Dr. Charles Stanley, who was recently welcomed into Heaven, has left behind an incredible legacy of faith. From his many sermons, books, and broadcasts, we’ve received countless insights and encouragement for our spiritual walks. How, then, can each of us take this legacy and continue it as our own? We can start by developing a deeper relationship with God by studying His Word.
Here are just five key ways that Charles Stanley shared on how to study the Bible:
“Scripture should be studied honestly, prayerfully, openly.” - Dr. Charles Stanley
A point that Charles Stanley really drove home when he talked about studying the Bible is this: to approach Scripture honestly and openly. But what does that mean? Stanley explained that there are many things in our lives that influence the way we approach Scripture (before we even open our Bibles!). These include hand-me-down beliefs from our parents or mentors, our denominational beliefs, personal needs and desires, and how we view God.
Rather than approaching the Word with these things influencing how we read it, Stanley encouraged us to “come to the Word of God with an honest, open attitude of what God is saying to us.”
When we set aside our preconceived ideas and influences of what the Bible says, we are more open to looking at it from these two simple, primary questions: “What is the writer saying” and “What does Jesus mean.”
According to Stanley, an essential part of Bible study is meditating on what is read. And while meditating on Scripture may sound like a simple and obvious part of studying the Bible, Charles Stanley gave us particular insights into what this should look like.
To have a steady faith, He shared, “I’m going to be meditating upon the Word of God, which means I read it, I ask Him what it means to me, I’m not going to get in a hurry, I’m going to apply it to my life, and ask Him to show me, “what are you saying in this passage?” In addition, Stanley stated, “I’m going to meditate carefully, and I think oftentimes when you do it, privately.” In summary, when we meditate on Scripture, we are to get alone with God, go slowly, read it, ask questions, and apply it to our lives. Such a simple, yet powerful tool to study the Bible!
The Bible is the living Word of God, and Charles Stanley pointed out that we should expect to hear God’s voice every time we open it. This expectation that God will speak to us opens our minds to actually hear from him. If you open your Bible with the attitude that “God is silent” or “He never speaks to me,” then odds are, you have already decided not to hear His voice.
Stanley said, in regards to the Bible, “That’s what this book is all about - God speaking to us. If I’m going through some situation and I want to correct my wavering faith, I’m going to ask those questions, I’m going to get in the Word, I’m going to meditate on it carefully, I’m going to apply what I read, and I’m going to listen to what he is saying. And I’m not going to doubt him because he knows I’m coming to the Word seeking an answer and seeking clarification. Likewise, I’m going to try to recall instances in the past when I was troubled, and God faithfully answered my petition.”
When it comes to studying the Bible, Charles Stanley encouraged the use of more than one translation. During one of his sermons, he shared, “When I’m reading and meditating on the Word of God, I do not read this Bible right here… when I read this Bible, I’m going to work. For my own private devotion, I read two other Bibles. You say, ‘well do they say something different?’ No - they just say it in a different way. One of them is the Living Bible because it is so down to earth and casual the way it’s written, but it’s true. I will usually read that or one other version.”
Charles Stanley’s preferred translation for preaching (New American Standard Bible) was different from the versions he did his personal devotional time with. Why? Because God speaks to us in different ways, so the way we read one version may teach us things other versions do not. As he stated, some versions contain more casual wording, but still reveal God’s truth to us in new ways. Diversifying the Bible translations that we read can lead us to a deeper understanding of God’s Word and His voice.
As evidenced by his dedication to growing God’s kingdom throughout his lifetime, Stanley emphasized the importance of not only having biblical knowledge, but then putting that knowledge to work. He stated, “I think a lot of people, even Christians, are willing to be satisfied with gaining lots and lots of biblical knowledge - and many people go to Bible studies and don't realize it isn't enough to know what's right, it's applying the information and the knowledge that you have.”
While our studying of the Bible is important, we must take it a step further and actually apply that knowledge. This is how we grow God’s kingdom - by sharing the good news we have found.
In addition to his sermons and broadcasts, Charles Stanley left us with several insightful books on the topic of Bible study. If you want to dive deeper into his Bible study methods, check out the following resources:
10 Principles for Studying Your Bible
This book provides a comprehensive look at Stanley’s top ten principles for studying the Bible. 10 Principles for Studying Your Bible includes teachings such as “how to intentionally listen for God's voice, hide His word in your heart, apply the Lord's promises to your life, pray faithfully, and meditate on the Word.”
30 Life Principles Bible Study: An Action Plan
Throughout his lifetime, Charles Stanley kept a record of 30 life principles taken straight from God’s Word that directed his path. In this study, he discusses each of these 30 principles in depth. As you make your way through this book, you will “find yourself growing in your relationship with Christ and on the road to the future God has planned for you.
Practicing Basic Spiritual Disciplines
This book, which is part of Charles Stanley’s Bible study series, takes a look at spiritual disciplines and how we can better apply and practice them in our lives. Through the 12 lessons in this book, we can learn how to strengthen our “spiritual muscle” when it comes to the main pillars of spiritual strength, which include studying the Bible. This study takes “a unique approach to Bible study, incorporating biblical truth, personal insights, emotional responses, and a call to action.”
Listening to God: Learn to Hear Him Through His Word
This book provides practical ways to hear God's voice more clearly as we're studying the Word. Charles Stanley "reveals how we can identify with passages of Scripture, reflect on their meaning, and then develop practical steps to apply what we have learned." As we learned in point 3, we should read the Bible to hear what God communicates to us, and Listening to God may help us recognize that voice as we better understand His Word.
These are just a few ways that we can study the Bible like Charles Stanley and continue the amazing faith journey that he illustrated with his life. Let us take these lessons and continue the faith legacies that our spiritual giants and mentors leave with us, and pass them down to the next generation of believers!
For more on Dr. Charles Stanley, see the following articles:
How Did Charles Stanley Change the World for Christ?
Developing Great Faith in the Footsteps of the Ultimate Leader
Dr. Charles Stanley: A Testament to a Life Lived in Obedience to God
15 of the Most Influential Quotes from Charles Stanley
Photo Credit: charlesstanley.com
Tiffany Robbins is the Faith Editor of Crosswalk.com. She has a B.A. in English with a minor in Business from Liberty University. Her goal is to share Christ's love and help others grow in their faith through her work as a writer and editor.