What will be the basis of judgment on Judgment Day?
Jesus says clearly:
“He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day”...John 12:48
In the Revelation, John says:
“And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books“...Revelation 20:12
Therefore, it is imperative that we not only know what the Bible teaches but also diligently obey it.
However, many have recognized that the Bible, at least in places, is a difficult book to understand (cf. 2 Pet. 3:16). Equally, many have expressed confusion on how best to study the Bible. Of course, reading it is always the best start! What should happen, then, after that? This is where the topic of exegesis comes into the discussion.
Exegesis comes from a Greek word which means “to draw or lead out.” It is found in John 1:18, where the apostle John states that even though no one has seen the Father, Jesus has “explained” Him. In other words, Jesus has not given us a surface, shallow description of the Father. He has provided a depth of information that only He could provide.
Exegesis, as a method of study, is where we are excited to “dig deep” and discover the many treasures found in the pages of God’s word. I don’t use the word “treasures” flippantly. They are spiritual jewels that are waiting for every serious Bible student to discover.
Out of the many areas in which we can and should “excel” (1 Thess. 4:1, 10) is how we handle God’s word! Since it will be the basis of our judgment, we should know it, right?
In the next series of articles on “Excelling in Exegesis,” we will explore NEW and EXCITING ways to look at God’s word!
Denny Petrillo
Denny is married to the former Kathy Roberts. They have been married since January 1978. They have three children (Lance, Brett, and Laura) and Six grandchildren (Chloe, Ashlyn, Sophie, Easton, Brelyn, and Kyson). He has served as the President of the Bear Valley Bible Institute since 2004 and has been a full-time instructor since 1985. He has preached in Mississippi, Arkansas, Nebraska, and Colorado. He has taught numerous classes for the World Video Bible School and has authored several books and commentaries. He graduated from the Bear Valley School of Preaching (now the Bear Valley Bible Institute), received an AA degree in Bible (York College, York, Nebraska), BA in Bible and Biblical Languages (Harding University), and an MA in Old and New Testaments (Harding Graduate School of Religion), and a Ph.D. in Religious Education (University of Nebraska).
