1. Text or pretext. We can skew the words of the Bible just about any way we want to. Our lesson includes a startling example of how a woman was encouraged after her husband left her with the words, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman” (Gen. 3:15, NKJV). Have you ever been presented with “proof” from distorted or misapplied Scripture? What about the common belief that we should worship on Sunday even though there is no Biblical support for this practice?
2. Presuppositions. Would you agree that most people base their religious beliefs on their own life experience or on beliefs they have accepted from the belief systems of other churches? Can we reject Biblical truth because of our background and preconceived ideas? Is it possible to achieve total objectivity in studying the nature of God and other Biblical topics? How can we do that?
3. Translation and Interpretation. Since the Bible was written in the languages of antiquity, wouldn’t it be better if we’d learn those languages before studying the Word of God? Why or why not? What is hermeneutics  and how does it help us understand Scripture? Since we can’t possibly study and learn everything about the language of the Bible, how can we study Scripture with a holy purpose? Or can we?
4. The Bible and culture. Does our culture sometimes get in the way of our understanding of the Bible? What does the story of Pharaoh’s heart being hardened by God mean from a cultural perspective? Does God ever harden our hearts? Are there stark differences in the culture of modern people from other countries or regions that can lead to misunderstandings? How can we present the Bible to people from a cultural perspective that is different from ours in areas such as marriage, children, music and other aspects of living? Can the Bible unify us and bring us together under God no matter what our cultural differences may be?
5. Our sinful and fallen nature. Do all of us share in having a sinful and fallen nature? How does our sin-marred nature prevent us from understanding Scripture in these days? What are some of the most corruptive effects of our fallen nature and the truths of the Bible? What is it like to be a doubting person? Are there people in your family or church group who express doubt about beliefs you thought were beyond questioning? Given that all of us have a sinful and fallen nature, what should we do to help us accept Bible doctrine in faith and submission?
6. Why interpretation is important. The Bible is the Word of God, isn’t it? It is our only creed and source of doctrine. If that is true, and it is, then how can we be sure that the message we have to share with the world is true and righteous? Our lesson guide closes with a challenge for these last days: “A bad and distorted theology inevitably leads to a deficient and distorted mission. After all, if we have a message to give to the world but are confused about the meaning of the message, how efficiently will we be able to present that message to those who need to hear it?”

 An added note. Let’s pray for God’s Spirit to be especially close to us as we struggle with a worldwide disease that is threatening the lives of millions throughout the world. 

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