Introduction
Like you,
When I became a Christian, I wanted to learn how to study the bible but had no idea where to begin.
The Bible always came across to me as overwhelming.
Because of this, I did exactly what the writer of Ecclesiastes said not to do:
Ecclesiastes 11:4 – Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.
I was missing out on spiritual growth because I wasn’t taking action.
Intimidation wasn’t allowing me to get started.
Fear can cripple your progress and the same is true for your spiritual growth.
That’s why I’m going to show you the best way to start learning the bible as a beginner.
These are the same methods I use to grow my knowledge of God’s word.
Why Study The Bible?
The bible offers a lot for anyone looking to understand it but, we must learn it as Christians.
The first thing we should know is that studying the bible increases our faith.
Romans 10:17 – So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Learning the Bible is more about building a relationship with God than learning.
John 14:21 – Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”
The bible is our source to know God and how he wants us to live.
Colossians 3:16 – Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Studying The Bible vs Reading The Bible – What’s The Difference?
We can all agree that the bible has much more to say than what we hear on Sundays.
Let’s take a moment to define the difference between studying the bible vs reading the bible.
Reading the bible is as simple as it sounds…reading.
Meaning, only reading what’s on the surface but not going deeper than that.
Not a bad idea if you want to save yourself from overload but it has many limitations.
Think of it this way.
A baby has to eat…right?
If a baby doesn’t graduate from milk to solid food, she will never get stronger and will have health problems.
1 Peter 2: 2-3: Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
Growth happens when the baby graduates from milk to solid food.
The same goes for a Christian.
We should graduate from reading to studying the bible.
Studying the Bible requires a lot more effort but with the hard work, there are high rewards.
The Bible promises wisdom, joy, & knowledge to all who seek after it.
God’s word instructs Christians to become proficient in bible knowledge.
2 Timothy 3:16-17: 16 All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.
How Should A Beginner Read The Bible?
It can be intimidating to start studying the bible.
Let’s remember that we are imperfect beings approaching a book that is divine. There are many things we can’t understand.
Here are a few methods to help you get started.
1.Start With Prayer
With this in mind, we need to approach Bible study with prayer.
God gives us his Holy Spirit to teach us his word.
John 14:26 – But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
The Holy Spirit gives us gifts in understanding God’s word to us. Before reading the bible, we should ask God to give us understanding.
2.Set Dedicated Time For Bible Study
Nothing can replace focus.
When we are free from distractions, we gain the most results.
Bible study is no exception. We need to set aside time to start learning the bible.
Start with something realistic.
If you have a hectic lifestyle or feel unmotivated to read, start with 10 minutes a day
After you get comfortable with that, double that time every week.
3.Read The Bible Every day
As it’s important to dedicate time for Bible study, it’s also important to read your bible daily.
Learning God’s word is a lifelong journey and Bible study is a commitment.
If we are faithful, God will bless our understanding and grow our knowledge of his word.
But consistency is key.
2 Peter 3:18 – But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
4.Reflect on What You Have Read
An important part of bible study is to reflect on what you have read.
Joshua 1:8 teaches us the importance of meditating on God’s word. We do this to allow God to change us and understand his word.
Joshua 1:8 – This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
A great method for reflecting on the bible is to use a journal.
This can be a great method for jotting down your thoughts on how God is speaking to you.
5. Apply What You Learned
One of the major keys to spiritual growth is applying the word of God to your life.
James 1:22 – But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
Bible study without applying what it says to your life is wasted information.
James tells us that we are only fooling ourselves when we do that.
Studying the Bible should make us more like Jesus. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you apply the Bible to your life.
What Is The Easiest Way To Study The Bible?
There’s many ways to start studying the Bible.
I encourage you to find a method that works for you.
Here are the bible study methods I recommend for everyone when starting out.
1.Start With The New Testament (Gospels First)
The New Testament is the best place for any believer to start learning the bible.
The most important books of the bible that you should be familiar with first are the gospels.
These are the stories & teachings of Jesus Christ our savior. This is the foundation of bible study.
Our main focus for studying the bible is to know Jesus more and to be more like him. (1 Peter 3:18)
Start with the gospel of John. It teaches us the core principles of our faith such as:
- Why Jesus is the Son of God
- Why He came to die for us
- The salvation God will provide
- Believing in him for salvation
John’s gospel has the nickname “The gospel of belief” because the word “believe” is found nearly 100 times.
A perfect gospel to strengthen your faith in Jesus!
After getting a firm understanding of John, move on to the other gospels.
These are the 4 books you want to master. If you understand the gospels, you will have a strong foundation to understand all the books of the bible.
After you finish the gospels, move on in this order:
- Book of Acts (learn what the church is supposed to be)
- The epistles of Paul & Peter
- The letter of James
I recommend repeating this process before reading the book of Revelation.
2.Use Bible Study Resources
One of my favorite methods for bible study is to use resources.
This includes books, study bibles (more on that later), and even videos.
Here are some of my favorites:
Blue Letter Bible
Blueletterbible.org is an amazing resource for anyone looking to learn the bible.
It includes devotionals & commentaries from many great teachers as well as tools to help you dive deep into scripture.
Best of all, it’s free.
I use this for quick access to scriptures, sermon preparation, and word study.
You can dive into the Hebrew and Greek languages which gives me a stronger understanding of what I’m reading.
YouVersion
Many of you are probably already familiar with the YouVersion Bible App.
But you may not know the other features it offers.
A key to any good bible study is to do it with a friend.
With YouVersion, you can engage in a community to partner with like-minded people on a journey to grow spiritually also.
I love YouVersion for its flexibility. I use it when I’m studying on the go.
Study Guides & Commentaries
I’m a HUGE fan of using study guides and commentaries to aid my bible study.
There are plenty of good study guides that you can use to deepen your knowledge of the word.
When choosing a commentary or study guide, always do your research to make sure the content aligns with what the bible says.
If you’re unsure, bring it to your Pastor for his approval.
Here are a few study guides that I love:
- Rose Guide to the Gospels: Side-By-Side Charts and Overviews
- Rose Book of Charts, Maps & Time Lines, Volumes 1, 2, and 3 Bundle
- Nelson’s Compact Series: Compact Bible Commentary
- Sunday – The Bible Study
Having study guides & commentaries can give you a rich bible study experience.
This is a must for any serious student of the word.
Having maps, charts, and commentary from world-renowned scholars is invaluable.
Try Different Bible Study Methods
There are plenty of ways you can study the bible. Finding what works for you is important.
Here are a few methods for you to try:
- Topical Studies – This is my favorite method of bible study. You pick a topic and research what the bible says about it (i.e “Fruit of the Holy Spirit”)
- Devotional – Devotional studies are great for studying the bible with other people. I like to use devotionals as a way to study the bible with my wife.
- Bible Journaling – This is something I do on and off but many people love. Bible journaling can be a great way to connect yourself to God’s word. There are even Bibles made just for journaling.
- Partner Studies – As the bible says, “Iron sharpens iron”, studying with a partner is very effective. Having a friend study with you is a good way to stay accountable and committed.
The best place to be consistent is your church.
Attending bible study service is a great place to ask questions and grow spiritually.
Try The SOAP Method
If you’ve never heard of the SOAP method, its an acronym for:
- S – Scripture
- O – Observation
- A – Application
- P – Prayer
This is a great way to start learning the bible if you don’t know where to start.
Many devotionals advise using the SOAP method but you can apply this to any bible study method.
The best way to get the most out of the SOAP method is to follow along with a journal.
The “S” is for scripture. You pick a scripture that stands out to you and that is your area of focus.
The “O” is for observation. You “observe” or reflect on the scripture that you chose.
“A” is for application. Reflect on how you can apply what you learned to your everyday life.
“P” is for prayer. Combine everything you did and bring it to God in prayer.
SOAP is definitely one of my favorite bible study methods.
What Version of The Bible Should A Beginner Use?
Picking a Bible translation that you can understand is key to a good study.
I recommend starting with something easy and progressing to a more advanced version.
Here are the best Bible translations from beginner to advanced:
- New Living Translation – This is a version that is good for reading the Bible in modern English. 6th-grade reading level
- Christian Standard Bible – This Bible reads in modern English and is good for deeper study. 7th-grade reading level.
- English Standard Version – My favorite translation for deep Bible study. This translation is very rich and informative but also more difficult to read. 10th-grade reading level.
Click here for more information on Bible Translations & reading levels.
This progression will have you well on your way to becoming a Bible study expert.
The Best Study Bible’s For Beginners
Study Bibles are an essential resource for getting deeper into God’s word.
The problem is that some can be very overwhelming.
But no worries, I did the hard work for you and picked out a few that I know would serve you well.
Jesus Centered Bible NLT
The Jesus Centered Bible is an amazing bible for new believers looking to understand God’s word.
It does a great job of keeping your focus on getting to know Jesus as you read through the scriptures.
It’s also in the NLT version so it’s easy to understand with great commentary to help grow your faith.
Life Application Study Bible NLT
Like the Jesus Centered Bible,
the Life Application Bible is another great study bible for new believers.
This is a good Bible to purchase after or along with the Jesus Centered bible.
It goes into much more detail about the word.
This Bible features maps, commentary, and in-depth information on applying the Bible to your life.
ESV Study Bible
This is the most advanced of the three but also the most powerful.
This study bible has rich information to help you understand the Bible on a much deeper level.
Since it is a lot of information, I recommend purchasing this one last.
The ESV Study Bible has been an invaluable resource in my personal study.
How Can I Study The Bible And Enjoy It?
Studying the Bible should be an enjoyable experience. Unfortunately, we don’t always feel that way.
Many times we will look at the cover of our bible and let out a sigh of overwhelming.
It’s not meant to be that way. God always intended for us to enjoy bible study.
Psalm 1:2 – But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.
So how can we enjoy bible study?
This can only come if you start reading but here are some tips to help:
- Join a bible study group – if your church has bible study groups, joining one will be a great way to be entertained while growing in the word.
- Personalize your bible – Your bible is yours. Personalize it with highlighting, stickers, & art. Get creative!
- Learn with videos – I enjoy researching my study topics online. One of my favorite sources Is the Bible Project on YouTube.
Combining the 3 above will help you be entertained as you study the bible. Be creative and it will help you stay committed.
Benefits Of Studying The Bible
Studying the Bible is a must for every Christian.
We all are called to become proficient in God’s word.
There are many benefits to studying the bible. Here are a few to name:
- The Bible is your guide to life
- The Bible teaches you who God truly is
- Knowing the Bible keeps us from false doctrine
- The Bible gives us wisdom, knowledge, & understanding
- It will prepare you for life’s challenges
This list goes on. Growing your knowledge of God’s word will have lifelong benefits to come.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 – All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
Where To Go From Here
I hope you received from this beginner’s study guide.
Applying this guide to your bible study will help you study effectively.
With what you learned today, you will be well on your way to growing spiritually.
The next steps would be:
- Studying the Old Testament
- Study Proverbs & Psalms
- Start a bible reading plan
The important thing is to start studying the bible!
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