Bible approach for new believers

Hi all, I just wanted to write this request so that can benefit me or anyone who is like me! A recently saved coming from a different background and was exposed to basically no information about the bible. And also take advantage of the people whom God led to study the word of God

Is there a technique or a way to read the bible?

Hi Yahyaka!

Let me ask if I may: If you weren't exposed to the Bible how did you get saved? Was the gospel of Jesus Christ shared by someone, to which you responded?

Anyway, as a new believer you should read through the whole New Testament to get an idea of what's there. It's all good, but Paul's letters are especially good for establishing a foundation for your faith. There aren't any rules. Just read it through and then reread things that speak to you or that you have questions about. Especially notice the passages that speak about prayer and develop a consistent prayer life.

After awhile you can move to the Old Testament. The Old Testament is full of prophecies and types of Christ; it all points to Him.

Blessings!

Read both books.

I know many people start with New Testament first because its exciting learning about Jesus

But you get a fuller picture by starting from the beginning in the Old Testament with Genesis. And then everything will make sense. (well not everything, but why not start from the beginning and know the alphabet first before mixing all the letters up?)

Pray and ask God before you read to show you what He wants you to know. Then read it everyday.

I agree, the first part of Genesis is good to read. The creation, the fall, the flood, etc. It explains why we need salvation in the first place. However, the New Testament is very good about drawing on and quoting from the relevant parts of the Old Testament to explain the New Covenant.

I agree with ResidentAlien, focus on the New Testament first to get a firm understanding. Next look at Proverbs, and after that Job, and then the rest of scripture.

It's kind of like reading your local city's bylaws, you start with the current revision of the law and then look back at older revisions for context to see how it got there. Anyone might become confused by reading the expired ordinances first.

There are some key subtle principles in the text. One of them is the concept of equivalency. We see this with "an eye for an eye" where this payment can be fulfilled without a literal eye in return (monetary equivalent is acceptable, etc.). Another key concept is that God never lies and scripture does not contradict itself. Sometimes we encounter things that appear to be contradictions which can be resolved by applying the correct interpretation.

The two greatest commandments are: first, to love God with all of your heart, soul, and mind; and second, to love your neighbour as yourself.

Importantly, a good method for exploring scripture is to follow the ethos->logos->pathos approach.

Ethos: first we acknowledge scripture as the voice of authority in any matter. We take the position that statements in scripture are axiomatically true, cannot contradict eachother, but context and interpretation are up for discussion and dispute. If our interpretation contradicts scripture, we discard the interpretation, not scripture.

Logos: we build logically driven theories for how scripture should be interpreted and come to conclusions that are consistent with scripture. We continually test our interpretations against scripture and against themselves in order to determine internal consistency of that interpretation.

Pathos: as it is often the case, there may be many interpretations that contradict eachother but each are consistent with scripture by themselves. We then take the next step to determine for ourselves what we feel is most compelling out of those competing theories.

In the end our resultant interpretation is something that agrees with scripture and agrees with our heart and mind. We can't come to the right answer on our own, so we humbly explore these concepts with the faith that God is guiding our understanding.

I began with the four gospel I learned who Jesus was first through them, the old testament is good but if one reads it first they may get the wrong idea about God as he can appear to be a very wrathful and angry God a lot of things he does in there that may give the wrong impression.

One word at a time, one sentence at a times, one verse at a time, one paragraph at a time, one chapter at a time, one book at a time Reading it with an open mind as free of pre-conceived ideas as possible is recommended, also Reading the accompanying study notes and/or introductions can be quite educational as well as fascinating. There is much for a new believer to learn and explore! Go at your own speed. Prayerfully ask for guidance from the Holy Spirit of God. I read a lot in my early days, being quite hungry and thirsty for the Truth of God's revealed written Word Reading with others can be helpful, too, especially if each reads from a different version/translation, and there is someone present who can read Greek and/or Hebrew, though this is not necessary. Comparing differences in the texts and comprehending why these differences exist will broaden your knowledge base and understanding. All that may come later; for now, reading by yourself is absolutely fine if that is what you are comfortable with. Some do have a problem reading alone. Do you have a home church? Do they have any Bible study groups, or community groups? Do you enjoy watching Biblically themed movies? It may be best to become grounded in the Truth of God's revealed written Word before watching things that add to the story line. There is a movie that is word-for-word based on the gospel of John. It is not my favorite Bible translation/version but it is still very well done and worth watching Welcome to the family!!!

You may enjoy/benefit from these, also

There are 10 videos total

Precious friend, a Very Warm Welcome to the family of God.

1) Reading through God's Word Of Truth in one year is good, about 3-5 chapters a day.

2) Studying is quite a Different matter; see 2 Timothy 2:15 for the "How To":

Good place to start "studying" is here:
Distinctions In God's Two Different Programs: Prophecy vs Mystery!

May God Richly Encourage you in your journey of Growing In HIS Amazing GRACE!

I absolutely agree with you on this.

Hello Yahyaka, first off, welcome to CChat, but far more importantly, welcome to the family of God

As a new believer, just over 35 years ago now, I found a four-part teaching series that was helpful to me (from Dr. John MacArthur) called, Spiritual Boot Camp (and it's still available to listen to today online and for free).

It takes a close and practical look at four of our most important Christian spiritual disciplines, 1. How to Study the Bible, 2. How to Pray, 3. How to Function in the Body (Fellowship), and 4. How to Witness, and it suggests ways to help you apply them to your new life as a Christian.

If you'd like to check one or more of them out, just go here, and then scroll down a bit and you'll see them there to click on.

God bless you!

~Deut
p.s. - as you read (wherever in the Bible that may be), it would probably be a good idea for you to keep a pen and notebook handy to write down the questions that you have about what you are reading. Then ask you pastor about them (and you are always welcome to come back here to CChat and ask us about them as well, of course).

You could also go to a site like this one: Bible Hub, where (along with many different translations of the Bible), a large number of various theologians' commentaries (on each verse of the Bible) will also be available to you (so that you can see what they have to say about a particular verse or passage).

It is the attitude toward scripture that is helpful. First, everything in it comes from God so they need to know something about who wrote the bible. God is love,, God is truth, God is Holy.

God never disagrees with God, nor does God ever tell us something that does not reflect His characteristics. God never changes, all scripture reflects this from Genesis to Revelation. If it seems that God is changing something, there is a need to dig deeper for better understanding.

Christ said it all when we are instructed to be humble before our God, and learn as a child learns.

Isaiah 28:
9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

I think the most important part is knowing who can save you in the Bible and then learning from Jesus when you learn the gospel from Matthew to John . You are reading the account of the life of Jesus Christ in the world.

when you learn from his word and says and teachings , his examples and actions in the gospel you are learning what the whole Bible tells us to go learn

“It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”
‭‭John‬ ‭6:45, 47‬ ‭KJV‬‬

the prophets since you aren’t familiar with the Bible make up Thy ancient writings of the Old Testament. They were explaining then that God was going to come forth and show himself to
Mankind . They promised one day a male child would be born of a virgin and he would speak Gods word and send it into the world so all could know and believe

the New Testament is about all e prophets had promised coming to pass in reality of the world Jesus is born like they promised he proved that he is of God by his miraculous works in witness of many many people , he preached the gospel me then died and rose from death the prophets had flretold
All the gospel long before it came

thier message culminates in Christ and the four gospel accounts of his life and death and resurrection on earth before he was taken up to heaven

when someone wants to be saved it’s the gospel message of Jesus Christ that can do that very thing the entirety of the scriptire ll points with blazing arrows to the content of the four gospel records we have Matthew mark Luke and John

those are the things Christians must believe to be saved

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved;

but he that believeth not shall be damned.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭16:15-16


we don’t have to know everything or understand every line but if we go into it believing it’s true as we pursue it it begins to change our beliefs and hearts and desires and makes us begin to think like Jesus said is the right way and act in those things as we’re changed internally our actions outwardly will begin tomconform
To the gospel I would say belief is the most important part of beginning to study the Bible and the subject of
Jesus Christ is paramount above all things e four gospel accounts are fully dedicated to teaching us about who Jesus is , what Jesus said , how much he loves us , what Gods will really is ect

we want to base all We believe on the gospel of Jesus Christ and hold on tight tonthe faith it creates in us then we’ll find the rest of scriptire supports and points us to the gospel

the most important thing and foundation of it all begins with Jesus and the gospel that’s the only thing that can offer this

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
‭‭John‬ ‭5:24‬ ‭KJV‬‬

salvation is to hear and believe and learn and pray for understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ

It is hard to say what is most important. We are told of salvation and that the blood of Christ saves in Genesis as God covered the nakedness of Adam and Eve with animal skin, God had shed blood to cover their sins and many Christians have read that many times without understanding.

We learn that God created us and all the earth in Genesis. It tells us of family that our earthly society is based on.

When scripture tells us the theme of the message of Christ, scripture does not say salvation is the theme. Scripture says Christ taught repentance and the kingdom of heaven. Matt. 4:17 "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!"

“It is hard to say what is most important.”

No it really isn’t difficult at all to know what’s most important or rather who is. And what four books are it’s the ones that promise eternal salvation that everything else was witnessing

“We are told of salvation and that the blood of Christ saves in Genesis as God covered the nakedness of Adam and Eve with animal skin, God had shed blood to cover their sins and many Christians have read that many times without understanding. “


You know the animal sacrifices you seem to refer to alot as being the same function in covering sin ?

“For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10:4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Animal blood cannot stone for mans sin he made then garments of skin. I understand that there is a foreshadow of the sacrifice all through the Bible even in genesis there but all that is is a foretellings of the sacrifice of Jesus that happened when the time had come form the gospel about 2000 years ago

the sacrifices of the law the animals never covered sin as you see it’s impossible but rather because they had to continually sacrifice it’s a constant reminder that they are sinners whom must shed blood constantly

Animal sacrifice wasn’t sufficient to cover mans sin but was a reminder of its presence

“But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10:3‬ ‭KJV‬‬

he’s talking of the yearly atonement it was reminding them of sins and that they weren’t clean but had to constantly sacrifice innocent animals because they were sinners

I don’t think anyone should have difficulty knowing what’s most important in scripture it’s the one who can save and remit sins by his one sacrifice for us .

what you seem to be seeing is the pattern and foreshadow that was witnessing what Christ would do

1- Genesis
2- Matthew
3- John
4- Ecclesiastes
5- Acts
6- Daniel
7- Revelation

Always remember, your walk with God is yours alone. You certainly can't prove anything to Him, and He certainly doesn't need you to prove anything for Him. Just humbly accept that you are His creation, He is in complete control, and your faith will be rewarded because God keeps His promises.

PS, When you pray, keep it short and simple... God already knows you, so don't forget to thank Him for giving you a reason to hope

The sacrificial system had more power than as simply a prophecy. It tells us so in Matthews when the curtain was split when Christ was crucified. The saints had been preserved in sleep, and now were so alive they walked the streets of Jerusalem. Scripture tells us that can only happen through blood shed on the altar by the Lord.

I find that so many think that God made a deal with the Jews that they were to work for salvation. That is not so, it is an eternal truth that we are only saved by blood. God is love, God is kind, God would not have humans all die for thousands of years before Christ lived as a man. Our Lord set his salvation plan in motion the very first thing, and it seems so important to me to say so.

Scripture tells us that God hated it when blood was shed for any reason except as blood shed on the altar for the forgiveness of sin. The heathens sacrificed blood to their idols and if the Hebrews copied that the Lord said he hated it. It is in the first chapter of Isaiah. It was not the blood of animals the sacrificial system was all about, it was the prophecy of the blood of Christ.

“Scripture tells us that can only happen through blood shed on the altar by the Lord. “

no sister scriptire tells us this about the Animal bloodshed of the law.

I tried to shorten this but do me a favor and consider what the New Testament revelation of the epistles says about the law they understood the law much much better than either one of us so consider what’s being said here

“For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.

For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10:1-4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

he’s saying those sacrifices reminded them continually of Thier sins that’s why they all died, even Moses the mediator. Mankind has two parts a body and a living spirit even if thoer spirit is the corrupted spirit of man. Thier spirit doesn’t die even if they have died on thoer sins it rests until the fonal
Jidgement

thier was no remission of sins but there was a continual working by sacrofocing daily weekly , yearly fresh blood of animals that doesn’t say “ you now have no sin , or this blood is covering your sins temporarily “ ot says “ your all unworthy sinners do you have to constantly supply the death of an animal to substitute for your life which I require because you sinned “

but if the sacrifoce is done once and we’re told by the word that sacrofice was sufficient to remit our sins and there is never another required then we can understand our sins have been dealt with and we don’t have to offer innocent life in death constantly.

you still have t accepted stephens speech about the ordination of the angels over the law huh ? It’s not the real thing it’s like a blueprint for the real thing found in the gospel. Those things had value but they don’t now they are nullified and void of any value in Christ it’s why we don’t sacrifice animals anymore

if animals blood was sufficient to deal
With sin sister then Christ suffered and died for no good reason. It was a rough draft meant not to forgive thier sins but to impute them and remind them every year on atonement day that they were sinners still. Because the laws purpose another thing it doesn’t seem
You have accepted is not the same as the gospel it’s contrary

“Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭3:19-20‬ ‭KJV‬‬

that’s why the laws sacrifices reminded them of sin that’s what it was meant for to make them know thier sin and guilt . God preserved them in rest because Christ was coming in the future ot had nothing to do with animal blood

when your reading the law look for what it can teach you about Jesus that’s how it’s useful now, because it’s a fore pattern but the gospel is for the contrary point not to “make us guilty before God by revealing our sins and guilt to us “

but by doing the exact opposite saying forst “ you have all already sinned “ but if you come to me and believe the gospel I will remit all your sins and make you clean and worthy and give you everlasting life “


The law doesn’t say that it says this which again you seem to not be accepting

“And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God.

….But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:”
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭28:1-2, 15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

you would to read that whole chapter to understand the condition of the law was based solely on thier works bekng perfect doing every single command I’ve shown this next verse to you before but if you read that chapter above you will understand why Paul said this

“For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.”
‭‭Galatians‬ ‭3:10‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Paul’s quoting a direct reference in the law. It literally says that phrase more than once it promised curse for everyone who fell short of doing it all that’s actually why the nation of Jews has suffered so greatly for thousands of years they didn’t continue in the law and everything it commanded

they said they would but didn’t the law explicitly makes that condition and it means just that of you mess up one time your now guilty of all it says and will be cursed but again that chapter is very long you would have to read the whole chapter on exodus also in other places ot repeats that condition

if you do everything Moses wrote down in his book of the law you’ll be blessed and have good crops and live
a long life and then die that’s the best it offers but if you don’t do it all and turn away at any point you will be cursed horribly and become a byword and warning to all nations

you should read some of the conditions of the law of Moses it’s the stuff of certain death and horrible nightmares the law of course is good but the conditions places upon the people under it is horrible because it was ordained by this guy

“Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.”
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭23:20-21‬ ‭

it’s why the law appears as it does like this

“And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day.

And the Lord said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp. And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as the Lord commanded Moses.”
‭‭Numbers‬ ‭15:32, 35-36‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Gods not like that sister he’s like Jesus because that’s him so this is how Jesus is

“They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? ….So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.”
‭‭John‬ ‭8:4-5, 7, 9-13‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The Pharisees were of the mosaic law that’s why they rejected and hated Jesus he wasn’t preaching the same thing at all he wasn’t there to command them to stoke the sinner like the law says by commandment many times over because it doesn’t forgive sin it imputes sin

he was there to pardon her and convict those about to follow the law he literally stopped them from doing what Moses said they must do.

the law has a ton of value if we understand it’s a witness of Christ and accept what the New Testament teaches us about the law.

This is a good approach, particularly if you start with the Gospel of John. You immediately discover that Jesus is God who became sinless Man, and the first chapter itself is very full.