How to Read the Bible: A 5-step Process to Understand the Word of God

The Bible is the Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit and without error. As Christians, we are duty-bound to read and study it regularly. But as with any book, there can be a sense of dread when approaching the pages of Scripture. It’s not as challenging as you think? Let us explain… Readers often find the Bible intimidating because they believe it is filled with archaic terms and phrases that will be impossible to understand. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth! The Bible is our friend and mentor, designed by God to help us in this faith journey. But like anything else, it takes some time and effort to fully understand its message.

Step 1: Get to Know the Author and the Audience

When reading the Bible, it’s important to understand the author and his audience. This will help you see the context of the passage. What historical events were taking place? What was the culture like at the time? What were people’s struggles and concerns? How were they possibly applying the Bible to their daily lives? What can you learn about the authors? You can find out who wrote each book of the Bible in the table of contents in most Bibles. You can also learn about the authors in your Bible’s Introduction. How do we know who wrote the books of the Bible? The Bible itself tells us. The writers of the New Testament clearly identify themselves and the books they wrote. The Old Testament is a bit more complicated. Scholars have studied the books of the Old Testament for hundreds of years and have reached a consensus about who wrote which books.

Step 2: Discover What’s Being Said

As you read, try to make sense of the passage by asking yourself: What is the author talking about here? What is the message of this passage? What is the central theme of this passage? What is the overarching message of this particular book? What is the main idea of the passage? Why did the author include this particular passage?

Step 3: Understand the Background

What was happening in the world at the time? What were people going through? What were their struggles? What was the culture like? What were the prevailing worldviews at the time? What were the prevailing religions of the day? What were the prevailing political systems? What were the prevailing social customs? What were some of the main historical events of the time? What events took place prior to the writing of this book? What were the political climate and religious climate at the time? What were the prevailing political systems? What were the prevailing religions of the day?

Step 4: Discern the Meaning

Now that you have a solid grasp of the background, you can begin to discern the meaning of the passage. How can you apply this passage to your own life? What does this passage mean and what does it not mean? What does this passage mean for you and for your life today? How can you apply the passage to your own life? What is the central theme of the passage? What is the main idea of the passage? What is the overarching message of the passage? What is the author trying to communicate to us through this passage? How can this passage be applied to our own lives today? What is the central theme of the book? What is the main theme of the book? What is the overarching message of the book? What is the author trying to communicate to us through this book? How can this book be applied to our own lives today?

Step 5: Commit It to Memory

This is where your journey as a reader of the Bible truly begins. This is where you commit the passage to your heart and mind. You will be able to apply it to your life, but only if you commit it to your heart and mind. How can you apply this passage to your life? How can you apply this book to your life? What is the central theme of the passage? What is the main idea of the passage? What is the overarching message of the passage? What is the central theme of the book? What is the main theme of the book? What is the overarching message of the book? What is the author trying to communicate to us through this passage? How can this passage be applied to our own lives today? What is the author trying to communicate to us through this book? How can this book be applied to our own lives today?

Conclusion

When we read the Bible, our main goal should be to understand what it is saying. When we understand what the Bible is saying, then we can begin to apply it to our own lives. The Bible is not just a bunch of ancient stories. It is God’s message of love and grace to us. By doing the 5 steps above, you can begin to read the Bible and understand what it is saying.

To understand the Bible, please take a look our website at Verse of the Day to get more information and gain more insight.