Most people live with a huge amount of bias when it comes to God’s Word or the Bible. Some have been taught that it is just a book full of made up stories and laws created from the hearts and minds of mankind, so that’s what they believe it. Some who are Christians have been taught in a certain theology and believe the scriptures can only be interpreted through that theological lens.

Let me give you an illustration. I have been in church all of my life and have heard messages on the book of Revelation and then in College took a specific course on this book. Through all of this I had a pretty good idea what this book taught on the rapture, second coming of Jesus and the end times. Several years into the ministry I decided to teach by going through the entire book of Revelation. As I prepared and taught I soon realized that there was a whole lot of material that I had presumed was there but wasn’t. So much of what I had been taught was interpretation. I am not saying that everything I was taught was wrong but what I am saying is that for the first time I read it for what it said.

The fact is, we can depend on God’s Word. The writer of Psalms speaking to God, says in chapter 119:160 that “All your words are true”, and then Jesus praying to God the Father says in John 17:17, “your words are truth”. It is not wrong to get help from commentaries and study Bibles and from studying the word with Christian friends but don’t believe everything you read and hear from others; not because they are evil but because they can have their own biases and after all, we are all human. I encourage you to take time and start reading God’s Word without any other help from other sources, while at the same time taking advantage of the word taught by those God has gifted with teaching abilities.

Make sure what is taught is consistent with what the Word actually says.

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to you.

Try reading the word for what it says; you may be surprised by what God wants to say to you.