Tag: BibleStudy

Biblical Interpretation, Kingdom Discipleship

Understanding Context — Who Speaks, Who Hears, and Why It Matters

Rooted & Raised

How to Read the Bible Series


The Bible never changes, but our understanding can be flawed.

Every verse has a voice, but it speaks within a larger conversation. Pull a passage from its setting, and you risk misrepresenting what God has said. Yet how often do we hear teachings built on partial readings, system-driven assumptions, or verses lifted from their covenant, people, or purpose?

Context isn’t optional—it’s essential. And the early Church knew it. The Bereans didn’t just search the Scriptures; they searched them rightly. They considered the setting, the speaker, and the storyline. Their hearts were open, but their discernment was sharp. So must ours be today.

📖 Scripture Focus

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”
— 2 Timothy 2:15, NASB1995

Every Verse Has a Home

A passage has a home. It belongs to a book, a chapter, a historical setting, and a covenantal framework. The Bereans didn’t apply New Covenant teachings to Old Covenant warnings. They didn’t extract verses about Israel and reinterpret them through a Roman lens.

They let the text speak for itself.

Today, many misread Scripture by ignoring who is being addressed. Are the words meant for Israel under the Law? For the Church under grace? For the nations under judgment? God’s Word is true in all times, but it must be read in its time to be rightly understood.

🧭 Ask the Right Questions

  • Who is speaking? Who is being addressed?
  • What is happening in the story or letter?
  • When in redemptive history is this taking place?
  • Where is the setting: Israel? Babylon? The early Church?
  • Why was this written? What prompted it?

These questions don’t complicate Scripture—they clarify it. And they help keep us from projecting our own ideas into the text.

Context Guards Truth

“You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God.”
— Matthew 22:29, NASB1995

Jesus rebuked those who misapplied Scripture because they misunderstood its context. The same danger exists today.

Misunderstanding Scripture leads to misrepresenting God. It opens the door to false doctrines, misplaced hope, and corrupted worship. The Holy Spirit, who authored the Word, does not confuse His message. He leads us to truth when we seek it in context.

Closing Thought

Reading in context is not a scholarly burden—it is a spiritual act of worship. When we care about what God meant, not just what we want it to say, we honor His voice. The Bereans modeled this well, and the early Church held fast to it under persecution, pressure, and pretense.

Let us read with reverence. Let us ask the hard questions. And let us yield to the Holy Spirit who helps us rightly handle the Word of Truth.

2–3 minutes
Previous
Next

Leave a comment

Devotions, Women's Devotionals

👩‍🦰Taught by God — Day 11

Rooted & Raised

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”
— John 14:26, NASB1995

Women’s Devotional

The Teacher Within

You don’t have to be a theologian to understand God’s Word.
Why? Because the Spirit of God is your Teacher.

He teaches, reminds, and reveals—not with dry knowledge, but with life-giving truth.
When you open the Word with a humble heart, you open a classroom where God Himself instructs you.

Reflection:
Are you approaching Scripture as a student of the Spirit or just checking off a reading plan?

Prayer:
Holy Spirit, teach me today. Make Your Word come alive. Help me remember Jesus’ words and walk them out in truth. Amen.

Children's Devotionals, Devotions

🧒Taught by God — Day 11

Rooted & Raised

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”
— John 14:26, NASB1995

Children’s Devotional

The Holy Spirit Is Your Teacher

Did you know you have a special Helper who teaches you about Jesus?
When you read the Bible, the Holy Spirit helps you understand it!

He reminds you of what Jesus said, especially when you need it most.

Try This:
Before reading your Bible today, say, “Holy Spirit, help me understand.”

Prayer:
Dear Holy Spirit, thank You for being my Teacher. Please help me learn more about Jesus every day. Amen.

Devotions, Teen Devotions

😎Taught by God — Day 11

Rooted & Raised

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”
— John 14:26, NASB1995

Teen Devotional

Truth That Sticks

You’ve got a lot of voices competing for your attention.
But the Holy Spirit is the voice that matters most—He teaches truth and brings it back when you need it.

Whether you’re facing pressure, temptation, or confusion, the Spirit reminds you of what Jesus said.
He doesn’t just teach. He engraves truth on your heart.

Challenge:
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you remember one verse all day today. Carry it with you.

Prayer:
Holy Spirit, tune my heart to Your voice. Teach me truth that stays with me when I need it most. Amen.

Devotions, Family Devotionals

👩‍👧Taught by God — Day 11

Rooted & Raised

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”
— John 14:26, NASB1995

Family Devotional

God Gave Us a Teacher

God didn’t leave us alone after Jesus went to heaven. He sent the Holy Spirit to be our Helper and Teacher.

He teaches us what Jesus said and helps us remember it.
When we’re struggling, confused, or making choices, He points us back to truth.

Family Reflection:

  • What’s one thing the Holy Spirit has taught you recently?
  • How can we invite Him to teach us more as a family?

Prayer:
Holy Spirit, thank You for being our Teacher. Help our family grow in truth and remember the words of Jesus. Amen.

Devotions, Women's Devotionals

👩‍🦰Testified and Assured— Day 10

Rooted & Raised

“The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.”
— Romans 8:16, NASB1995

Assurance in the Whisper

When doubt whispers, the Spirit speaks louder—not always in volume, but in truth.
The Holy Spirit testifies with your spirit—not just that you are loved or forgiven, but that you are God’s child.

This isn’t based on emotion or performance—it’s grounded in the presence of the Spirit who dwells in you.

You don’t have to strive for identity. You already have it.

Reflection:
Have you been listening to your doubts more than the Spirit’s assurance?

Prayer:
Holy Spirit, quiet my doubts and testify again that I am Yours. Let Your voice settle my heart in truth. Amen.

Children's Devotionals, Devotions

🧒Testified and Assured— Day 10

Rooted & Raised

“The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.”
— Romans 8:16, NASB1995

You Are God’s Child

When you believe in Jesus, God gives you His Spirit—and that’s how you know you’re part of His family!

The Holy Spirit tells your heart, “You belong to God!”

Even when you mess up, He reminds you that God still loves you and will never leave.

Try This:
Look in the mirror today and say: “I am a child of God.”

Prayer:
Holy Spirit, thank You for helping me remember I’m part of God’s family. Amen.

Devotions, Family Devotionals

👩‍👧Testified and Assured — Day 10

Rooted & Raised

“The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.”
— Romans 8:16, NASB1995

The Spirit Says, “You’re Mine.”

How does a child know they’re part of a family?
Not just by their last name—but by the daily, steady love they experience.

The Holy Spirit does the same. He doesn’t just give you a title—He gives you confidence and belonging.

Talk with your children about how the Spirit reassures us, especially on hard days.

Discussion Prompt:

  • Have you ever felt unsure about whether God still loves you?
  • How do we learn to trust the Spirit’s voice more than our feelings?

Prayer:
Holy Spirit, thank You for telling us we are Yours. Let our family walk with that assurance every day. Amen.

Devotions, Teen Devotions

😎Testified and Assured — Day 10

Rooted & Raised

“The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.”
— Romans 8:16, NASB1995

You’re Not Just a Christian. You’re a Child of God.

Identity is everything.
And if you ever wonder, “Am I really His?”—the Holy Spirit answers.

He speaks to your spirit, not through hype or performance, but through the unshakable truth of sonship.

Don’t look for assurance in your behavior or emotions—listen for it in the presence of the Spirit within you.

Challenge:
Journal about a time when the Holy Spirit reminded you that you were His.

Prayer:
Holy Spirit, ground me in the identity You confirm. Let me live as Your child—secure, known, and loved. Amen.

Kingdom Discipleship, The Six Solas

Sola Scriptura – Part 2: Scripture in the Hands of the Early Church

Rooted & Raised

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me.”
— John 5:39 (NASB1995)

How the Early Church Handled the Word

Before councils and confessions, before systematic theologies and seminaries, there were scrolls in homes, Scripture quoted in letters, and truth defended in blood.

The Ante-Nicene Church didn’t possess theological freedom to play with interpretations. They held to what was handed down. The Scriptures were not open to speculation. They were read, believed, memorized, and lived.

“Let us, then, not only call Him Lord, for that will not save us. For He says, ‘Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will be saved, but he that does what is right.’ Let us, then, be His disciples, and obey His commands… by loving one another, by not committing adultery, by not speaking evil of one another.”
— Second Epistle of Clement, c. AD 140

This was Sola Scriptura in action: not merely affirming that the Bible is true, but that it is binding, transforming, and meant to be obeyed.

Their View: Scripture as Final and Unified

While false teachers—like the Gnostics—claimed secret knowledge, the early Church clung to the clear, public, and preserved Word.

“These men draw nothing from the Scriptures which are properly called divine, but they boast that they possess more Gospels than there really are. But in reality, they are full of blasphemy.”
— Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book 3

They did not divide Old Testament from New. They saw one unified message:

  • The prophets foretold Christ.
  • The Gospels revealed Him.
  • The apostles explained Him.
  • The Church obeyed Him.

Scripture as the Standard for Doctrine

When disputes arose, they didn’t appeal to personal revelation or mystical interpretation. They returned to what was written.

“For if they would really make use of the Scriptures, they would see clearly that the heresies must be rejected… for the faith has been transmitted from the apostles to the Church through the Scriptures.”
— Tertullian, Prescription Against Heretics, c. AD 200

They didn’t add to the Word with theological scaffolding. They didn’t twist the Word with philosophical grids. They received the Word as it was delivered and allowed the Spirit to teach them.

And this led to deep unity.

Scripture for the Ordinary Believer

The early Church was decentralized. There was no singular hierarchy dictating doctrine for all. The people had the Word—and many were literate enough to read or hear it.

Even uneducated believers were saturated in Scripture. They didn’t rely on spiritual elites to tell them what it meant. They were taught by the Holy Spirit, discipled in small gatherings, and held one another accountable to live it.

“Brethren, we ought to think of Jesus Christ as God, as the judge of the living and the dead, and we ought not to belittle our salvation. Let us then do His will, and not our own, obeying His commandments.”
— Letter of Ignatius to the Magnesians, c. AD 110

This wasn’t Bible knowledge as trivia. It was Scripture as a way of life.

What We’ve Lost—and Must Recover

Much of today’s Church has traded:

  • Scripture for secondhand theology
  • Spirit-taught truth for institutionalized interpretations
  • Obedience for theological correctness

The early Church didn’t claim Sola Scriptura.
They lived it.

They believed that Scripture was:

  • Clear to the humble
  • Powerful to the obedient
  • Taught by the Spirit
  • Sufficient for salvation and godliness

And that hasn’t changed.

Kingdom Discipleship Reflection

  • Do I handle the Word as the early Church did—with reverence, humility, and obedience?
  • Have I unintentionally elevated teachings about Scripture over Scripture itself?
  • Am I living what I read, or merely affirming it as true?

This week, choose a New Testament command from Christ or His apostles. Write it out. Memorize it. Obey it.

Walk it out—not to earn salvation, but to walk as one who has been transformed by the truth.

“But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.”
— James 1:22 (NASB1995)

3–4 minutes
Previous
Next

Leave a comment