I want to thank you for taking the time to think about this topic. The Bible is one of the most neglected books in America although everyone in America has access to one. The Bible is an extremely important part of knowing God because it is the main account that we have about God. That is why the question, “Why should I read the Bible, isn’t that what church is for?”, is something that is frequently brought up but is found nowhere in the Bible itself.
The Bible is best read by everyone who wants to follow God. Leaders in the Church simply cannot tell everyone everything they need to know about the Bible. We should not have to rely on them to tell us everything. The best way to understand God is to read and follow the Bible. I would love to help you understand the Bible better, feel free to message us at any time.
Cuurio also has many questions that may help further as well. Feel free to reach out at anytime at johnjr@steeplelesschurch.com. There also is a sermon that relates to this topic, if you are interested in watching it please click here.
5 Common Questions about the Bible
1. Is the Bible True?
The Bible is not always easy to understand. Many of the books are thousands of years removed from the creation of the English language. We all have an excuse for not reading the Bible. “Isn’t it just a book of good sayings?”, “How can we even know it’s translated correctly?”, “Doesn’t it have a lot of inconsistencies?”. As a pastor, I have been presented with these questions a lot. What we need to understand is that the Bible has more manuscripts than any other document in history from these times.
There are over 25,000 manuscripts of the New Testament, some as early as 125 AD. There is more evidence of the Bible’s authenticity than any other historical document and the others aren’t even close. The inconsistencies in the Bible are usually easy to look up online and answer quickly for yourself. I find most of the time it is a misunderstanding of the verses themselves by the reader. I have read the Bible six times and the more I read it the more questions I clear up in my mind.
Before I read it, I had dozens of questions, but one read-through helps so much with understanding God. The Bible itself claims to be written by people who were directed by the Holy Spirit. Christians believe that it is not just a book of good sayings, but the very word of God. If you believe in God but believe the Bible has errors, I will ask you this question. If God is all-powerful, can’t He make sure the account about Him is factual?
2. How do I Read the Bible?
Most people start reading the Bible with the New Testament gospels as they are firsthand accounts of the life and death of Jesus. I would recommend starting with John or Luke. Honestly, the Bible will be an easy read once you start. It is even easier in my opinion to listen to the audiobook. It’s about forty-five hours usually and if you can listen for just thirty minutes a day you can finish in less than three months. You will not understand everything that you read, but that’s okay.
You can always ask other questions or trusted sources about your questions. Most people don’t read through the Bible in their whole lives, but the Bible is the Word of God. The more you read the Bible the easier it will be to understand. God the Father helps His people read and understand the Bible with His Holy Spirit. God wants everyone to read the Bible so they can apply it to their lives. How can we know what God wants for us if we don’t even know the basics of the Bible?
3. How does the Church Help me?
The Church is not a physical building but is what everyone who is a Christian is part of simply by being Christian. The Church is where God has designated His people to be to bring glory to Himself. By building a Church, God has given people access to other Christians who can help them in their lives. SteepleLess Church is a physical place where the Church of God can meet and help each other both better understand the Bible and become stronger in their faith in God. Without a group of Christian people in your life, growth in God will be very difficult. You are always free to ask me questions about the Bible too, that is one of my roles as a pastor and I love it.
4 .What is the Armor of God?
The armor of God is a metaphorical armor that every Christian should use to stay strong against Satan. The Bible presents Satan and his demons as real, spiritual creatures who can tempt, trick, and confuse people. To protect yourself against Satan and his demons the Bible says that you need to be truthful, be righteous, have peace in God, have faith in God, be saved, and know the word of God. When we can do this every day, we can protect ourselves from Satan and live the life that God has called us to. So, to be able to live the way that God wants us to we need to act in this way.
5. How does Praying help with my Situation?
God is accessible by anyone at any time. Praying is very easy and meant to be done by anyone. Anyone can pray to God at any time by speaking to Him. Praying doesn’t have to be formal it can be as simple as asking God to help you on a test or praying that you get somewhere safe. God wants everyone to pray continually because He is the only one who has the power to do anything. By praying we are submitting to God and acknowledging Him as Lord. In doing so, we are allowing God to work in and through us. This way, we can rely on God to help us.
God loves you deeply and I would love to help you with any questions or worries you have about Christianity. SteepleLess Church would love to be a place for you to hear about God too. You can connect with me anytime at johnjr@steeplelesschurch.com. God bless.