GINOLJC, to all.
Addressing the OP only.
the topic, "Study the Bible for Truth's Sake". when it comes to the bible, Studying it will only make good students. and that's good. but the word of God, God himself, must be by revelation of him, the Holy Spirit. the scriptures, states,
2 Timothy 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth". the key to understanding this scriptures is right at the beginning of it. STUDY, for what? "to shew thyself approved unto God". Not to learn God, because he cannot be learned. when we "STUDY" we show God that we're intrested in his holy Word and he will reveal himself, meaning the scriptures will be revealed to you. as said if one just study the bible without the Holy Spirit, yes, studying just make good bible students, yet without understanding,because the bible is a sealed book, which one need the revelator to reveale it to you. supportive scripture,
Isaiah 29:9 "Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.
Isaiah 29:10 "For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.
Isaiah 29:11 "And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed:
Isaiah 29:12 "And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.
so the educated, (studying the bible) and the uneducated, (Just spot reading), are in the same boat, without knowledge and understanding. WHY, for the bible is sealed. but a brighter day has come. Revelation 5:1 "And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.
the same book Isaiah spoke of,
Revelation 5:4 "And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. (right there "NO MAN" that's why one needs the Holy Spirit).
Revelation 5:5 "And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof". the ROOT of David is the Spirit, God, the Holy Spirit, the only TRUE GOD who is able to open the book and that's the only way your "MIND" is going to be open, by the Spirit.
Romans 12:2 "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God".
REPENT,
1 Corinthians 2:11 "For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
1 Corinthians 2:12 "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. (BINGO, you got to have the Holy Spirit to know and understand the things of God).
1 Corinthians 2:13 "Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1 Corinthians 2:14 "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
PICJAG.