “When we know who God is, we know who we are, and we know what to do.”
Jeremiah speaks to this:
Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”
Jeremiah 9:23-24
So the Bible’s main point is God—not me, not you.
Keeping this firmly in mind not only provides the ultimate assurance that our hearts long for, it also provides essential guardrails for reading the Bible. So let’s briefly examine how focusing on the main point of a passage offers guardrails for individual readers. Then, we will consider a practical example to see how this works in real life.
Understanding the main point is a guardrail for Bible study, because the main point:
- Provides contextual understanding
- Helps to avoid misinterpretation
- Prevents misapplication
First, grasping the main point helps place a verse or passage within its larger context of the chapter itself, the book as a whole, and even the entire Bible. This, in turn, prevents readers from misinterpreting—it prevents those faux pas we are concerned about—and leads to more accurate interpretation. Finally, solid interpretation leads to better application, allowing readers to apply the teachings and truths of the passage to their own lives. The main point helps identify relevant lessons or principles that guide our behavior and decision-making. When we know God, we know who we are and what to do.
The main point provides another bonus: the ability to articulate the main point of a passage to others. Understanding the main point helps us share and discuss biblical truths with others, promoting fellowship and community among believers.
Ultimately, understanding the essence of scripture contributes to spiritual growth and maturity, fostering a closer relationship with God and a better understanding of his will. The main point keeps us safe on the road to thinking, speaking, and living differently—a road that grows our friendship with God and one another.
You might be wondering: Is the main point that big of a deal?
Yes! Consider another study tool with me: keywords. Keywords may be my favorite interpretation tool. I’ve already written about how I am a “word girl” and love looking up definitions of words in their original meaning. The problem is that words may jump off the page to us, which are not necessarily the main subject of a passage. Without our guardrail of finding the main point, keywords quickly veer us off course and onto rabbit trails. Group discussion can become derailed. Perhaps you have experienced this.
A real-life example:
I have witnessed this phenomenon with the word angel or angels. Angels are intriguing. We are curious about the mystery of the spiritual realm. Who are angels? Precisely what do they do? When do they show up? Why haven’t I ever seen an angel myself? The questions about angels abound.
According to my Bible dictionary, an angel is a messenger of God. Now, it is good to define and understand who an angel is and what role angels play in scripture. However, rarely is an angel the main point of a passage. For example, when Gabriel visits Mary to tell her that she will be the mother of the Messiah (Luke 1:26-38), the arrival of an angel is shocking and will undoubtedly lead us to ask lots of questions! But, if we dwell on the angel too long, our study veers way off course.
So how do we get back on track?
Because the main point provides the guardrails for our Bible study, all we need to do is ask, “What is the main point of this passage?” In this case, the main point is the crux of the angel’s message: Jesus. Mary will be the bearer of the coming Messiah, Jesus.
The Main Point and our Study of Romans
In our upcoming study of Romans, understanding the main point will be non-negotiable. Each day, the main point will be imperative to understanding Paul and his message of good news about Jesus. Paul is an educated and eloquent communicator who takes time and plenty of words to explain his message. If we miss the main point, we will miss the beauty of Paul’s letter to the Romans (or any of his letters, for that matter).
The climax of Romans is found in chapter eight (Hint: If studying Romans this upcoming fall, consider memorizing Romans 8 or parts of it.):
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39
Here is the word angel again. Paul mentions angels and rulers, translated as demons in the NIV! Jotting these words down in your keyword column and defining them is perfectly acceptable. Lean into your curiosity!
- Angel: a supernatural being created by God to serve Him, often functions as a messenger
- Ruler: any supernatural being (besides God) acting in a ruling or commanding capacity, good or evil
Lean into your curiosity, but hold onto the guardrails of Bible study and ask what is the main point?
God’s love. Nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate us from God’s love through Jesus.
Does understanding angels or demons calm our anxious hearts? No, not really.
Does understanding the main point of the passage calm our anxious hearts? Yes.
The main point provides the reassurance that our hearts need, leads to knowing and enjoying God, and enables good application. Nothing in this world or the spiritual realm can separate you or me from our God. He is powerful, and his love is powerful. That truth is worth tucking into the pocket of my heart and pondering for the rest of the day. That truth applies to me today just as it did to the first-century believers in Rome. No matter my hardships, I can stand firm on God’s promises. He loves me. Because of my faith in Jesus, He is always with and for me.
Friend, God loves you. When you believe in Jesus, He will always be with you. Always. Be assured.
Bible study is not rocket science. It is about growing in friendship with God. Walk step by step through the Simply Bible format. Hold onto the guardrails of Bible study by finding the main point of a passage. This way, we safely cross the bridge to know God and enjoy Him through His Word.
Lord God, thank You for your Word—a means to know You and enjoy your friendship. Lead us as we study. Help our friendship with You to grow.
