Steps to Engagement:
Engagement Step 2
Step 2: Study Biblical Perspective of Subject
With a solid general understanding of the Bible and the Christian faith, Christians can then identify which passages from scripture relate to a given topic. These passages must then be analyzed by answering such questions as:
Which passages directly relate to the given topic?
For instance, the Ten Commandments directly relate to marriage and the sanctity of life.
Which passages indirectly relate to the topic?
For instance, Peter told Ananias (Acts 5) that he could do whatever he wanted to do with his money. This passage was not written to address the issue of the church and private property, but it still creates the precedent that the church can not tell its members how to use their money.
How do the scriptures relate to the church today?
For instance, the food laws in the Old Testament do not apply to the church today, but they still suggest that God is concerned about general nutrition and health.
How has the church historically understood these passages?
For instance, the church has had several different views of the interrelation of the church and the state, all of which should be studied by Christian politicians today.
Christians can then attempt to synthesize a general outline for a Biblical perspective or perspectives of that topic.
