How Should I Read My Bible?

Good Question!

       When I was first born again, I didn’t have anyone to tell me what to do next, but I did know the Lord of glory had come to live with me.  At some point I started reading my Bible.  It was weird how subjects, words or ideas would ‘pop’ out of the pages at me as I read.  The words there had new meaning to me though I had read some through the years as a Catholic.  Those words have also transformed my life in ways I can’t fully describe and for which I am truly thankful.

       Several times people have told me they ‘get nothing’ out of reading their Bible.  That is not good.  In my mind there is one of three reasons this can happen: they don’t understand (wrong version), they are not born again, they don't read systematically. 

Don’t Understand (wrong version)- As stated in my last post, it is important we have a Bible version that we understand, in a language and format that we understand.  Often we take more care in purchasing a new car, washing machine or computer than we do which Bible is best for us.  The best one is the one we understand.

Not Born Again- Of course we may read the Bible and learn from it if we aren’t born again, but at the new birth the Holy Spirit comes to dwell with us and He teaches us the things of God.

But if the Spirit of the One who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the One who raised up Christ from the dead shall also make your mortal bodies alive by His Spirit who dwells in you. Rm. 8:11

But we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit from God, so that we might know the things that are freely given to us by God. 1Cr. 2:12

Read Systematically- We aren’t to read through the Bible like it is a book of fiction.  Everything in it is for our benefit and is good for doctrine, conviction, correction and instruction in righteousness (2Tm. 3:16).  Read with a purpose- to find every morsel possible out of it all.  Don’t be satisfied just to read the words, but dive in to learn the depths of it.  I call this type of reading or studying- inductive (logical reasoning).

Inductive Bible Reading or Study

Read and Observe- What does the text say?

                              Who is speaking, to whom and why?

                              When was it written?

Interpret- What does the text mean? (Dive in as much as we

                have time for)

                Are there any other verses that correlate with

                these that we should read?

                (Always interpret Scripture using Scripture and not man’s opinion.)

                

Apply- What does the text mean in my life? 

Any commands

Any warnings

Any promises

Any encouragement

           How am I like the people in the passage or do I act like they act?

           How do I learn from these words to be transformed?

           How does God want me to live in light of this?

(Read tomorrow for examples of this method.)