How to read your Bible..
Some nonchristians have the habit of reading their
Bible in special occasions. Even the great Mahatma Gandhi,, being an
hindu kept the New Testament close to his "matside"
With great interest he studied The Sermon on the
Mount. He admired the words of Jesus how "we shall treat other people,
yes, treat them as we like to be treated by them."
Inspired by The Holy Spirit.
First of all we have to acknowledge that both the Old
and the New Testament are inspired by God. The fact is that the Bible
says just that about itself. "The Whole Scripture is inspiered (blown
unto) by God, and is profitable both for this life and the coming life."
Where to start reading.
I will suggest to you, being a nonchristian or a new
christian:. Do not start your reading from the first chapter of Genesis
in the Old Testament, That book is very interesting and profitable, but
is not the right startingpoint; I think.
Start with the gospel of John and his letters in the
New Testament. When you have finished St. John, you can go to St.
Luke and the Acts of the Apostles, which rather should be called the
Acts of the Holy Spirit. This book is also written by St. Luke.
After reading those portions it is natural to
continue to the letters of St. Paul to the believers in Rome. Now you
can go back in your Bible to Genesis, Exodus, Samuels two books and
Kings two books. Very interesting indeed.!!
These readings have introduced you to the Bible as
literature. If you have a Studybible, you will get help in your study in
a special way. That Bible you will be able to buy in a Christian
bookstore.
Pray
when you read.
If you are a christian and have learned to pray, let
your biblereading be soaked in prayer. The Holy Spirit who lives in
you, is the author of the Bible. He will explain to you the difficult
portions.
Christian friends who have been saved a while, can be
a great help in explaining this for you. Needless to say. in the church
there is a minister, who preaches from the Bible Sunday morning and
else. In some churches, they have even studygroups you surely can be
invited to.
The Bible is a treasure. The book is full of life.
By the words in that book, you have eternal life with hope of seeing all
the good things the Bible has promised you.
The Bible teaches about rigthousness, holiness and
gloryfication. This book gives you advices and good rules how to live
the christian life. The book will tell you to repent and be converted
and be baptized in water in the name of the trinity.
About the
life hereafter.
The Bible will inform you about the life after death
either in hell or in heaven for eternity. The book will tell you in
many places that Jesus is coming back to take you home to glory. Yes,
the old book is the spiritual food for your soul and water for your
inner being. In his word, God will supply all your needs, body, soul
and spirit.
If you follow the guidance, the Bible gives your
future, you will never go astray. Let us thank God for such a wonderful
book of eternal truth. Amen and amen.
Oddvar Tegnander
A Prophet or may be St. John?
