Home of the Every-Verse Method of Bible Study

The official web site of author, K. Scott Schaeffer

Most of us Christians fail to truly understand God’s love, because we don’t understand the
purpose of His law. We think that His laws exist to make us suffer, because our suffering
pleases Him. Or we think that His laws are a test designed to make us prove ourselves worthy
of His love. Or maybe we think that His laws serve no purpose and exist just because God
wants it that way.

When we have these misconceptions, we struggle to separate right from wrong, and we develop strict, oppressive, religious rules out of fear that just about anything might be a sin.

Fortunately, the Bible tells us in eight different places (see them quoted in Biblical Freedom from Religious Oppression) that the purpose of the law is to love our neighbors as ourselves. In
other words, every rule in the Bible exists for one another’s benefit. God wishes to free us from
the harmful effects of one another’s selfishness. He wants us all to enjoy life, but not at the
expense of others’ enjoyment. He, in turn, benefits by seeing His people whom He loves
live well.

What is the Every-Verse Method?

The Every-Verse Method examines every verse in the Bible that addresses a given issue. For example, if we want to know whether or not to consume alcohol (and how much may be consumed), we employ the Every-Verse Method by examining every Bible verse that reveals God’s will regarding alcohol. While every alcohol verse is examined in my book, Biblical Freedom from Religious Oppression, I apply the Every-Verse Method to other issues on the Topics page, which I update daily.
           


Why is the Every-Verse Method better than merely being Bible-based?

Being Bible-based does not necessarily mean that we search the entire Bible to seek the truth. Instead, it often means that we focus on the verses we can use to support the beliefs we want to hold, and we ignore the verses that might lead us to change our minds if we were to seriously consider them.

Let’s face it - the Bible is a big book. If we search long enough, we are bound to find a verse that supports whatever we want to believe.

Since we Christians can be led astray by improper translation, inexact quotes, unoriginal verses, and an incomplete understanding of the context in which a solitary Bible verse was written, our only hope for a consistent and proper understanding of God’s will is to examine all verses addressing a given issue.

What does the Every-Verse Method have to do with Biblical Freedom?

When we turn away from pick-your-favorite-verse theology and embrace the Every-Verse Method, we find that the messages that resonate throughout the Bible seek to rescue us from misery, oppression, and pointless rules, as well as the harm we bring to one another.

In other words, the Bible is not oppressive like many churches are. So those of us who have been driven away from God and the Bible by oppressive ministries have hope for a renewed relationship with God through the Bible.