The best way for someone to first begin
reading the Bible is to start with one of the
Gospels of the New Testament, the Rev. Billy
Graham says.
Graham, founder of the Billy Graham
Evangelistic Association, wrote in a recent post
for the Kansas City Star that while some beginner Bible readers may think it’s best to
start reading the Holy Book from the
beginning, he personally believes it is actually
best to start “three-fourths of the way through
[…] with one of the Gospels from the New
Testament.”
The reason for this advice, Graham explains, is
“because Jesus is the center of the Bible’s
message. The Old Testament points forward to
him, and the whole of the New Testament is
focused on him.”
“In other words, once we understand who
Jesus is and why he came into the world, the
rest of the Bible will begin to make sense,”
Graham continues, pointing to Hebrews 1:2,
which reads: “In these last days God has
spoken to us by his Son.”
The evangelical leader goes on to encourage
Christians to “[not] give up reading the Bible,
but make it part of your life every day.”
“Begin in one of the Gospels, and ask God to
help you understand what it says. Not only will
you begin to realize who Jesus is, but you’ll
want to commit your life to him and learn more
about him through reading his word,” the
renowned Baptist minister says.
Graham adds in his message that “the Bible is
God’s written word, and nothing could be
more important than knowing it and applying
it to our lives,” pointing to Psalm 119:130
which reads: “The unfolding of your words
gives light.”
Graham has spoken on the importance of
reading the Bible properly in previous blog
posts, writing for his Billy Graham Evangelistic
Association’s “My Answers” page that although some Christians may use the Bible to prove
certain arguments, the real message and
purpose of the Bible is about God and Jesus
Christ.
“What is the Bible’s real message? It is a
message first of all about God. It tells us we are
not here by chance; God made us, and He made
us because He loves us and wants us to be His
friends. But the Bible also is a message about
us: We are weak and sinful, and we need God,” Graham wrote in the devotional from last year.
“Most of all, the Bible’s message is about Jesus
Christ, who came from heaven to save us from
our sins and give us hope for the future. The
Bible’s message is good news!” the evangelical
leader added.
In communicating the real value of the Holy
Book, Graham points to Proverbs 8:19 which
says, “my fruit is better than fine gold; what I
yield surpasses choice silver.
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