BEREANS BIBLE INSTITUTE

MODULES: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12


Welcome to BEREANS Bible Institute. The above teaching modules have been provided in this format in the hope that serious seekers of God and His Truth will first educate themselves, will then seek to conform their own lives to God's Word, then teach their wives, children, and extended families.

The doctrinal positions taught by 4Winds are the result of many years of employing and refining a set of principles designed to help eliminate bias and wrong presuppositions in the search for pristine Christianity. The most important criterion for any student of the Scriptures is not a great intellect or any particular interpretive skill. Rather it is recognizing one's own fallibility, humbly seeking to learn from the Word of God through the "Breath of Truth," and then seeking to bring every area of one's life into conformity with that Truth. Because many Christian teachers are not willing to obey cetain teachings of Scripture, they often seek ways to avoid or reinterpret certain Scriptures in order to justify themselves. Likewise, many allow peer pressure, financial security, and the perceived cost of making a doctrinal change to skew or halt their search for truth. The key to finding the truth in any area of biblical interpretation or theology is to hunger for truth no matter the cost. Seeking to humbly submit to and obey the Truth in every area without reservation is the key to unlocking more Truth. Jesus said, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32 ESV). Abiding in the word of Christ means perseverance in obedience, not only theological knowledge. Finally, unless one's motives are pure, the following 10 principles will do no good because they all can be used to give a facade of objectivity, when they are actually being used subjectively.

1 Corinthians 1:22-29 LGV
"22 Since also Judeans demand a sign, and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 yet we proclaim the Anointed having been crucified. To the Judeans [He is] a scandal indeed, to the Greeks an absurdity, 24 but to those - the invited, both Judeans and Greeks - [He is] the Anointed, the Power of God and the Wisdom of God, 25 since the absurdity of God is wiser than [wisdom] of men, and the feebleness of God is stronger than [strength] of men. 26 For you see your invitation, brothers, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many strong, not many well-bred [are invited]. 27 But God chose the simple things of the world so that He may humiliate the wise. And God chose the feeble things of the world so that He may humiliate the strong. 28 And God chose the un-well-bred things of the world, and the despised things, and non-existent things so that He might discard the things that exist 29 whereby no flesh might boast in His sight."

The 4Winds 10 Principles of Biblical Interpretation:

  • I. The original prophetic Scriptures are "God-breathed," entirely harmonious and accurate.
  • II. The Scriptures are God's entire preserved revelation, sufficient to fully equip the man of God. There is no other reliable source or foundation for truth.
  • III. The grammar of the original languages must not be violated, but it's nuances allowed to guide interpretation.
  • IV. Interpretation must be from within the historical setting and context; Scripture must not be used beyond its intent in that context.
  • V. Literal interpretation should take precedence by default whenever it makes sense. Non-literal interpretations must be obvious and fully explained.
  • VI. The Apostles' explanations must always be followed to unlock and explain the mysteries concealed in the Old Testament.
  • VII. Interpretation must be progressive; newer revelation compliments and explains older revelation, but never contradicts it.
  • VIII. Since God created our brains to process logic, and language to convey ideas logically, we must interpret His Word logically.
  • IX. True doctrines are always consistent with God's revealed character and with all other true doctrines.
  • X. Whenever possible, trace doctrines back to their source to understand when, where, why, and how they originated.
  • John Wycliffe, the first to translate the New Testament into English (circa 1384), had the following advice for those who read his translation:

    "It shall greatly helpe ye to understande Scripture,
    If thou mark
    Not only what is spoken or wrytten,
    But of whom,
    And what tyme,
    Where,
    To what intent,
    With what circumstances,
    Considering what goeth before
    And what followeth."

    There are 12 BBI modules for basic instruction in the pristine Faith:

  • 1. Reasons to Believe
  • 2. The Doctrine of God
  • 3. The Doctrine of Man
  • 4. The Destiny of Man
  • 5. The Redemption of Creation
  • 6. The Life of Christ
  • 7. The Apostolic Mission
  • 8. The Christian Assembly
  • 9. The Christian Home
  • 10. The Book of Hebrews
  • 11. The Book of Revelation
  • 12. Faithful Shepherds
  • My prayer for each person using these modules is for them to be humble before God's Word, that they earnestly seek to conform every area of their own lives to God's Word and will, and then share the pristine Faith with others. -- Tim