This is the forty-second lesson in author and pastor Mel Lawrenz’ How to Live the Bible series. If you know someone or a group who would like to follow along on this journey through Scripture, they can get more info and sign up to receive these essays via email here.
It is fair to ask the question: “How will my life be better if I understand the Bible better?” because it certainly is possible to own a Bible, carry a Bible, read the Bible, listen to Bible teachings and sermons, and neglect working to understand what the Bible actually means. It is worth everything to understand the Bible better.
First, understanding the Bible leads to a fruitful life. The very first words of the very first Psalm say this:
Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers. (Ps. 1:1-3)
By Craig Groeschel
By Bryan Loritts
What is God’s ideal for the way churches should behave? What are the failures and the successes of the churches mentioned in the Bible? Why did the apostles have to write letters of correction to them?
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The Believer’s Bible Commentary, Newest Addition to Bible Gateway Plus
There’s a brand-new title in the Bible Gateway Plus library—the Believer’s Bible Commentary (Thomas Nelson). This commentary tackles difficult passages head-on using a balanced approach. It offers a concise, yet thorough set of passage notes that cover every verse of the Bible, which you can open in Bible Gateway right alongside the passages you’re reading (see how Bible Gateway Plus works here).
Unlike other commentaries in the Bible Gateway Plus study library sidebar, the Believer’s Bible Commentary illuminates the meaning of Bible passages by bolding key words and phrases to make it easier to focus on the ways in which God moves through the text. Whereas other commentaries are exceptionally thorough—sometimes overwhelmingly so—Believer’s treats each verse to a comparatively shorter note that concisely explains one or two important points.
I’ve found this particularly helpful when reading poetic and wisdom books like Psalms and Proverbs. In the case of these books, too, the Believer’s Bible Commentary actually has more notes to offer than longer commentaries, such as the well-known Expositor’s Bible Commentary (Zondervan).
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