The apostle Paul tells Christ-followers to discern truth by carefully studying the Bible as a whole.

II Timothy 2:15  Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the Word of truth.  (NIV)

Ever hear of people leaving the church over the color of carpet to be installed?  How about whether to have a Christmas tree in the church?  The apostle Paul was writing his protégé Timothy to instruct the churches in Ephesus (modern Turkey) not to engage in church squabbles.  Today, there are many outside forces attacking churches — how tragic when divisions occur from within over insignificant things!

Instead, the focus must be on God’s approval on all that Christ-followers do.  Understanding God’s book requires study, and study requires time.  Errors creep in when one verse or one book of the Bible is seized upon to build a major platform of belief.  The truth will be found in comparing Scripture with Scripture and settling on truths that harmonize with the entire Bible.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.comThe “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™