I believe that God speaks to each one of us personally and specifically through His Word. I also believe that there is no way to escape from error and the traditions of men until we learn to hear His voice through the Scriptures. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth. How can He do this for us if we read the Bible in an impersonal manner, only considering the history, the setting, the doctrinal and moral implications? If we refuse to take anything out of context we make the Scriptures only as useful as a history textbook or a self-improvement manual. We may glimpse a little of the truth and the letter of the law but it will never become the "living word" in our lives.
Now taking out our Bible commentary and trying to fit the Word of God into intellectual and scholarly research may make us feel wise but it won't be food for our souls. It will be a moral guide but not life changing; it will breathe some fresh air into our fleshly pursuits but it will not give Life to our spirit. God will always be at arm's length and I suspect that those who follow this saying -- "Anything taken out of context is a pretext", really secretly want to keep Him there. "Listening to God can be disturbing and unsettling for it often involves change -- change in attitude, in relationships, change in vocation or location. Anything could change if we got lined up with God's plan for us, if we stopped long enough for the tumult to die down, to get quiet enough to hear God speak. Particularly if we were not afraid of what He might say to us." (Rosalind Rinker)
The Christian walk is not logical and reasonable so there is no possibility to follow Jesus, being obedient to His commands, unless we learn to hear Him speaking to us through the counterpart of Himself, the Word. For Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice and they follow Me."
If you have never "heard" God speak to you through His Word, begin today to expect Him to. Watch and wait daily through the study of your Bible. When He speaks to you, underline what He says. Hide these words in your heart by reviewing them often. Sooner or later they will be the instructions or the answer for you in a specific time in your Christian walk and you will understand. One word of caution -- don't try to bring what He tells you to pass through your own efforts or spend time imagining how they will occur.
"Obey me and live! Guard my words as your most precious possession. Write them down, and also keep them deep within your heart."
Proverbs 7: 2, 3