Greetings everyone, and welcome to my blog. It is another wonderful opportunity to listen to the word of God through His servant, Bro. Eli Soriano.
Many people ask how they should begin reading the Bible. My advice is to start with the New Testament because we are now living under the new covenant. Begin your reading from the books of the New Testament, and once you finish, you can then go back to the beginning of the Bible and read from Genesis.
One reason I recommend starting with the New Testament is that studying the Bible takes time. It is not something you rush through. You don’t simply read the Bible like any other book; you read it slowly, meditate on it, and seek to understand its message. Because of this, it may take months, or even up to a year, to properly study and absorb the teachings in the New Testament.
Personally, I am a fast reader and was able to read through the New Testament quickly when I first started. However, when I began studying it with meditation and deeper reflection, I realized that the Word of God brings deeper understanding and spiritual illumination. This shows that reading the Bible requires patience and careful thought.
As you read, it is important to pray and ask God for guidance through His Holy Spirit so that you can truly understand what you are studying. Start from the book of Matthew and continue reading until you reach the book of Revelation. After completing the New Testament, go back to the Old Testament and read from Genesis to Malachi.
When you do this, you will begin to notice that many of the teachings and statements in the New Testament are connected to writings found in the Old Testament. This connection helps you better understand the foundation of the message.
For example, the apostle Paul often used the phrase “it is written,” especially in the book of Romans. When the Lord Jesus Christ also said “it is written,” He was referring to scriptures that had already been recorded before His time.
You will discover that writers of the New Testament, such as Matthew, often referred to earlier scriptures found in books like Isaiah and the writings of the prophet Malachi. These references show that their teachings were built upon the foundation of the Old Testament.
Understanding this relationship between the Old and New Testaments makes Bible study more meaningful and refreshing. That is why I believe it is very helpful and beneficial to begin reading the Bible with the New Testament first.
Thanks for reading.