This book clearly explains how we need to Approach the Bible if we are to make sense of what God has said. It does so in an easy to read style and with easy to understand method. Michael Penny does and excellent job of following the advice of Bishop Miles Coverdale, which was contained in the first Bible printed in English.
That advice was based on asking such questions as:
- "Who" were these words written to, or "Who" were they about?
- "Where" is this to take place?
- "When" was it written or "When" is it about?
- "What", precisely, is said?
- "Why" did God say it, do it, or will do it?
After asking such questions, we then will have a better understanding of the Bible and can "Apply" that passage to out lives today.
The book is in five parts:
Part 1: Approaching the Bible
- What is your approach?
- Which approach should we use?
Part 2: Developing the Approach
- The People – in the Old Testament
- The People – in the New Testament
- The Place
- The Time
- What is said
- The reason why
- The application
Part 3: Examples Using the Approach
- Approaching the subject of The Sabbath
- Approaching the subject of Circumcision
- Approaching the subjects Fasting and Tithing
- Approaching the subject of Healing
- Approaching the passage “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”
- Approaching the passages the “Unforgivable sin” and the “Sin unto death”
- Approaching the passage “I will do whatever you ask in my name”
- Approaching the passage “The mark of the beast – 666”
Part 4: Formalising the Approach
- The history of the approach
- A significant aspect of the approach
- Formalising the approach
- A new approach
- Administrators and administration
- Changing administrators and their orders
- What is this approach?
Part 5: Teachings of the Approach
- The Godhead
- Salvation
- Practical teaching
- Other teaching
- Summary and Conclusion
Appendices
- Miles Coverdale
- The dating of John’s writings
Indexes
- Index of Subjects
- Index of Quoted Texts
- Index of Greek Words
- Bibliography of Books quoted and referred to