Why (and how) to read your Bible – a Bible reading plan
The university library was massive. Shelves of books on virtually every imaginable topic (and many that I have never conceived of) from every possible perspective on the issues. A person could read there for their entire lifetime and never put even a dent in the total number of books.
Fortunately, I wasn’t interested in reading all the topics. Some areas held no interest whatsoever for me. Others, I don’t have the expertise to even begin to decipher or understand. For example, I’ve never been able to grasp the fundamental concepts behind simple differential/integral calculus, so any book on that topic, or any topic that uses that knowledge as a foundation, would be beyond me.
The foreign language section would be beyond my grasp. I took some French in high school and university, but to be generous, it’s rusty. I can make out the occasional phrase in Latin, German, and Spanish, but I would not say I can speak any of those languages. I can say I don’t “speak the language” in French, German, Spanish, and several other languages.
I headed towards the seminary section of the library, looking for the topics I was interested in researching. Again, there was a bewildering array of books. For example, there were hundreds of biographies on Jesus (and I know they only have a sampling) some of which start with the belief that the Bible is true (as do I) and others which believe that there is no truth in the Bible at all.
Theological perspectives from the extreme liberal to the middle of the road, and from the ultra-conservative to the wildly charismatic, and from the frozen chosen to the chosen were available to read on many topics. Heretics and orthodox authors occupied the same shelves.
The topic of God, the claims of Jesus, and the path to salvation. These are some of, perhaps even the most vital issues of all. It’s no wonder that so many books have been written on these subjects.
Some people look at all those books and think, “Why should I read the Bible?” If the “experts” can’t agree, why should I even try? Some denominations or congregations even try to maintain control by encouraging this point of view.
The Bible is an incredible book. It contains truths so simple that a young child can understand them. It contains truths so vast that theologians have been arguing for thousands of years over the interpretations. If you are a believer, you have a built-in guide to help you understand the truth (Holy Spirit).
If you’re not a believer, no matter how much you read, you will never truly understand Scripture. Yet I know of many cases where people who weren’t believers, but had open, honest, searching hearts, asked God to reveal Himself to them when they read the Word, and He did.
I have thousands of hours of Bible reading and study under my belt. I have thousands of hours of reading commentaries, dictionaries, and other Bible-related books. I still have only begun to tap into the wealth of knowledge the Bible contains. There is more wisdom and truth in the Bible than in all the books in the university library for the person who will earnestly seek it.
I’ll never know it all, but with a little reading, anyone can sit down and learn through the Bible that Jesus loves them and will save them if they only ask. It will teach you what God is like and what He wants from us. It will teach you, rebuke you, correct you, and embrace you, if you will only open the covers and begin to read it.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Not sure where to begin reading your Bible? There are many plans available for daily Bible reading (we even have one on our website). Here’s one I recommend to people
Read the Gospel of John through two or three times
Read the four gospels through twice. By this point, you’ll have a good idea of who Jesus is.
Read the New Testament through twice. You’ll have a good basic knowledge.
Follow this by reading all of Scripture through from Genesis to Revelation.
Repeat…Repeat… Repeat
Reading twenty minutes a day will enable you to read through the whole Bible in a year. Reading a book a day will get you through cover to cover in 66 days.
Don’t worry that you don’t understand it all at once. No one does. You will find, though, that every time you gain new wisdom and insights. The more time you spend in the Word, the more you will realize how important it is and the more you will want to do it. Don’t be discouraged, it’s often hard to make new habits. If you slip, just pick it up again and keep on going.
Until next time, don’t be intimidated. Read the Bible. God had written a wonderful love letter to you within the pages of that book. He’s waiting for you to read it.
Be blessed
Kevin
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All contents, “Gleanings From the Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2026 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin, “Gleanings From the Word.”
Unless otherwise noted, “Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission.
From Gleanings From The Word (Kevin Corbin, 2001– ), a Scripture-based devotional work.
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