JesusReignsForever

Yes that is what I did when I started coming back to christ. You have to get down the essence of what Christ main mission was and to me no book better describes that then the book of John! I mean just look at how it starts out..

John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

MIND BLOWING!

And psalms is just jam packed with all kind of good stuff!

JesusReignsForever

I am sorry I disagree with you! You can't feed new babes in christ meat you have to first fill them up with the milk. Starting of with the 4 gospels is the essence of that Christ did for us, you must first understand the mission before you can understand the positionals as you put it.

MrJim

Yup I agree here,

I was discipled by mennonite folks, and one of the things I learned is that Christ is at the center of it all. To best understand scripture is to read from the gospels out, instead of reading the linear Genesis to Revelation. Interpret through what Christ says, instead of what Paul or Moses says, and things tend to make more sense.

For new Christians I always recommend the Gospels first~"Read the Red"

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Peace be with you...

epistemaniac

all the Bible is inspired by God, so, in this sense, Jesus' words are no more important than Paul's, or James or John.... we are told that the Scriptures are all "God-breathed" so Jesus, as the second person of the Trinity is "at the back of" all that is written.... one of the reasons I do not like red lettered bibles is that they miss this very fundamental point.... all the words of the Bible are equally inspired...

having said that, for me, and for many others I have read about and spoken to, Romans is the key to unlock the Scriptures because it most clearly lays out the gospel... Paul was writing to the Gentiles.... us.... explaining in very clear terms that salvation is not by works but by faith.... it was after Luther read Romans 1:16-17 (NASB77) Ro 1:16 (NASB77) For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." " ... that the Scriptures opened up for him...

so I think a new believer would do well to get the gospel itself understood... for it answers the question "who does what in salvation?" or "I am saved, but how...? what has happened to me? how did it happen to me".... the bible also says that God gave teachers to the church so I would recommend reading a good commentary alongside of the reading of Romans to help him to understand..."The New Testament Commentary" has an excellent commentary on Romans, not too technical, but also not to trivial or superficial... the same would go for the commentary on Romans in the Pillar set by Leon Morris...

John Stott also has a good commentary in "The Bible Speaks Today" set, and he has also written a small book centered on Romans chapters 5-8 entitled "Men Made New: A Study of Romans 5-8, a Passage at the Heart of the New Testament Teaching on the Christian Life".



second would be the Gospel of John from the same 2 sets of commentaries

the Bible is so deep that no one in a single lifetime could master it, so it makes sense to me to go to those who are bible believing Christians, who have learned NT Greek/Hebrew, who know the rules of interpretation (technically called "Hermeneutics") and who have taken the time to give to the church the fruits of the labor of their hands via commentaries, or audio sermons which are exegetical in nature rather than topical, unpacking the scriptures verse by verse...

and don't listen to the "it's just me and my Bible" or "its just me and the Holy Spirit and my Bible". folks, though I know their intentions are good... first, they negate the fact that God Himself promised to give teachers to the church (1 Cor. 12:28-29 and Eph 4:11) so if we ignore the teachers God has given to the church we are being disobedient to God who gave the teachers to us in the first place..... secondly, those who would say that they don't need teacher... you might note how often they themselves offer their own interpretation of the Scriptures... so if we don't need teachers, we don't need the very teachers who are trying to teach us "you don't need teachers" !!! lol... you certainly don't see such people quoting only the Scriptures in conversation or in writing without their interpretation being present, imagine such a conversation if you can, with people doing nothing but quoting scriptures back and forth and northing else....!!!!!


and lastly, it seems to me that that those who say we have no need of teachers, saying all you need is the Holy Spirit etc.... well what does this say about others in the church now and those who lived prior to us? What? Are they the only ones with the Holy Spirit? Doesn't the Holy Spirit speak to others as well? It does seem a bit arrogant to suppose that the Holy Spirit has spoken to them on this issue (interpretation) but not to others....

Charles Spurgeon wrote
"In order to be able to expound the Scriptures, and as an aid to your pulpit studies, you will need to be familiar with the commentators: a glorious army, let me tell you, whose acquaintance will be your delight and profit. Of course, you are not such wiseacres as to think or say that you can expound Scripture without assistance from the works of divines and learned men who have laboured before you in the field of exposition. If you are of that opinion, pray remain so, for you are not worth the trouble of conversion, and like a little coterie who think with you, would resent the attempt as an insult to your infallibility. It seems odd, that certain men who talk so much of what the Holy Spirit reveals to themselves, should think so little of what he has revealed to others. My chat this afternoon is not for these great originals, but for you who are content to learn of holy men, taught of God, and mighty in the Scriptures. It has been the fashion of late years to speak against the use of commentaries. If there were any fear that the expositions of Matthew Henry, Gill, Scott, and others, would be exalted into Christian Targums (ie that anyone would slavishly, mindlessly follow one commentator and one only--- Ken), we would join the chorus of objectors, but the existence or approach of such a danger we do not suspect. The temptations of our times lie rather in empty pretensions to novelty of sentiment, than in a slavish following of accepted guides. A respectable acquaintance with the opinions of the giants of the past, might have saved many an erratic thinker from wild interpretations and outrageous inferences. Usually, we have found the despisers of commentaries to be men who have no sort of acquaintance with them; in their case, it is the opposite of familiarity which has bred contempt. " http://www.spurgeon.org/misc/c&cl1.htm

my .0002 cents

blessings,
Ken

avlight

I would start out in John and after John, read Romans, and then James, and then Hebrews and then where you feel led by God to study. I usually do a complete book study.

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I have come back

The significant problems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we created them. -- Albert Einstein

Pastor Gary

The Bible is both a history and future prophesy of the seed line of Christ and the message of Salvation. While some of the Books of the Bible are out of chronological sequence, every Book is as important as every other in knowing the details of the seed line through which Christ would eventually be born of in the flesh and the Message (Gospel) of Jesus Christ. Ref: Luke 3:23-38 (KJV).

While some persons may recommend to new Bible students that they start with chapters in the New Testament, it is also a recommendation to start with Genesis and read through to Revelation. Use a good quality original "Strong's Complete Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible" along with "The Authorized King James Version Bible of 1611", to look at original language word usages and to fully understand what is contained in those words.

For those persons who are fortunate enough to own "The Companion Bible" (King James Version with margin references to proper word usages), you can also refer to Appendix 179 to determine the correct chronology of the Bible Books and Appendix 195 for a detailed examination of time lines that must be understood when starting your Bible studies. It is essential that new Bible students understand the three ages (time periods) covered in the Bible and how the references to those time periods are used in scripture for history, clarity and prophesy. Enjoy your studies!!

A brother in Christ

2 cor 5:16 ....?

was not Christ under law...gal 4:4

and we under grace .. 2 peter 3:18

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2 tim 2:1 Thou therefore, my son, be impowered by the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

A brother in Christ

If saved they understand the gospel ... 1 cor 15:3-4

positional truth is how to live the christian life


like romans 6
1 cor 7:20-24

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2 tim 2:1 Thou therefore, my son, be impowered by the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

Theophilus

There are 66 books in the commonly accepted bible. And not any time or situation when any word in any of them will do an individual harm. In that sence there is no wrong or right timing or sequence.

There is probibly a more compatable or productive pattern or manner to read or study God's written word for each of us.


Some prefer the linier approch(front to back) others a topical approch and others gain more from history or poetry,first.
What works best for me or others may not work at all for you.

I refer to the written word of God in responce to questions either of my own or ask of me by others and inspiration and heartfelt desire to be closer to our father in heaven.
I have no set time or legnth of time, situation or location to which I devote my self to a sceduled study of scripture.
I know that many will find this approch obsurd and others believe my words to be a rationalization to explain an assumed lack of desire to study.
However my manner of bible study has produced suffient fruit in this forum and in my christian walk as well to justify it as good for me.
Just as marriage an individuals walk with Christ should never be subgect to the actions, standards, expectations or opinions of others.
What i'm saying is do what is best for you. What brings you closer to God. Don't be afraid to allow yourself to be lead by the Holy Spirit rather than others in respect to study of His word.


Sincerely His
Cliff

Boanerges

Jesus primarily preached to the lost as the church wasn't born until the ressurection- Paul and the other Apostles words were Jesus's Words to the church as surely as if they came out of His own lips- I cannot see evlavating one over the other as they are both litteraly the Word of God- selah