One basic rule of Bible study underlies all others. It is the law of context. This law forces us to ask 'In what setting and with what intent were the words in my passage written?' Equipped with this one basic principle, a student can begin a lifetime of discovering biblical truth. This pursuit of context leads naturally into a careful consideration of four areas. These are (1) the immediate setting, (2) normal usage of words, (3) the Bible as whole, and (4) foundational truths of sound doctrine. Let's look at each of these areas.
