Method of Study
How to Study
Books and Authors
Bibles
Word Studies
Commentaries
History
Various Study Aids
Authors
Publishers
Book Sources

Personal Note:

This is what worked for me in my unique circumstances. God works in individuals as individuals.

Some time ago, I was asked by someone on our mailing list to explain my study methods and the materials I use for study, or material that I have found especially helpful. (I have been asked more than once for recommended study material.) I thought the two points might be worth sharing with others, so the following is the answer to that request.

Introduction

I did very poorly in school, especially in grammar, spelling and reading (The "look say" method ruined a generation of young people), so whatever I may have I confess that it is clearly of the Lord. There have been too many things happen to think any ability I might have is mine, for it is not.

I have always loved being around heavy construction equipment (anything with a seat on it and diesel motor in it), and that is the field I started in even before I had a driver's license. When I was discharged from the SeaBees, both my dad and his brother were working for one of the largest general contractors in Indiana, so I went to work for that contractor as an operator. I took a few night courses in a Bible Institute, but nothing major. (I met my first wife there, and we were married in '70. She died in 2000.) I also worked a bus route as a layman. I was single at the time. (1965-1970, or so.)

Through a series of circumstances (clearly Divine Providence), the Lord forced me out of the field I dearly loved, construction, and onto a church staff as the bus/visitation director. I was offered the position because I had been faithful as a layman in those areas, not because I had been to college. The position was with the church that had the Bible Institute where I had taken some evening Bible courses. So while I was on the staff, all those around me who were my age were college students.

I determined that I might not be as smart as those fellows, but I could at least read my Bible and pray as much as they could. (This was about 1971.) So I set aside several hours every morning for simply reading the Bible and prayer, a practice I followed until my heart attack in Oct., 1999. For about 10 years, 1970-1980, I did not use any material other than Scriptures and some basic study material, e.g., Strong's, Vine's, Edersheim.

After many times through the entire Bible, starting in Genesis and reading straight through Revelation, I saw that the Old and New Testaments were ONE WORD FROM ONE GOD, and what I was seeing was not according to what I had been taught.

The Bible Institute and all the churches where I had been were strong Dispensational Scofieldites. However, reading all the Bible as ONE WORD and writing things down as they came to mind started presenting serrious problems with what I had been exposed to --- Arminian, Dispensational theology. What I was being told by my pastors and friends could not be verified by the ONE WORD. It was not until I became a pastor in the early 1980s that I became vocal against the false Arminian faith.

 

After about 10 years, I started having serious problems with what I had been taught.

Knowing no other "doctrine" than Arminian, Dispensational Scofieldism, what I was seeing and writing down I kept to myself --- I did not want to be considered a heretic. I had acquired a few books, primarily dispensational, along the way, e.g., Oliver B. Green and a few others, so I knew of no other doctrine. I had heard of TULIP, but only mockingly from my Bible Institute friends. (Much later as a pastor, I was asked the diference between Arminiansm and Calvinsim by my church folks. The result is a little booklet, Arminianism vs Calvinism.)

I went to Linden in 1983 as an Arminian, Dispensationalist, but with very serious problems with that system -- it just did not fit together with the ONE WORD FROM GOD, but I kept it to myself.

The fatal blow against my Arminian, Dispensational faith was delivered by an evangelist we had come preach for us in 1984 or so. He told me of Jack Hyles' boy, David, and how David had absolutely gone to the Devil, in the most vile, wicked manner (over sex). Almost all the Christians I knew up to that point, including myself, reverenced Jack Hyles almost as God on earth. When he told me of the mess David was in and how his dad covered it up, I was shaken to the very roots of my Dispensational faith. (There is more to it than just this.)

The Lord started bringing books to my attention that verified what I was seeing from Scriptures was not heresy nor new: The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith and R. J. Rushdoony's Institutes of Biblical Law, V. I. The more I looked, the more I found that what I was seeing had been the historic Christian faith and practice until the rise of dispensationalism.

I heard an evangelist, John Weaver, speak at a meeting in Indianapolis, and he was using some of Rushdoony's material that I was familiar with. So, I had him in for some meetings. We sat down and talked about what I was seeing from Scripture, what I had been taught and the conflict I was having trying to reconcile Scripture with the teachings of the elders. I asked him for some suggestions for books to add to my library. He looked at what I had, and told me I needed to do some housecleaning. I did, and threw away most of my dispensational Scofield material. He gave me some ideas of what to look for, and I have since added to them.

I know this is a very lengthy explanation. So in answer to the questions about my method of in-depth study and books, here is my answer.

Method of Study

I must preface the following with READ YOUR BIBLE. A teacher of God's word has no business even attempting the all-important task of speaking for God unless he has read through the ONE WORD FROM GOD enough times that the passages fit together for him. (I tried to confront a new pastor of a new church plant we were attending over how many times he had read his Bible through. He had just graduated from seminary, but he could not answer me for even one time. However, because of his degree, the Session considered him qualified to pastor the new church. Many left that church because the pastor was clearly a novice.) How much is enough obviously depends on the individual. My skull is so thick that I had read through the 66 books many times before the passages started fitting together.

I cannot explain my "method" other than as I read Scripture, more passages and ideas come to mind than I can possibly write down. I then look at the passages and their contexts, and things seem to fall together. If something is heavy on my mind (e.g., a particular issue, a previously held doctrine or a question someone has asked), the passages fall together to address what I may be troubled over at the time. In fact, I will go looking for answers in the Scripture, and many times after a very lengthy trip around the "bush," the answers come together. I am justly criticized for using too much time to reach my conclusions, but that is the way I get to the conclusions. When I teach or print my conclusions, I try to edit out the many rabbit trails I followed to get to the point. The rabbit trails many times turn into Examiner articles.

All of my books have grown out of questions I have had about doctrines or questions someone else has asked me. Identifying Identity grew out of a book review I was asked to do by an Identity adherent, which resulted in a 92 page exposé of Identity. Infant Baptism was a result of a confrontation with a friend over Infant Baptism, as I sought to Scripturally justify my stand. "The Death of the Church Victorious" grew out of my efforts in the early 80s to prove rapture faith right, and Dave McPherson wrong. That book was to be published by Ross House Books, but with R.J. Rushdoony's illness before I got the finished manuscript to him, and then his death, resulted in Ross House not being able to publish the bookt that time. It took about 10 years of research. I enjoy research on a topic that has sparked my interest.

I also enjoy just studying through a book of the Bible, and writing down what I see. I have complete commentaries on a good numberof books of the Bible. Several are posted on this web site. My method of study has cleared up many questions from my former teaching, and has forced me to change my views on several subjects.

(I submitted all of my Bible study material put together over the years to Whitfield Theological Seminary, and with that material, "tested" through the Bible courses to the PHD level. Death of the Church Victorious was submitted and accepted as my thesis.)

I use other works to make sure that what I see from Scripture is not something new, to spark a thought or idea, to find an explanation for something I am unable to put together, or just to study with through a book of the Bible. (I went through Leviticus with Bonar, though he is somewhat dispensational.) One of my ladies told me one time, "If it's new, it is not true; if it's true, it is not new." I have found her statement true.

I know that what I have is strictly from the Lord, because he can "shut off" the passages that come to mind as easily as he gives them. Moreover, what I now love doing is as contrary from my natural abilities as anything could have possibly been. However, over the past 20 years as heart and prostate medication have been added, I find it extremely difficult to concentrate.

HOW TO STUDY

The purpose of reading Scripture is to learn what God has for each of us. It is NOT to see how much we can read and how fast we can get through it. It is far better to read one chapter a day and get something from it than to read 15 chapters a day and not get anything.

Here are some attitudes that must be present if one expects the Lord to teach him anything.

1. Must be teachable, and even pleading with God to reteach, if reteaching is required.

Psalms 119:12 Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.
Psalms 119:26 I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes.
Psalms 119:33 HE. Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.
Psalms 119:64 The earth, O LORD, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes.
Psalms 119:66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments.
Psalms 119:68 Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes.
Psalms 119:108 Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me thy judgments.
Psalms 119:124 Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes.
Psalms 119:135 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes.

2. One must be willing and able to lay aside any preconceived notions and teachings. No matter how respected the teacher might have been, nor how committed we are to a pet doctrine, if it is not according to the ONE WORD FROM THE ONE GOD, it must be abandoned.

Philippians 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

If one is not willing, even anxious to be taught by God's Spirit from his word, then he might as well leave Scripture alone, and continue serving the god of self.

Suggestions:

Keep a note book with your Bible. Maybe make the note book small, about the size of your Bible, so you can easily keep it with your Bible. At the beginning of a Bible chapter, put the chapter name and date, e.g., Jeremiah 12, April 7, 1999 (the date I first put this article together). To make it easier to keep track of, use a new page per chapter.

Here is a list of things to look for. Keep the list in the notebook, and number each paragraph accordingly. [Date:___ Passage:___]

1) Sin to avoid, or sin to confess and forsake.

2) Promise to claim.

3) Example to follow.

4) Command to obey.

5) Lesson to learn, or new truth to note.

6) Question to be answered. Take the time to look up at least one thing in the passage you have questions about.

7) Something to pray about.

8) Verse to memorize or meditate on (write it out).

9)  Decision to make

(See examples below.)

As you read, remember three things:

1) the context of the passage

2) to whom the passage is directed; that is, to whom is the Lord speaking

3) the spiritual and historical situation that is being dealt with by the passage.

Though many Scripture passages were unique instructions for specific situations within the above three points, every passage has an application for Christians for all time. In other words, look for the basic teaching of a passage, and do not make it say something that neither the context nor author is saying.
EXAMPLES

Matthew 18:21ff. The Lord is teaching forgiveness, compassion and pity. He is not telling us that we must forgive those who owe us money.

Example of the 7 point outline from Jeremiah 12

Remember that the Lord speaks to different people differently from his word, so don't be surprised if what you see is quite different than what the Lord might show another. He may show you a different thing also from the same verse, depending on where each person is in his own life. Reguardless, whatever is seen must fit within the total context of all scripture.

1) Don't be envious of the prosperity of the wicked, v. 1. This is also Ps 37 & 73.
2) If I will learn & do the ways of the Lord, he will build me, bless or prosper, v. 16.
3) Even though God is righteous and holy, Jeremiah could still go to him with a question about his judgment. Jeremiah was close enough to him to question him, v. 1. Do we need to draw closer to him?
(The answer to Jeremiah's question: the wicked prosper because sentence against evil is not executed speedily, Ecc. 8:11.)
4) Don't believe what they say just because they are "religious" or just because they are "prosperous."
5) The Lord planted even the wicked, v. 2. The Lord is not going to let the wicked get away with it even though they are prosperous right now.
6) Speckled bird, v. 9? The speckled, spotted were the wages for which Jacob worked 7 years. Christ worked out our salvation for his heritage. We belong to him, and he will protect us.
7) Be not envious of the prosperity of the wicked.
8) V. 3a, "But thou, O LORD, knowest me: thou hast seen me, and tried mine heart toward thee:"

Matthew 15
1) V. 9, teaching tradition for doctrine.
2) V. 28, the promise of rewarded faith.
3) 2 examples stand out. V. 28, the example of faith by the Gentile whose daughter was sick ("Yet the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their master's table"). And v. 32, the compassion Christ had on the multitude.
4) V. 14, Christ said to leave alone those who teach tradition for doctrine: they are blind leading the blind.
5) I had not really thought of #4, v. 14, that way. Thus a new truth.
6) Why wouldn't Christ help the woman when she first called on him. (A) The first time she called for help, she called to the Son of David. She was a Gentile, and did not have that privilege. The second time she called on him, it was "Lord, help me." She had that privilege. Anyone can come to him as Lord.
7) Pray for compassion.
8) v. 9 "But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."

Is it God's will?

1. THE WORD OF GOD MUST APPROVE ACTION OR DECISION

2. THE DOOR MUST BE OPEN: CIRCUMSTANCES

3. THE STILL, SMALL VOICE: GODLY PEACE IN THE HEART

Books and Authors

I must admit that normally I do not sit down and read a book or author through. I use the following material for research, documentation and to help answer questions that I cannot answer. I may compare several works on a passage to find the one that fits best with what I see in its context. Fairbairn (Ezekiel) shed major light for me on Ezekiel 36-40; Barnes shed major light for me on Acts 10. Hengstenberg (Christology of the Old Testament) shed major light for me on many difficult prophetic passages. But just because a great Bible scholar from the past says something does not mean I can accept it. It must fit together properly with other light the Lord has shed on his word for me.

(I have found that many modern writers of the last 100 years, with few exceptions -- Pink, Rushdoony, &c., offer not more than foolish fluff, if not outright false teachers. For me, they are not worth the money nor the time to read.)

Listed below are some works I have found to be trustworthy -- works that remain basically true to the context of the whole of God's word. I normally stick to works written before the early 1900s. (R) means that this work should be required in every serious student's library, and/or that I found them especially helpful in my study. (OLBCD means the study is on the Online Bible. We have the Online Bible, now DVD or two CDs, available for sale.)

Spurgeon's Commenting on Commentaries is worth checking.

Online Bible CD contains many of the works listed below. It has been especially helpful in finding passages where I can only remember a word or two, helpful in word studies, helpful in looking up cross references, and helpful in checking what others think about a passage. It has shaved multitudes of hours off the time it takes to develop a thought.

Moreover, there is a large amount of excelent study material, commentaries, &c., on CD now, and the number continues to grow. CD has placed a very large library within the reach of all who desire to study. Besides, CDs take up a lot less room than hard copy.

As we try to "downsize," I am replacing my hard copy library with CDs while expanding my research material. I use three monitors -- one for my word processor, and one for my Bible program, and the third for web research if needed. In the 1980s at the age of about 55, I decided to learn to type, which I did not learn in school. I put a program in the computer and learned. I also knew that it would take a good amount of time to learn to study in front of a computer, for I was used to having books spread out and hand writing everything in notebooks, and then paying someone one to type it out. How foolish. I also took a year out for a local technical college course in the subject I failed in high school, English. God provided an unusual instructor who was working on his Doctor's degree in English at Purdue. He offered personal tutoring service during school hours for his students. I took him up, and spent the next 3 years with him a couple times a week at the school. He was a Romanist, and we had great fun discussing doctrine as he revewed the Examiner for publication. It was about 30 minutes from the Linden Church.

Bibles

World Publishers Bible. The cross references in this Bible are, I believe, the closest to the overall teaching of Scripture. I believe World Publishing has been bought by a larger publisher. That is too bad, for this Bible was the best I have found.

The 1599 Geneva Bible has its spelling updated, and notes enlarged so they can be read. The wording in places is quite different than in the KJV, stronger in many places. No wonder King James wanted it replaced. It has been republished by Tolle Press.

Word Studies

My goal has always been to study what the word of God says, not what others say. So for me, good word studies are the most important study aids I have.

Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT) (R), Moody Press. (R) (Moody Press is quite dispensational, but does publish some good material. I have found TWOT to be the best Old Testament word study for the average person. It is now available on the OLB CD.)

Thayer, Wigram, Brown-Diver-Briggs (BDB), and Wigram. Of the four, Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon and BDB's Hebrew-Aramaic Lexicon are the most important. (R) They are all keyed to Strong's, and are published by Associated Publishers and Authors. These are very in-depth word study books for those who do not know Hebrew nor Greek.

Word Pictures in the New Testament, A.T. Robertson. (R) (OLBCD)

Commentaries

Though I have several sets of commentaries, I feel these are the better ones.

Keil-Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament, 10 volumes, Eerdmans. (R) (OLBCD)

Matthew Henry (R) (OLBCD)

Barnes' Notes, Baker. (R) He has some dispensationalism, but is good otherwise. Barnes' Notes uses Pusey for a lot of the Old Testament. Pusey is good. I did a lot of New Testament studying with Barnes. (OLBCD)

John Trapp (1601-1669), 5 volumes, Tanski Publications. (OLBCD)

Preaching through the Bible, Joseph Parker, Baker. Parker is not really a commentary, but it consists of very good messages on passages placed in their proper Biblical order.

John Gill (OLBCD)

History

Many folks have written Bible history works, but I feel these are required for serious study.

Josephus. (R) He can be found in a single paper back volume, which is quite reasonable. Josephus, a secular historian, throws a tremendous amount of light on Scripture. He cleared up a lot of things for me concerning the Revelation, including the dating of the Revelation. (OLBCD)

Alfred Edersheim, Eerdmans. (R. Some of his works are on the Online Bible) All of his works are important.

History of the Christian Church, Schaff, 8 voluems, Eerdmans. (OLBCD)

Various

A good "Harmony of the Gospels." (R) I use A.T. Robertson, hard copy.

Geneva Notes. I purchased the Geneva Bible for the notes, and then found the OLBCD which has the notes on it. The CD was a fraction of the cost of the Geneva Bible, and the notes can be read.

The Reformed Pastor, Richard Baxter. (OLBCD)

Easton's Bible Dictionary. (OLBCD)

Authors

I have learned that the following authors can normally be trusted, and are good additions to any library. Most of the following teach infant baptism. (Both Calvin and Hodge defend it though admitting Scripture does not teach it.)

R.J. Rushdoony. His Institutes of Biblical Law, V. I, should be required. (R) Ross House Books. (I try to keep up to date on all his books.)

A.W. Pink (I will get anything by him I can find.) (OLBCD)

E. W. Hengstenberg (translated from the German. I will get anything by him I can find.)

Patrick Fairbairn (I will get anything by him I can find.)

Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology. His son, A.A. Hodge is excellent also. (OLBCD)

James Hastings. I have found his Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics in 13 massive volumes of great value. (R) (I get anything by him I can find.) He should be approached with caution in some areas.

A.H. Strong, Systematic Theology. (Required for Baptists preachers. (OLBCD)

C.H. Spurgeon (R) Treasury of David (OLBCD) and Lectures to My Students should be in any Christian's library.

Charles Bridges (OLBCD)

J.B. Lightfoot (I will get anything by him I can find.)

B.B. Warfield

Kenneth Gentry

The only works by Calvin I have are his "Institutes of the Christian Religion," which I do not use much. However, his commentary is on OLB CD.

R.L. Dabney, Albert Barnes (careful), Bonar (careful), Berkof, Adam Clarke, Matthew Pool, Lightfoot, M'Cheyne, John Owen, Joseph Parker, Philpot, Pink, William Shedd, John Trapp, James Ussher (Revised Annals of the World), and a few others.

Most of the above authors are on the Online Bible cd.

Publishers

I have found the following publishing houses can be trusted to always publish sound material. All except Ross House usually publish reprints.

Banner of Truth Trust

Klock & Klock (used books only - a big publishing house bought them out. I will purchase anything I can find by them, so I have found several of their books helpful. They published reprints only.)

T&T Clark (used books only; they published till the early 1900s.)

Still Water Revival Books

Ross Hose Books

Sprinkle Publications specializing in Revolutionary era and Southern War for Independence reprints. Sprinkle has all of J.N. Dabney's writings reprinted.

Associated Publishers and Authors, Lafayette, Indiana. J. Green's catalogue is available from PO Box 4998, Lafayette, IN 47903. 1-800-447-9142, or e-mail, <jgreenxx@iquest.net> Mr. Green does book reviews from a strong Calvinistic stand. He also edits a lot of material, and reprints classics. Anything he puts out can be trusted. He also has a book store that handles good books. I got my set by Trapp through him.

I avoid, other than for specific research, Loizeaux Brothers. They seem to be the "official" publishers of Darbyite material.

Sources

Check used book stores first for books you want. There are multitudes of used book stores, if one will take the time to trace them down, particularly over the web. Because I have not taken the time to even enter into my computer the list someone sent me of used book stores, I used Kregel's Used Bookstore. I purchased several of Hastings' sets from them. However, I believe this used book store has been sold to a group in Canada. Sadly, now good used theological books are getting quite expensive over the web. But they are very reasonable on cd. You can contact me for information about the cds.

(Kregel, PO Box 2607, Grand Rapids, MI 49501-2607)

I carry the Online Bible, CD, which has the above commentaries on it, along with a multitude of others, plus many word studies. There is more on the Online Bible DVD or CDs than you will ever use. The entire program can be downloaded from onlinebible.net
 

 

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