If you’re just getting started with reading the Bible, you probably know that it can be overwhelming.
Beginner Bible readers should start with the gospel of Mark or John toward the beginning of the New Testament.
You might be unsure about where to start, or you might feel you don’t have the background knowledge needed to understand it.
If you feel this way, you’re not alone. After all, the most recently written book of the Bible was finished about 1900 years ago. Furthermore, the Bible represents many different writing styles, human writers, and cultures. It’s no wonder that it can feel foreign and intimidating.
Why Read the Bible?
However, the Bible is more than just a historical artifact from years gone by. According to Psalm 119:89, God’s Word is eternal and firmly established for all time. The Bible is just as important today as it was thousands of years ago, and its truths will never change. God has promised that the Bible will always exist, no matter what happens.
Furthermore, the Bible is always relevant. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 tells us that God gave us all of the Bible for a reason. Every book is profitable, or useful, in its own way. Every book, chapter and verse of the Bible has something to contribute to a Christian’s life and their knowledge of God.
Finally, the Bible is inspired. The word used in 2 Timothy 3 is significant. It means that God breathed out the words of the Bible, using human authors to record them. We can’t fully understand this miraculous process, but we can certainly appreciate how awe-inspiring it is. Inspiration means that the Bible wasn’t just written by human beings. Rather, it records the thoughts of God Himself, so it’s the most worthwhile book we could possibly read.
How To Get Started
If you’re new to reading the Bible, don’t worry! There are many tools and strategies available to make your reading easier. Remember that every big project starts with a single step. 1 Timothy 4:13 instructs believers to be devoted to the Bible–reading it, sharing it, and teaching about it. When you decide to start reading the Bible, you’re taking a life-changing step in obedience to God. You won’t regret your decision!
Tools for Planning
Today, you have many helpful tools at your disposal that can help you stay on track. For one thing, Bible-reading apps, like the Blue Letter Bible app or The Bible app, let you access the Bible from your phone or tablet. This way, it’s always at your fingertips. They offer tools such as reading plans, daily notification reminders, and integrated reference books. These reference tools can help you figure out what words mean and how different parts of the Bible fit together.
A simpler option is to follow a pre-made reading plan, like the ones offered by Bible Gateway. These plans tell you which passages to read each day, and they offer printable formats and the option to get a daily reminder email with your selected reading.
The Power of Memorization
Beginning Bible readers can often profit from memorizing key verses and passages. In Psalm 119:11, the psalmist says he has “hidden” God’s Word in his heart. Memorizing Bible passages is like hiding them away in a safe place, where we can always access them. When you memorize parts of the Bible, you can reflect on them while you’re driving, lying awake at night, walking the dog, or chopping vegetables for dinner. Also, the next time you’re reading an unfamiliar Bible passage, it may remind you of a passage you’ve memorized, and you’ll be able to find connections between the two. Having constant access to God’s Word can strengthen your relationship with Him. If you’re not sure where to start with memorization, check out this list of verses by topic.
Tools for Understanding
The Bible explains a plan for salvation that’s simple enough for children to understand. If we believe that Jesus died to save us from our sins, and acknowledge His kingship in our lives, we can be saved. However, the Bible is also so complex that scholars will never completely understand it. Therefore, your goal should be to grow in your understanding of God’s Word each day.
Some basic study tools can boost your understanding. For instance, highlighters can help you color-code verses or passages that are related or connected, so you can consider them side-by-side. Stick-on page tabs can help you mark passages that you’d like to go back to, or bookmark different pages that are connected in some way. Keeping a journal of what you’ve learned in daily readings can also help you remember and reflect on what you’ve read.
More specific tools include a Bible dictionary and a concordance. Unger’s Bible Dictionary and the Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary are two of the most popular choices for quickly looking up words and discovering their meanings. A Bible concordance, such as Strong’s Concordance, serves a special purpose. It provides an alphabetical listing of words in the Bible, and it indexes every passage where each word is found. This can be a valuable resource for studying a specific word or concept that appears throughout the whole Bible.
Support From Other Believers
Hebrews 3:13 instructs believers to exhort, or strongly encourage, each other every day. In fact, over and over again, the New Testament writers tell Christians to get together with other Christians and support them in their walk with God. This is part of why joining a godly local church is so important. If you’re struggling to be consistent with Bible reading, church is a place where other believers can empathize and help keep you accountable. Listening to sermons and taking notes, and discussing the Bible with other believers, can also shed light on what the Bible means and how it applies to your life.
Divine Guidance For Believers
In John 14, Jesus is preparing to leave earth and return to heaven. He tells his disciples that, even when he is gone, they can still access God’s power and presence. Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit will teach his followers spiritual truths and help them remember the words He spoke while on earth. Today, we can claim that same promise as believers. If you have a sincere desire to understand God’s Word, pray about it and ask for guidance.
We’re Here to Help!
We would love to read and study the Bible with you at Harmony Baptist Church in Galesburg, IL! We’re here to support you as you seek to follow Christ. Check out our Contact page to get in touch today!
