One
modern Western way of reading the Bible is to find “propositions”
(declarative statements of truth about any state of affairs). Then, from
the discovered propositions, inferences are made, conclusions are
drawn, formal organized statements of beliefs are created (doctrines).

It
is inevitable for the human mind to do this. Another way to interact
with the Scriptures is to allow them to become a means by which the
reader has an encounter with The Person(s) of God (Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit). The Person centered approach does not deny the Propositional
way, rather, it allows the propositions made in Scriptures to become the
supernatural ladder by which we climb and interact with God, Person(s)
to person.

The
writings of John will serve as the introduction to the Person(s)
centered approach to the words of God as the means by which we get to
know personally (not just about) the Persons of God, and especially
Jesus as The Word.