4 Things to Remember When Studying the Bible with a Non-Christian
Souls are on the line.
If you’ve ever studied the Bible with someone who wasn’t a Christian, you know the pressure you feel to do everything right.
I think sometimes we put too much pressure on ourselves - perhaps we trust ourselves too much - when we should rely more upon God's power through His Word.
To help you, here are four things to remember when studying the Bible with a non-Christian.
Ask plenty of questions.
Don’t ever assume that you already know what someone else believes. You will learn what they believe about a particular topic or passage of Scripture by asking them questions.
You will also learn something about the way they think. While Jesus was able to know what people were thinking (Matthew 9:4), you and I don’t know what’s going on in someone’s mind unless they tell us.
So ask plenty of questions when studying with a non-Christian.
Do a lot of listening.
Being a good listener goes hand-in-hand with the previous point of asking plenty of questions.
Once you have asked a question - sit back and listen. Focus on what they say and observe how they think about your question.
In Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, habit six is “Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood.” This can be applied to studying the Bible with someone by first listening to understand where the person is, and then, after learning where they are, you will be able to meet them where they are.
Jesus met people where they were (John 3, 4, 5). We should strive to do the same.
Let the Bible do your talking.
You don’t have to be super-intelligent or be able to come up with slick examples or emotional stories when you study the Bible with a non-Christian.
The power to save their soul is in the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12) - in the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16).
Just let the Bible do the talking for you. Once you understand where someone is, show them what they need to hear from God’s Word. Reason with them from the Scriptures (Isaiah 1:18).
Plant the seed in their hearts (Luke 8:11), and you have done what was needed.
Be gentle.
Just because you have the truth does not entitle you to be harsh or quarrelsome.
Too many Christians have forgotten what the Bible says on this matter - myself included at times. I’ll let the Bible do the talking for me on this point.
And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:24-26)
I don’t think God could have made this point much clearer than He did.
Always teach the truth - the Word of God (2 Timothy 4:2). Always do so in a gentle, patient, humble way.
If we all remember these four things when studying the Bible with others, it will help us point more lives to Jesus Christ.
Which, after all, is what it’s all about (Mark 16:15-16).