This might seem obvious, but you really need to open your Bible.
Look. I get it. It’s an intimidating book, especially if you don’t know where to start. What I want to do today is help you along, maybe give you a place to start, and keep you from making the same mistakes I made.
Becoming intimately familiar with your Bible is arguably the most important thing you can do as a Christian. Even more than finding a church, which is critical, or finding other Christians to walk with, which you should also do. While those are important steps that will bring you closer to God and help you realign your life, what you must do is open the book and read. Doing so will help you understand exactly why the other two are so important, so it’s really a win-win situation.
The Word will teach you and counsel you. It will comfort you. It will equip you, bless you, and even rebuke you when you need it. Every question you have about Christ or faith in Him can be found in Scripture. Any real answer you get from someone else about those things came from there. And unlike millions of people throughout history, you can go straight to the source. You don’t need a priest, a pastor, or a scholar. You don’t have to speak a second language, or have an expensive education. You need a book that most churches will give to you for free and the will to open it up.
There are audio versions. No excuses!
I won’t deep-dive the translation debate. Here is the truth: most of them are just fine, and anyone who tells you otherwise is either a snob or being silly. Sure, some are better than others. Yes, a couple of them are terrible. Five seconds of research will point them out to you. But again, for the most part, the common translations are just fine.
I personally like the ESV (English Standard Version) for study and the CSB (Christian Standard Bible) as a daily reader. My first was an NIV (New International Version) and I liked it just fine. Still have it, still crack it open from time to time. The wise will tell you that the best translation is the one you read. You can do a bit of homework if you want and decide if you prefer a more literal, word-for-word translation or a more dynamic, thought-for-thought approach that is slightly easier to read. Either one is just fine.
Once you figure that out, I would start with the Gospels. You can read them in any order; I read them in order the first time, but I have a special place in my heart for the Gospel of John. Some prefer Luke, which is longer, more orderly, and structured as a sort of historical narrative. Mark is great if you just want to get straight to the action. Read them all, though!
From there I would hit the book of Acts and then Romans. Acts will continue Luke’s Gospel account and tell you how the early church grew. More historical narrative. Paul’s letter to the Romans will unapologetically frame the Gospel message, so that by finishing it you will begin to see exactly what Christ has done and why. You may not fully understand all of the context, or the implications, but you will be off to a great start.
At some point you have to go back to the beginning. Genesis is non-negotiable, Exodus is fantastic. Judges is a life lesson on flawed people making terrible choices. The Old Testament is full of lessons from God: historical truths, principles that hold true today, and prophecies that will make you wonder how anyone could ever doubt. It will completely change the way you read and understand the Gospels. For Jesus, it was the only Testament. You simply cannot divorce the two, nor should you try.
Honestly, there are dozens of ways to skin it. Whatever works for you is the right one for now. The only thing I would recommend against is a reading plan that has you bouncing around. You have to understand that these books were written with different intentions, for different audiences, and in different genres or styles. You can go from historical narrative to poetry without realizing it and get confused pretty quickly. You risk losing context and missing the meaning – or worse, adding your own – if you don’t commit to reading them as individual works like they were intended.
I hope this helps. The biggest mistake I made as a new believer was in thinking that everything was finished the moment I accepted Christ as my Lord. Nothing could be further from the truth! Belief in Christ is a new birth. A new life, and a new journey. In Matthew 6:33, Jesus calls us to seek first the Kingdom of God. Scripture is the map that will show you the way.
