How to Read The Bible

Many people want to read the Bible, and know they ought to read the Bible, but they don't know where to start. Some think the Old Testament is not necessary for a Christian, so they read only the New Testament. Some just read the four gospels over and over again, and get no further. Some read the book of Revelation, because they have an interest in escatology and things that will take place in the last days. Some read the Bible, but it has no real effect on their daily lives. Here below are some brief instructions on how to read the Bible.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A King James Bible
• A good Dictionary
• A willing heart
• Time

1. First of all, start READING it. Many people talk about the Bible, and read other books about the Bible, but they never get down to actually reading THE BIBLE. When I was given a “Study Bible” for Christmas one year, I spent more time reading the “Word Studies” and the comments of the editors than I did actually reading the Bible itself. It isn’t the comments of man that you need, it is the very words of God himself. Jesus said, “the words I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63). So start reading THE BIBLE.

2. Secondly, be CONSISTENT. Don’t read for a week then quit for a month…only to pick it back up again for another week or two. Read it daily. You don’t miss a meal, unless you are sick or fasting. You need to eat to keep your physical strength and health, so you need the Bible to stay spiritually healthy. Jesus said in Matthew 4:4, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Read it DAILY.

3. Thirdly, read it PRAYERFULLY. The Bible is the word of God, and what better way to read it than to be in constant communication with its Author? The Lord says in Jeremiah 33:3, “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” Each time you sit down to study, ask God to show you something. Ask him to help you, first of all, to see things as HE sees them. The Psalmist prays in Psalm 119:18, “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” Go, and do the same.

4. Fourthly, let the Bible interpret itself. Peter says in 2 Peter 1:20, “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scriptures is of any private interpretation.” If you come across something you don’t understand, pray. And if God doesn’t give you light on it then wait till he does. Don’t rush ahead and try to interpret what is said according to what you think it “means”. Too many people get into a real mess by doing that. Let the Bible say what it says, and take it at face value.

5. Finally, be willing to OBEY what God tells you to do in the Bible. It will do you no good at all to be a “hearer only” if you are not also a DOER OF THE WORD (James 1:22). Read the Bible with a desire to get to know God. Don’t just read it because you have to read it, or because it will enable you to “slam” everybody that doesn’t believe like you believe. Read it as if God was speaking directly to YOU, personally. Then with a thankful heart, be obedient to what the Lord tells you to do.

Tips & Warnings

• Read and study only the King James Bible. The Holy Spirit is the one who gives you understanding, so don't worry about the "thees" and the "thous".
• Learn to "rightly divide the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15). Everything in the Bible was written FOR the Christian, but not everything in the Bible was written TO the Christian.
• Be sure to ask these three questions with confronted with any verse of scripture: 1) WHO is speaking? 2) TO WHOM is he speaking? 3) WHAT is he saying?
• Be careful not to take a passage aimed at ISRAEL, for instance, and apply it to the CHURCH.
• ALWAYS interpret a verse of scripture in light of the context in which it appears.
• NEVER interpret a clear verse in the Bible by an unclear verse.
• NEVER judge the Bible in light of your spiritual experience; ALWAYS judge your experience in light of the Bible.
• NEVER get hung up with Greek and Hebrew. Just read and study a King James Bible, and God will give you all you need to know.

[YvonneRobert]

on 8/20/2009 Amen! This is a great teaching on the importance of scripture and obedience. 5*

[JoyNmyHeart]

on 1/11/2009 Excellent article on reading the Bible. God's word is so awesome. Reading it will change your life if you read it consistantly and prayerfully being sure to be obedient. Thank you for sharing this message with others!

[DiscountTickets]

on 1/3/2009 Yes, I read all of the Bible once a year.

[LouisJeffries]

on 1/2/2009 Amen brother. One thing I would say to those who are students of the Word is to study the Old Testament. Especially the first 5 books. The Old Testament concealed is the New Testament revealed. Thank You for a good article.

[SimplyCuttings]

on 1/2/2009 Excellent article. I look forward to reading more from you.