The Memory Book

Over the years, the Family has produced several 'memory books,' containing lists of scriptures for members to memorise, beginning with 'set cards' (lists of Bible verses organised into categories) in its early days, which gradually expanded into booklets over the years. The most recent is the 'MB2K' (Memory Book [produced in the year] 2000).

What could possibly be wrong with a Memory Book? What is wrong with memorising Bible verses? Committing Scripture to memory has been part of the Family since its very beginning. In fact there were set cards before there ever were any MLs (MLs are the official sanctioned writings of the Family leadership. For more abbreviations go to the Terminology page). The Family also produced an extensive categorised Scripture book, the ‘Word Basics’ (copyrighted by 'Global Missions, Sydney, Australia' in 1990), which differs from the Memory Book in that there are far more verses listed under far more categories and subsections, and is produced in order to provide some form of scriptural backing to the Family's basic beliefs.

Now, it’s important to make one thing clear right from the very beginning: there is nothing wrong with memorising Bible verses. The Bible says to hide the Word in our heart, to learn the Word, study it, and teach it. It is a commendable practice to memorise Scripture.

Concerns with the Memory Book.

However, there are a number of serious concerns that should be addressed, which appear to have made the Memory Book a detriment to the Family rather than an asset. These concerns include:

The use of the Memory Book as a replacement for studying Scripture.
The impression given that a Family member knows the Bible well because he or she can quote many verses, when in reality those memory verses amount to the sum total of that person’s Bible knowledge.
Previous versions of the Memory Book included quotes from MLs to memorise.
The implication that the Bible can be used as a reference book when a verse is needed to support a particular doctrine.
The careful selection of those verses which appear to support Family doctrine, and the deliberate exclusion of those verses which contradict or condemn Family beliefs.
The misapplication or incorrect categorisation of Bible verses.

Each of these concerns are addressed on this page.

Memorising verses can never replace Bible study.

It can be said that if no serious Bible study occurs then committing verses to memory might actually be detrimental. If the Bible student has no idea of to whom God was talking and why that particular verse was included in the Bible, it becomes very easy to interpret the verse as meaning something completely different from the intention of the passage.

Note that the following example is given to illustrate the ease with which it is possible to misuse Scripture. The Family (in general) does not use this particular verse in this way.

For example, suppose a Bible student has an extremely busy schedule, and to encourage himself during the times when he is obliged to neglect certain duties, he memorises an appropriate verse:

1 Samuel 21:8b The king’s business required haste.

While this appears reasonable on the surface, a study of 1 Samuel 21 is eye-opening. When David said those words, that ‘the King’s business required haste’, he was in fact lying to a priest of the Lord, and this lie indirectly brought on a massacre.

David was on the run, escaping for his life from jealous King Saul, who was obsessed with murdering David. David was frightened, so when he met Ahimelech the priest, he lied to him in order that the priest would give him food and weapons. David pretended that King Saul had sent him on an urgent errand and had commanded him not to tell anyone the nature of that business. David obtained food and a sword, and went his way.

The immediate consequence of David’s lie was that when King Saul realised that Ahimelech had helped David, he was so angry that despite the priest’s pleas of ignorance, the priest, his family, the other priests and temple workers, and many people in their village were put to death, including women, children and babies.

When David learned of the massacre, it weighed heavily on his conscience. He said to the sole survivor of Ahimelech’s family, ‘I have caused the death of all the persons of your father’s house’ (1 Sam 22:22).

However our ‘Bible student’ sadly neglects to read the passage from the Bible, so he categorises his memory verse (‘the King’s business requires haste’) under a section entitled ‘Haste’ in his personal memory book. Other verses in that section might be John 13:27 ‘What you do, do quickly’ (Jesus talking to Judas Iscariot on the night of the betrayal) and Luke 16:6b ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly’ (the unjust steward). None of these verses, of course, actually mean that God expects His children to act in haste.

The conclusion we can draw from this example is that memorisation that is not the product of Bible study can lead us to misinterpretation of the Scripture. In other words, we should read and study the Bible first, and then memorise the key verse that summarises or gives the point of the passage. Memorising verses should be the result of Bible study not a replacement for it.

Memory verses can never be enough.

When our Bible knowledge is confined to little more than the verses we have memorised, this can lead to some serious misconceptions.

First, we often actually believe we know the Bible well, because of the sheer quantity of verses memorised, or at least of the number of verses we are able to find on each topic, whether in the Memory Book or in the Word Basics. In reality, this may be far from the truth. True Bible knowledge consists of understanding the principles behind the stories, letters, prophecies, exhortations and expositions given in the Bible. Knowing the Bible is an ever growing task because the more we know the Bible, the more we understand God and realise what He requires of us. Bible knowledge that is limited to select categorised verses committed to memory is a very poor Bible knowledge. In some cases, it may be better than no Bible knowledge at all, in other cases it may actually be detrimental.

An example of detrimental use of the Scripture in the Family is that of Matthew 22:37-40 (‘…love the Lord your God,… love your neighbour as yourself,… on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets’). The Family uses these verses to justify the incorrect doctrine that the ten commandments no longer apply to Christians, which implies that Christians may engage in consensual sex without fear of committing adultery. However Jesus did not say that and that implication cannot be drawn from those verses. For more on this topic, see ‘The Law of Love in the Gospels’. In fact, it should be said that if we were to compile all the Bible passages that condone extra-marital sex between Christians, that ‘category’ would be empty! There are actually no verses which condone such a practice. This is a case when memorising verses under the ‘wrong category’ can be detrimental to our spiritual life.

Second, when we know little more than categorised Bible verses, we give the impression to other people that we know a lot of Bible. We give the appearance that we know what we are talking about, when in fact we run the serious risk of teaching the wrong things. People look at us with awe because we ‘know the Bible’. There are very serious warnings in the Bible for those who take it on themselves to be teachers. Teachers must know their subject matter well, or they would do better to keep their mouths shut.

Memorising non-biblical quotes.

Previous versions of the Memory Book also included select quotes from the writings of Berg/Dad, the founder of the Family. The danger in this is in the implicit statement that these non-biblical quotes are on the same level or should be given the same weight as Scripture. The truth is that the Bible alone is the Word of God, and nothing can ever be on the same level. For more, see ‘The Standard of Measurement’.

The Bible as a reference book.

Relying on the Memory Book or the Word Basics actually prevents thorough Bible knowledge. Each verse has been surgically removed from its context and neatly placed in the category decided on by the compiler. This is in fact conducting your Bible study in the opposite direction from which it should be done.

The purpose of studying the Bible is to learn what God said in the particular situations recorded in order that we might understand His truth, which can then be applied to our own lives.

Memory Book Bible study is a complete contrast. It begins with a particular theory or doctrine, assumes it is correct and then looks for verses to back it up. This method can successfully be used to support almost any doctrine. People decide on what they want to believe, and then look for the ‘proof-texts’ that appear to give support. God’s word was never designed for that purpose. It is the light that shines in our darkness, searching our hearts, exposing our sin in order to conform us to the perfect likeness of God Himself. This is a process that will probably take forever, but it cannot even begin if we try to manipulate that light for our own purposes.

The scribes and Pharisees were experts in devising theories and doctrines, backing them up with Scripture, and yet they had entirely missed the point. We will fall into the same trap if we begin, not from the Bible, but from our own doctrine. For more, see ‘The Word of God’.

What’s missing from the Memory Book?

In addition to the serious concerns listed above, one of the major problems with the Family’s Memory Books is not what is in it, but what is not included. There are major ‘holes’ in both the Memory Books and the Word Basics, topics conspicuous by their very absence.

Where, for example, in the ‘MB2K’ is the section on ‘sin’? The Bible has a number of passages in both the Old and New Testaments specifically listing those things that we should not do. How can one live a Christian life if we do not know the things that displease God? Surely the Family does not mean to imply that sin no longer exists? No Family member would ever go so far, however most would tend to dismiss sin as ‘that which is not done in love’. The Bible, however, goes into great detail about the nature of sin and numerous specific actions that displease God. Throughout the New Testament there are a number of ‘sin lists’ which should always be understood as sinful actions even if committed by a Christian ‘in love’.

The point is not that the Memory Book can be ‘repaired’ if a section on sin is inserted, because no categorised list of verses can ever replace a thorough Bible knowledge. Rather the point is that as the Memory Book is essentially a compilation of key Scriptures supporting basic Christian doctrine and Family life, the exclusions are as revealing as the inclusions.

Related to the subject of sin is that of moral behaviour. We have been given many specific instructions throughout the entire Bible on how we are to act in order to please God in our day to day life. For example: truthfulness, integrity, generosity, a lack of vindictiveness, honesty with secular governments and so on. As the Memory Book purports to give the Scriptural basis for basic Family beliefs, the absence of a moral code is puzzling.

When it comes to sexual matters, this is a case of careful selection. The verses that condemn sexual promiscuity, adultery and fornication are excluded from the Memory Book, but a section on the ‘Law of Love’ has been included in order to support the Family’s sexual doctrines. The Word Basics has a section on ‘Marriage and the Home’, but the verses on sexual fidelity, divorce and remarriage have not been included. Instead, there is an explanatory note stating that this topic is ‘personal’, and that as there are ‘such wide differences of opinion, interpretation and application’ these topics should be ‘best left to the reader’s personal faith and conviction’ (Word Basics p. 274). This is notwithstanding the fact that the editors have felt free to be dogmatic on Family doctrines, for example, that the law of Moses (including the Ten Commandments) was replaced with God’s grace by the New Testament (p. 250) and that God’s only requirement for Christians is that they act in love (p. 252).

Likewise the warnings in the Bible against contacting the dead, as well as other forms of witchcraft are omitted, and it seems to be a reasonable observation that they were not included for the very reason that they contradict Family teaching and practice.

Some of the misapplied verses in the MB2K.

Many verses in the Memory Book are simply in the wrong category, if indeed they should ever be categorised.

The following is a list of a number of verses listed in the MB2K which should probably not be included in its particular category, or which necessitate extra explanation. Note that this is not an extensive list of every wrongly categorised verse in the MB2K, nor an in-depth study on the verses mentioned, nor an exposition on every topic. Rather, the following list shows that there are serious problems with the concept of memory books in general , and in particular with the Family-produced versions.

Please note that we could probably learn something from each of the following verses on the topic under which it is categorised in the MB2K, but in some cases serious errors of application may occur if they are not studied carefully in the context in which they were given. Without that understanding we can easily invent doctrines that simply are not there.

The Holy Spirit.

Luke 11:13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!

An important Family doctrine regarding the Holy Spirit is that He (or ‘She’, according to the Family) comes as a response to a Christian’s request, like a kind of extra bonus given upon demand, or a genie from a lamp. The Holy Spirit (according to the Family) does not come until requested whereupon ‘She’ fills the believer to overflowing. This is despite the fact that Jesus indicated that the Holy Spirit was to be the permanent enduring presence of God with believers. This is a case where Family members have not engaged in thorough study and may have limited understanding of the topic. For more see ‘The Holy Spirit’.

The Word.

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

This verse is nicely categorised under the section ‘The Word’. It is all too easy, however, to fall into the most common Family interpretation of this verse, being that as the Word is a sword, we should use it against the Devil, to ‘cut the Devil to the heart’.

What’s wrong with that? Don’t other churches teach that also?

The purpose of this page is to focus on the principle of memorising key verses as a replacement for Bible study. Undoubtedly many churches are guilty of neglect in their Bible studies. Some may interpret some passages in a way similar to the Family. However, it is neither relevant to nor important for the purposes of this page to compare Family Scripture interpretation to that of various churches, neither would it be productive to engage in a survey of the number of adherents to a particular doctrine. On this page we are concerned with the neglect of Bible study in the Family, which has resulted, it seems, in a variety of misinterpretations, and a number of false doctrines.

In the case of Heb. 4:12, this verse is used to support the doctrine that current Family writings may be used to defeat the Devil. This may be attributed at least in part to a lack of Bible study.

First, although we know that Eph. 6:17 says that the sword of the spirit is the word of God, Heb. 4:12 actually says that the word is sharper than any sword. It does not say that the word is a sword but that it is sharper than a sword. When we are trying to understand one verse (in this case Heb. 4:12) it is important not to bring into it meaning from verses in other places (Eph. 6:17). Those other verses are very useful for making comparisons, but it is crucial to understand what Heb. 4:12 says on its own before combining it with passages from elsewhere in the Bible.

Secondly, the ‘word of God’ in Heb. 4:12 has a wide meaning, but not that as stated by the Family. The ‘word’ means the entire Bible, it is the Word that was made flesh, it is Jesus Christ the incarnate Son of God, it is the Logos of John chapter one, it means the collection of God’s eternal unchangeable statements, but it does not mean Family writings. The writer of Hebrews had Jesus Christ and the Scriptures in mind, not the doctrinal teachings of small Christian sects. It is a presumptuous misinterpretation with serious consequences to claim that prophecies and teaching given by a twentieth century man (Berg/Dad) or a twenty-first century group (‘The Family International’ as it now appears) are as much the word of God as the Bible. To state it categorically, no teacher, no prophecy, no instruction will ever be on the same spiritual level as the Bible. To elevate such teachings to a place of such exaltation is to court disaster.

Thirdly, the verse does not say that we can use portions of Scripture to destroy the Devil. The works of the Devil are destroyed by Jesus Christ Himself (1 John 3:8), not by any Christian waving Bible verses around. As we hear and act on the words of God, our way will be illuminated and our hearts cleansed. However the idea that the Devil runs in terror when a Christian quotes a Bible verse is not supported by the Bible itself. The Devil was unafraid to quote Scripture to Jesus in the temptation (Matt. ch.4). Of course, the Devil was misusing the verses he quoted, but to give importance to the Devil’s misuse of Scripture is to lay the Family wide open for its own misuse of the Bible.

Fourthly, and crucially, interpreting Heb. 4:12 to mean that the Word is a weapon to help us attack the Devil shows that we have completely missed the intention of the passage. Hebrews chapters three and four talk about entering God’s rest and the conditions which prevent us from doing so: the deceitfulness of sin, unbelief, hardness of heart, dependence on works, disobedience. These are all personal obstructions that each Christian must overcome in order to enter God’s rest. The passage does not talk about the Christian’s war with the Devil, but about his or her own sins that must be addressed in order to enter God’s rest. Then in verse 12, we see that the Bible is not a weapon in our hands as we attack the Devil, but it is the living spirit of God pointing at our own heart searching us out and rooting out the sin and unbelief present within our own heart.

Heb 4:11-13

11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.

12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

13 And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

For more, see ‘The Word of God’.

Our Relationship with the Lord.

Rom 7:4 Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another — to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.

The Family uses this verse to support the doctrine that believers are (or will be) literally married to Jesus. This in turn leads to a number of teachings, many with explicit sexual content.

In Romans chapters six and seven, Paul writes extensively on the relationship between sin and the law, showing that obedience to the law could not be enough to secure our eternal salvation. Romans seven does not discuss the Christian’s so-called ‘marriage’ with Christ, or our intimate relationship with Him. For more, see ‘Who is Jesus’, or ‘Jesus the Bridegroom’.

Faith.

Luke 1:37 For with God nothing will be impossible

In the Family, faith is spiritual power, faith is believing for what we want, faith is obtaining the impossible. Family members are told they can access unlimited spiritual power if they have enough faith.

In the Bible, faith is coming to God the Father through Jesus Christ His Son for our eternal salvation. Miracles and the impossible are God’s domain, not ours. When and if He chooses to do the impossible, it will be His will, His plan, His idea, not ours. For more, see ‘Working Miracles’.

Prayer.

Isa 45:11 Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me. (KJV)

The Family uses this verse as an indication that the Lord wants us make bold requests, that we are to ‘command’ Him what to do. The Family teaches that God waits on our request before acting and that if we ask in faith, we can change God’s mind or alter the outcome of specific events so that they are favourable to our own circumstances.

The problem is that the Family has completely misread the verse, not having read it in its context in the chapter.

Doing so reveals that in Isa. 45:5-12 God is proclaiming His own sovereign power. He declares Himself to be the only God (vs. 5-6) and the mighty Creator of the heavens and the earth (vs. 7-8). Verses 9-11 rebuke people who dare to question the works of His hands. In verse 11 the Lord is hotly indignant at the presumption of man to tell God what to do.

The NIV puts it this way:

Isa 45:11 “This is what the LORD says — the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker: Concerning things to come, do you question me about my children, or give me orders about the work of my hands? (NIV)

The RSV:

Isa 45:11 Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: “Will you question me about my children, or command me concerning the work of my hands? (RSV)

The Living Bible:

Isa 45:11 Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, Israel's Creator, says: “What right have you to question what I do? Who are you to command me concerning the work of my hands? (TLB)

The NET Bible:

Isa 45:11 This is what the Lord says, the Holy One of Israel, the one who formed him, concerning things to come: “How dare you question me about my children!

The NASB is less indignant, nonetheless very clearly informing man to leave God’s works in His hands.

Isa 45:11 Thus says the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: “Ask Me about the things to come concerning My sons, And you shall commit to Me the work of My hands. (NASB)

Thus we see that the Family has used a misapplication of the King James English in this verse, to read something into the passage that the translators of the KJV did not intend, and which is not present in the chapter as a whole. In fact, it seems reasonable to say that the ‘command God’ interpretation is only possible if we (a) select a translation that suits our liking and (b) surgically remove verse eleven from its context in the chapter. For more, see ‘Commanding God’.

Prophecy.

Jer 23:28 “The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat?” says the LORD.

The entire section on ‘prophecy’ in the MB2K is comprised of verses from the Old Testament. This appears to support the Family’s high emphasis on individual members being directed through personal prophecies as well as their allegiance to the leader of the Family as though they were the mouthpiece of God in the same way as the Old Testament prophets were the means by which God spoke to the people. This doctrine completely ignores the personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which was one of the key points of Jesus’ last super discourse and the centre of the early church, beginning on the day of Pentecost. The emphasis on Old Testament-style prophets is misplaced. For more, see ‘Getting Prophecies’ and ‘The Prophet of the Endtime’.

The Law of Love.

As mentioned above, not one of the verses in this section justifies the Family’s promiscuous sexual practices. All are grossly misapplied when used to justify extra-marital sex between Christians.

John 13:34-35

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

During the last supper, Jesus gave extensive instruction on a number of subjects, including His command to ‘love one another’. Jesus was talking to the remaining eleven disciples, all male. When He told them to ‘love one another’, was there the slightest hint of sex involved? Of course not. Is there the possibility that His disciples could later interpret this command to involve sex? No, Jesus Himself clarified the meaning of ‘love one another’ a few minutes later, during the same last supper discourse.

John 15:12-13

12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

What is love? To love each other as Jesus loved us. Jesus is the model for our love, and the primary example is His self-sacrificial death for us. To say that these verses mean Christians may break Old Testament rules against adultery and fornication, as long as they have love, is to be guilty of flagrant misuse of the Scripture. For more see what Jesus said on adultery, the ‘Law of Love in the Gospels’, or ‘Sexual Freedom in the Early Church’.

Unity.

1 Cor 1:10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

A vital point regarding Christian unity is one that is rarely, if ever, mentioned in the Family. The principle of unity between Christians does not only refer to the sin of discord within a particular denomination or church, but also the sin of holding to divisive doctrines and practices that separate one denomination or church from another. In other words, if a church holds to a belief that separates it from other Christians, that church is no longer following the Lord. The question must be asked here if the Family strives to ‘speaks the same thing’ as the other Christian churches. Is the Family ‘perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgement’? Or is it that the Family presumes to have the only truth in these matters? For more see ‘Unity of interpretation’.

Discipleship.

Luke 14:33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

The Family interprets ‘Forsaking-all’ to mean that in order for anyone to be accepted as a Family member, he or she must leave all that they have and/or permanently donate all their assets to the Family. The Bible has a far more extensive application that relates to all Christians, their life in Christ and their desire to relinquish the obstacles to that life. See ‘Forsaking All’.

The Memory Book: Conclusion.

There are serious problems with the Memory Book. Primarily, it encourages a shallow Bible understanding, and actually discourages Family members from reading the Bible for themselves. If Family members actually do read the Bible, the explicit categories into which the verses have been placed colour the interpretation of the passage so that it is very difficult to learn what it really says.

Many Family members rely on Scripture compilations like the Memory Book and the Word Basics for their Bible knowledge, without realising that a large proportion of the verses included have been miscategorised, misapplied, or even deliberately included for the sole purpose of supporting Family doctrine, while contradictory verses have been judiciously excluded.

Relying on these publications can only foster an ignorance of the Scriptures.

Memorising Scripture is valuable and important if it is the result of Bible study, and it is not the intention of the authors to imply that Christians should not memorise Bible verses. However, Scripture memorisation without a thorough understanding of the Bible can lead to grave doctrinal errors. There is currently an urgent need in the Family for its members to study the Bible for themselves and discover the truths that are within.

How to read the Bible.

Pray. David prayed that his eyes should be opened (Ps. 119:18), and Jesus said, ‘He who has ears to hear, let him hear!’ (Matt. 11:15) Our first prayer should be that God opens our eyes and ears to what He has to say.
Listen to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can teach us the things of the Lord (John 16:13), but if we are not willing to let go of our sin, we will not hear His voice.
Submit to the Bible’s correction. The Bible was written to teach us truth, to correct our sin and warn us of its consequences, and to instruct us in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16). So we should allow its words to cut into the thoughts and intents of our heart (Heb. 4:12), correcting and instructing us.
Repent. It is the Bible that will cleanse us from our sin (John 15:3), but without repentance, our own sin will block the truth.
Let the Bible be the teacher. It is important not to bring our doctrines to the Bible looking for confirmation, but to let the Bible speak for itself. Anyone with a concordance can find verses that supposedly support almost any conceivable topic, but this kind of Bible study is little more than a vain exercise in categorisation. When the Bible teaches, we grow, learn and are changed. When we use the Bible to support our own doctrines, we run the risk of falling into error. Doing this reduces the Bible to a reference book, used to support our own fanciful theories.

How to study the Bible.

The following are steps for gaining a thorough understanding of Bible doctrine. It is understood that we must first start with a clean heart and a regenerated spirit, and that we follow the ‘How to read the Bible’ steps above, that is we pray that our eyes may be opened, we listen to the Holy Spirit, we submit to His correction and repent of our sin, and we refuse to use the Bible to back up our own doctrine.

Next,

Understand the purpose of the particular book of the Bible you are reading. Why was it written? To whom? What was the particular occasion? Try to understand the author, the recipients and the particular occasion that prompted this book to be written. How does this book relate to other books? Which books complement its message? Which give a contrast or balance?
Understand the structure of the book. What are the sections? How does the line of thought develop? What are the overlying or recurring themes? Does the book state its purpose?
Understand the chapter. Are there chapter divisions according to subject matter? What is the general topic of this chapter? How does this chapter relate to previous and following chapters?
Read the entire chapter. How do the verses fit together? How do they fit the purpose of the book? How does the passage relate to other books in the Bible? How does it relate to the general purpose of God? How does it fit within the salvation as found in Christianity?
Read the verse in question. What is God saying to that person? How did he or she understand it? How did the author of that book understand it? How does it relate to the verses before and after? Is it part of an extended exposition on a particular topic or is it a stand-alone thought (as many of the verses in the book of Proverbs are, for example).
Understand the principle behind the particular verse in question. What is the truth that lies behind this verse? What is God’s principle that inspired this to be said to these people on this occasion? What is God’s truth?
Apply the principle. How does that principle apply to me? How can that truth be translated into the context of my life and my current situation?
DO NOT take a verse as meaning something which its original authors could not possible have meant.
DO NOT attempt to impose a personal doctrine onto a verse in a way that the original authors did not mean.
DO NOT interpret a verse to justify something that is condemned elsewhere in the Bible.
DO NOT attempt to correct the authors for their failings or lacks. In other words, do not assume that we know better than they because of the ‘revelations’ given to us by the Lord.
DO NOT remove the verse from its original context and categorise it as the proof of a certain doctrine.
DO NOT interpret the verse in such a way as to cause division between Christians and Christians.
DO NOT presume to have come to full and final understanding of a particular verse. Always be open to the Holy Spirit revealing more.

Finally.

Slicing the Bible into neat categorised sections treats God’s word with great disrespect. It is a disservice to Christians, as it forces the Bible into the doctrinal boxes as chosen by the compilers and dissuades readers from learning truth for themselves. It assumes a lack of ability on the part of the readers, and the inadequacy of the Holy Spirit to teach.

The Bible is the living Word of the Eternal God, Who cannot be categorised, Who will not fit into our convenient doctrinal boxes, and Who refuses to take second place to anything or anyone. His Word can instruct us, correct us, and change us, but it may be that groups like the Family who rely on individual Scriptures for their doctrine may actually be cutting themselves off from the power and truth of God.

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